Clouds, not ceilings

​Last fall, while in NYC, I was privileged to watch my best friend perform in the musical, "This One's For The Girls." Although I had studied ballet for my entire youth, as I grew up, I often became "one of the guys," and never gave too much thought to promoting opportunities for women. It was not until watching the musical that I truly realized, with my fully supportive better half (and aircraft mechanic), Angel, laughing and crying next to me, just how recently equal opportunity has become available to women. It happened in my mother's lifetime! 

Angel and me with Haley

Mom and me, flying

Now, living in Madrid, Spain, I am even more aware of how fortunate I am to have grown up with so much opportunity. Don't get me wrong, I do love it here. I told Angel from the beginning that moving to Spain would be the easy part (read that story here). But the challenges are fierce. Spain is perhaps a generation behind, not regarding the right to vote and such formalities, but with regard to social expectations. It is obligatory for me to include my photograph with most job applications and it is expected that I include my photograph on my resume. Age, marital status, and children are normal interview topics. The European education system, in general, prepares students for exams, not life. 

Arianna Huffington articulated an idea so well on The Tim Ferriss Show. She said (paraphrasing, here) that women should have the choice to work or to stay home with her children, should her financial situation allow it, and should not be judged differently for that choice. But many places still lack the opportunity for women to make that choice or to choose without judgment. 

For all of those reasons, which still just hit the tip of the iceberg, I am compelled to do something to encourage women's leadership. The how is still a work in progress, but it begins with exposure, grows with collaboration, and the result depends on you. 

• We have decided to collaborate with some amazing women in aviation. More on that soon, following our upcoming journey to Everest Base Camp.
• When you invest in a fitness training plan for yourself, a portion of all sales will go toward the F.A.S.T. (Female Aviators Sticking Together) Scholarship. Start training today to realize your potential and help someone else climber higher too. 
• Likewise, purchase any art from the "Airplanes" category and a portion of those sales will also goes towards the FAST Scholarship.​
• In April, Angel and I will be participating in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) event with the USA Girl Scouts of Madrid. We'll share that story, soon after the event, right he​re in our journal.
• Are you a woman in aviation, a woman in business, or an advocate? We'd love to collaborate. Contact us here.

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Let's stop talking about glass ceilings when we can fly above the clouds!​

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