The Murdock Trust is grateful to partner with a diverse group of individuals and organizations in the Pacific Northwest, including those who support underserved communities and seek to address injustice. In honor of Black History Month, we are celebrating some of our outstanding grantees who are doing life-affirming work within the Black community. First up, clear the runway for Black Pilots of America (BPA).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2020 data, a mere 3.4% of U.S. pilots are Black. BPA seeks to raise these numbers through introducing underserved and underrepresented youth to the exciting world of aviation. With chapters all over the country, BPA is rising to meet the global demand for pilots while preparing students to earn their place in the sky.
Mukilteo, WA hosts its own BPA chapter called Red-Tailed Hawks Flying Club (RTH).
Consistent with the larger BPA mission, RTH invests in youth who are underrepresented in the aviation world, engaging them in STEM education and its practical application, teaching them aviation history, and above all instructing them to fly.
RTH operates four programs: a year-round program with monthly meetings, a two-week intensive flight-training program, an aviation day camp in Seattle and Vancouver, WA, and a summer flight academy.
Through these programs, between 2014 and 2020, RTH:
- reached over 3,000 youth
- provided over 800 discovery flights
- sent 25 cadets to aviation-related STEM programs
- sent 34 cadets through their two-week FLY program
- funded pilot certification for 13 cadets
- and invested nearly $250,000 in flight training for their students.
We are grateful to organizations like BPA that work tirelessly to help ensure that every individual, family, and community has an opportunity to thrive. May your work flourish as you continue to make history in the skies.
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