BAPN founder puts spotlight on barriers faced by Black aviation professionals

Black History Month is an opportunity to highlight the importance of empowering and promoting Black narratives and their impact and influence on our daily lives. Tonya Yearwood, founder of Black Aviation Professionals Network (BAPN), recently sat down with Skies to share the inspiration behind the organization, as well as the hurdles she has faced as a Black woman in aviation.

Yearwood was inspired to launch BAPN in 2018, focusing on the barriers faced explicitly by people of color. But it wasn’t until 2020 that the initiative that lived quietly among her future ambitions became a reality, as news of racist acts and a forthcoming virus overwhelmed our social feeds. 

“I worked in both Canada and the United States in various industries and coming into aviation, I was really disappointed at the lack of diversity,” she said. “And I understood. . . it was really the industry as a whole.”

Yearwood said as she began looking for ways to facilitate change, she realized that there were no groups in Canada that aimed to nurture Black talent in the aviation and aerospace industry.

“We’re planting that seed, but I wanted to add another element — once we do plant that seed, what are we going to do with it?

“I think my objectives evolved in 2020,” Yearwood continued, “when I saw that there was still such resistance to having the conversations and acknowledging that this industry is particularly different than any other industry.”

Thanks to Yearwood and her team, Black aviation professionals are working together, clearing the runway for future Black aviators to soar in an occupation that is often perceived as being out of reach.

As a registered non-profit, BAPN uses all proceeds to support Black excellence in aviation.

“[BAPN is about] bridging that gap and then increasing Black talent,” said Yearwood.

“I always tell people, when I used to come into work… to see another black person I’d have to look in the mirror,” she admitted.

Early in life, Black youth are taught not “to ruffle feathers,” to “keep your head down.”

“I am not one to be the center of anything,” said Yearwood. “And I’ve learned that stems from being in an environment where I’m always the only one that looks like me.”

In December 2020, Yearwood decided it was time to change this. With BAPN, she created a community of like-minded aviation professionals who felt like they had been flying solo on their aviation journey.

BUILDING A COMMUNITY

The BAPN “crew” comprises a team of aviation professionals who represent all areas of the industry.

“We are aviation professionals, and professionals in aviation – together we are BAPN. Whether it be mentorship, financial need, or a sense of community,” BAPN’s mission is to ensure the promotion of the entire industry, guaranteeing access to a “diverse talent pool.”

And since one of the barriers the Black community faces is “equal access to financial support,” membership is free, said Yearwood.

“I think a lot of people don’t realize that we [as a community] have been stifled in our efforts when attempting to gain financial freedom,” she added.

To Yearwood, applying a membership fee to those looking to join BAPN for financial support seems counteractive.

‘Ultimately, we haven’t had the money and freedom to invest in ourselves compared to others.”

Benefits for new members include access to programming or funding and discount codes for aviation products.

One of many goals for BAPN is to engage a young demographic by leveraging Black mentors in various job roles, and highlight the diversity of the roles available in the industry.

Recalling her own experiences as an information technology (IT) professional at a major Canadian airline, Yearwood said she is often asked at industry events if she is a flight attendant.

“It’s so much more than pilots and flight attendants,” she said.

So, when selecting the BAPN Board, the idea was to illuminate all facets and opportunities within the industry, including pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs), and airline management, among other roles.

PLANTING THE SEED

Encouraging Black youth to consider aviation as a career is another major initiative for BAPN. The challenge is that teachers and guidance counsellors often direct youth towards athletics and the arts.

“That adds another layer of complexity,” said Yearwood. So, BAPN is working with schools to “start planting the seed . . . to show them that it is possible.”

The group began working with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Centre for Excellence for Black Student Achievement (CEBSA) to provide educational opportunities via experiential learning. Working with TDSB, “the largest school board in Canada,” means BAPN has access to over 500 schools in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Ontario currently has two secondary schools offering courses focused on aviation as part of a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program that allows students to “focus their learning on a specific economic sector.”

“[Students] can use this towards their high school diploma,” explained Yearwood. “However, we’ve been informed that they can’t think of any Black students enrolled.”

Moving forward, BAPN hopes to bring aviation awareness to Black youth and “increase the enrollment into those schools.”

In 2021, BAPN hosted its first annual gala, StarGaze. The “first-class affair” was created as an opportunity to celebrate Black contributions to the aviation industry while developing a networking environment for Black professionals, recent graduates, and current students.

But the group’s only fundraising event barely covered the cost of the event. Yearwood hopes more sponsorship opportunities will arise — to help “cover overhead costs.”

Going forward, BAPN’s flight plan details a future with “flight schools dedicated to Black Canadians.”

For 2022, the goal is to raise $250,000 to put towards outreach and community building. By 2023, BAPN hopes to host its first in-person conference, offering workshops and live interviews with trailblazers. 

“We want to make sure that if people do feel alone at work, at least there’s a community that supports them.”

A dedicated space for Black youth to study, surrounded by other Black aviators, is the target for 2025.

In the meantime, BAPN is actively seeking donors, mentors, and opportunities to share the organization’s story. It’s all part of the blueprint to stabilize the future with a more diverse aviation population, producing limitless possibilities and more color in the sky.