Young Residents Challenged to Think Big, Aim High, and Reach Beyond the Sky

Information by State  Print version

Washington, D.C.—Role models. They possess the qualities and abilities we admire and wish we had. They affect us in a way that makes us want to be better people. And, through their accomplishments, they inspire us to advocate for ourselves and our goals, take leadership on the issues that we believe in, and not be intimidated by ambitions that seem beyond our reach.

For staff of The Pentacle Group Neighborhood Networks Center in Washington, D.C., reinforcing the self-worth and expanding the horizons of their young residents through positive role models is a key objective of center programs. Like thousands of youth nationwide, young residents of the Benning Road neighborhood (where the center is located) are bombarded and blinded by negative racial and ethnic stereotypes. Center Coordinator Janice Ellis and her staff want them to see beyond their current circumstances, think big, and aim high in their goals.

Nobody Owns the Skies

"The world is much bigger than what they see in the media or from their own backyards," explained Ellis. "Regardless of what is going on in their neighborhood or families, or whatever the current circumstances in their lives, we tell them that if you can dream big enough and hold onto it, you can overcome any obstacle and realize your dreams. We want them to see the positive pictures and images of successful African-Americans and know that this is a greater and reachable part of their world as well."

That's why, as part of the center's Black History Month activities, Ellis and her staff highlighted African-American aviators and astronauts who achieved unparalleled success despite overwhelming social and economic obstacles as role models. On February 27, center staff and 26 young residents in grades K-5 participated in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's (NASM) "Nobody Owns the Skies," a tribute to the life of Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman, the first African-American licensed pilot and the first American to hold an international pilot's license. This event included a 30-minute story and art activity during which museum staff read excerpts from the book Nobody Owns the Skies by Reeve Lindbergh, a poetic novella of Coleman's life, including her childhood dream of flying which was born in the cotton fields of Texas and how she persevered until she made that dream come true. During this time, staff helped younger participants color a picture of a plane pulling a banner that read, "Nobody Owns the Skies."

The young residents were familiar with Coleman's story, having learned about her struggles through activities at the center. They learned that Coleman tried to be a licensed pilot in the 1920s, a time when it was difficult for any woman to become a pilot and an impossible dream for a Black woman to realize. "But she never let her dream die," stated Ellis. "We even provided the children with an age-appropriate coloring book that chronicles Bessie's life of enduring poverty, discrimination, and eventual achievement. The power and importance of her achievement was reinforced at NASM."

Using Coleman's experience as an example, Ellis and her staff want to encourage young residents not to be intimidated by challenges. "All of her life, Bessie strived to be bigger than her circumstances," described Ellis. "Everything was against her-the law, social standards, her gender, and her race-but she did not let this stop her. She was not born wealthy, but she worked hard and sought an education. In fact, when Bessie learned that French schools trained women to become pilots, she enrolled in French classes at the Berlitz language school in Chicago, saved her money, secured benefactors, and went to France in 1920 to fulfill her dream."

Coleman fulfilled her dream on June 15, 1921, when she became the first African-American woman to earn an international aviation license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, and the first African-American woman in the world to earn an aviation pilot's license.

And the List Goes On

In addition to exploring the life of Bessie Coleman, the children also learned more about Merryl David, the first and only Black woman to fly the U-2 stealth plane; Major Robert Lawrence, the first African-American selected to be an astronaut; Guion Bluford the first African-American astronaut to orbit the Earth; Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African-America woman in space; and Dr. Bernard Harris Jr., the first African-American to walk in space. The children also learned about the history of flight.

"The children were so happy," concluded Ellis. "They really enjoyed their experience and realized that the life of Bessie Coleman and the other African-American aviators and astronauts we talk about are not just stories in a book. They got to see that even though the experiences of these great African-Americans are in some cases almost 100 years old, they are still current and being featured at NASM verified their importance. Bessie's success, and the success of the others, reinforces our message to the children that difficulties will always come, but literally, the sky is the limit. The experience at NASM showed them that their dreams are limitless, and they can actually reach higher than the sky. Our advice to them every day is, 'Do not give up and do not let the circumstances of your environment stop or deter you. The world is huge. Do not be afraid to explore it, and the first step is to get off of your neighborhood block.'"

For more information about Neighborhood Networks centers in Washington, D.C., contact:

Michelle D. Porter
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Washington, D.C. Multifamily Program Center
820 First Street NE, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20002-4205
(202) 275-6309 x3030

For more information about The Pentacle Group Neighborhood Networks Center, contact:

Janice Ellis
Center Coordinator
The Pentacle Group Neighborhood Networks Center
1509 Benning Road, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 388-1030