Two North Carolina commercial pilots are offering free aviation lessons through their “Fly For the Culture” non-profit program. Aviators Courtland Savage and Jerome Stanislaus teamed up to expose and orient Black children to career opportunities for qualified pilots. Savage, recalling how strange his desire to become a pilot sometimes felt because, “I never saw a pilot that looked like myself,” wanted to expose Black children to aviation early in their lives. He knew that seeing examples of Black pilots was critical to children forming self-perceptions that accommodated aspirations to fly.
Savage and Stanislaus started the program using their own money. After a local TV news program featured them taking to the skies with delighted children on board, the non-profit began receiving more donations. Now lots of young people are interested and the partners are teaching adults as well. Find out more by clicking below.