The Division of Aviation’s Racial Equity Advisory Council (REAC) is back with another robust series of programs, activities, and exhibitions available to employees throughout the month of February for Black History Month 2022.
REAC Virtual Roundtable, Thursday, February 17, 2-3 p.m.
Diversity in leadership is critical to organizational success. This roundtable discussion will feature three of the Greater Philadelphia Region’s premier leaders as they discuss their backgrounds, professional ascensions, challenges faced and accomplishments implementing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) strategies within their respective industries.
The discussion will be followed by a question and answer session.
Panel participants include (above, from left) Sara Lomax-Reese, President and CEO of WURD Radio and co-founder of URL Media; Nefertiri Sickout, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for the City of Philadelphia, Mayor’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and Eboni Wimbush, President and CEO of the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC). The panel will be moderated by Deatrice Isaac, Deputy of Airport Procurement.
Division of Aviation Career Profile Series: Black History Month Edition
The Division of Aviation is committed to creating programs that engage and connect with the rising generation of workforce. We are excited to launch an Employee Profile Series with Greater Philadelphia-area high schools, showcasing our dynamic workforce with students as they consider what’s next after they graduate.
The series begins with a virtual panel discussion with Bartram High School Students. Division of Aviation employees will share their backgrounds, career pathways, job responsibilities and experiences. The series is kicking off with the following participants:
- Delicsha Wilds, Chief Administrative Officer
- Shaqunna Duncan, Budget Officer
- Milton Robinson, Airport Facilities Manager
- Ashlee Franklin, Training Coordinator
- William Bayne, Graduate Civil Engineer
The discussion will be recorded and shared with all employees upon its conclusion. If you have any questions, contact [email protected].
"Taking Off With Chellie Cameron" – Black History Month Edition
Airport CEO Chellie Cameron will be joined by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Michael Hales, Director of Aviation at Delaware State University, for a special Black History Month edition of her podcast. The interview will be shared later this month via social media and takingoff.podbean.com/.
Thurs-Yay Black History Gameday, February 24, Noon-1 p.m.
Join the Training and Development team for a special edition Thurs-YAY! Water Cooler Conversation. There will games, friendly competition, and a chance to win bragging rights with your colleagues. Please contact [email protected] for more information.
Division of Aviation’s Soundtrack of Philly
Philadelphia has a rich musical history and the city’s singers', songwriters' and musicians' impact on the recording industry continues to reverberate around the world. For Black History Month, the Division of Aviation is cultivating a playlist of some of the city’s influential Black musical artists (for example, Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child", Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' "If You Don’t Know Me By Now" and DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's "Summertime"). Send your selections for the Soundtrack of Philly to [email protected] by February 25 and look for the final list on February 28.
Division of Aviation Black History Month Philly “PHLicks” and TV Watchlist
Looking for your next bingeable TV series or some new (or new to you) movies to stream or rent? Philadelphia has been the setting for numerous films and several TV shows spotlighting Black culture, many of which can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home. In addition to programs and movies set in our city, there are even more that feature our hometown actors or have a Philadelphia connection.
Submit your choices for the Division of Aviation’s Black History Month Philly “PHLicks” and TV Watchlist to [email protected] by February 25 and look for the complete list on February 28. Here are some to get it started:
- “Concrete Cowboys” (movie, 2021), filmed in Philadelphia, starring Idris Elba
- “Pride” (movie, 2007), based on the life of Philadelphia swim coach Jim Ellis, starring Terrence Howard
- “Amen” (TV show), set in Philadelphia, starring Philadelphian Sherman Hemsley
Artist Exhibitions - throughout February
The Division of Aviation's award-winning Arts & Exhibitions Program, led by Director of Guest Experience and Curator Leah Douglas, will feature the following artists throughout the airport during Black History Month:
BlackStar Projects, Philadelphia, Terminal A-East
BlackStar Projects, Philadelphia, the premier organization celebrating visionary Black, Brown, and Indigenous film and media artists, marked its 10th anniversary of the world renowned BlackStar Film Festival in 2021. BlackStar’s vision is to create a "liberatory world in which a vast spectrum of Black, Brown and Indigenous experiences are irresistibly celebrated in arts and culture." In addition to the acclaimed annual film festival, their work includes year-round programming — film screenings, exhibitions, a filmmaker seminar, film production lab, and a journal of visual culture.
Robin Williams Turnage: Object of Ancestral Reverence, Terminal A-West
Philadelphia artist Robin Williams Turnage is known for creating pottery — vessels, bowls, plates, and platters — that she says are often based on her "explorative thoughts about anything from experimenting with materials to discovering parts of my family history." Williams Turnage’s work is influenced by African art and her interest in ancestor veneration. She purposefully uses dark clay bodies "to reference the skin tones of my ancestors and reflect a deep love of self." Williams Turnage writes, "the idea of loving and embracing the brown is not something often promoted in mainstream media as a good or positive thing. I want to change that."
Iye Yin Dae: Colorful Conversations, Terminal C
Philadelphian Iye Yin Dae is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist whose portfolio includes fine arts, design arts, media arts, and music. From a young age, Iye Yin Dae has maintained a "sense of my African and African/Caribbean cultural identity along with my experiences as an African-American male from the inner city." Several of his large-scale paintings are part of the Colorful Conversations series inspired by his travels. Iye Yin Dae wants to "stimulate viewers using therapeutic color schemes as they travel the world." Colorful Conversations is Iye Yin Dae’s personal celebration of Mexico — its sunny skies, beautiful beaches, cotton production, the unique use of decorative cotton within Mexican homes, and the ongoing cultural influences of the African Diaspora that thrives throughout the region.
Shawn Theodore: Stillness in the Wake, Terminal D
Philadelphia artist Shawn Theodore is known for creating eloquent and sophisticated photographic compositions that he calls Afromythology —"a method of creating visual content untethered to time, and its goal is the dethroning of monolithic Black identities, broadening the discussion of Black figurative representation beyond futuristic ideation, and the decolonizing of postmodern and contemporary African American photography, collage, and mixed media." Theodore describes Stillness in the Wake as a "composite photographic image of four young African Americans who were in silent, still protest along with 100 others in Rittenhouse Park, Philadelphia, 2018."
Danny Simmons: Travel Mercies, Terminal F
Philadelphia artist Danny Simmons is an author, poet, and painter — his style, he describes as Neo African Abstract Expressionism. His paintings are dynamic. The compositions blend abstraction and stylized imagery with saturated colors and detailed patterns that are accentuated by sweeping black lines. Simmons masterfully combines these elements into cohesively rendered paintings that are energetic and captivating. He has said, the inspiration for his work has been a "deep and unmistakable influence of African and Tribal arts," in addition to his artistically talented family.
Black Author Spotlight - throughout February
From January 30-February 26, PHL Food & Shops retailers will feature Black authors with Black History Month merchandising tables at both Philadelphia Tribune locations (Terminal A-East and Terminal D), Stellar News (Terminal A-East and Terminal E), Heritage Books (B/C Connector) and Stellar Books (D/E Connector). Each table will have a QR code and customers can enter for a chance to win a free book of their choice from the highlighted assortment.