Closing Remarks

Speaker*

Amber Woodburn McNair, The Ohio State University, Rapporteur

Overview

The rapporteur shared summarizing thoughts on the key themes from the day.

Detailed Summary of Closing Remarks

After the breakout room summaries, Amber Woodburn McNair closed the day with observations of the first day’s discussions. Her thoughts should not be construed as reflecting a consensus of the planning committee, the conference participants, TRB, ACRP, or the National Academies. She divided the day’s dialogue into three recurring themes:

1. Establishing and validating what the industry currently knows and understands about minority experiences in the aviation industry,
2. Sharing testimonials on navigating the aviation industry as someone with a minority identity, and
3. Identifying opportunity areas to dismantle, disrupt, and interrogate systems that perpetuate exclusion within the industry.

With respect to the theme of establishing and validating what we currently know about systemic inequality in the aviation industry, McNair highlighted that there were repeated discussions throughout the day that centered on

• Acknowledgment that exclusive practices exist that harm people’s ability to access workforce opportunities in aviation,

___________________

^* Headshot: Amber Woodburn McNair.

• Acknowledgment that these exclusive practices are especially challenging for individuals with intersectional identities, and
• Acknowledgment that these challenges are both systemic (i.e., rules embedded throughout institutions and organizational systems in society that collectively produce inequities) and systematic (i.e., rules and practices that methodically and explicitly discriminate).

With respect to the recurrence of personal testimonials that described strategies and decisions that minority-identifying individuals had to address as they navigated the workplace, McNair noted the following:

• Multiple speakers shared their reflections on the personal burdens and emotional labor associated with being the first or the only minority identity in a workplace.
• Multiple speakers shared testimonials on how they handled these experiences, including pivotal strategies that led to a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment in their careers. These testimonials discussed how persons with minority identities curate a personal sense of confidence and courage as well as how they express agency and self-determination in their career pathways while navigating an othered experience in the workforce.
• Multiple speakers addressed the impact of various socialization experiences within the workforce. Some said that cultural assimilation has felt necessary because of social expectations in the workforce, but this is harmful, since they feel they cannot bring their full self to the workplace. Some expressed a desire for more events that cultivate a sense of belonging for underrepresented groups.

With respect to the third theme—dismantling, disrupting, and interrogating social systems and power structures in the aviation industry—McNair identified the following topics that were referenced repeatedly throughout the day:

• Social systems and power structures that influence labor rights and wages for airport workers,
• Social systems and power structures that influence burdens and barriers associated with certification and contracting practices for minority airport consultants and contractors, and
• Social systems and power structures that influence notions, cultures, and structures of authority in aviation organizations (e.g., the U.S. DOT, FAA, airport owners, executive offices). Specifically, some participants noted that it might be useful for executives and decision-makers to bestow authority and resources to pursue DEIJ work, for people with the appropriate skill sets and competencies to affect change and deploy the DEIJ lens, and for the aviation industry to cultivate a culture of transparency and vulnerability in DEIJ work.

Finally, McNair encouraged event attendees to reflect on a few conceptions of justice. She briefly described five types of justice associated with infrastructure and environmental justice: deliberative, distributive, epistemic, procedural, and restorative. She noted that most of the day’s conversation was in the realm of epistemic justice (e.g., Whose knowledge and expertise is recognized and respected within the aviation industry?).

Speakers*

Tina Frias, Harry Reid International Airport, Chair, Insight Event Project Panel
Amber Woodburn McNair, The Ohio State University, Rapporteur

Overview

The chair of the Insight Event Project Panel and the rapporteur closed out the Insight Event with summarizing comments.

Detailed Summary of Presentations and Discussions

Tina Frias invited Amber Woodburn McNair to share the closing comments from the perspective of the rapporteur. McNair’s thoughts should not be construed as reflecting a consensus of the planning committee, the conference participants, TRB, ACRP, or the National Academies. McNair first spoke about the recurring theme that words are tools. Intentionally distinguishing between DEIJ programs versus initiatives versus regulations communicates a sense of priority and requirement. Metaphors can also be helpful tools in communicating and advancing understanding when seeking common ground in more informal terms. Next, McNair highlighted the theme that the work of dismantling systems is a personal project. Multiple speakers and attendees repeatedly emphasized their deeply personal reflections and individual growth as they persisted in DEIJ work. Multiple speakers also emphasized the importance of developing communities that can support and empower individuals as they navigate that growth.

Next, McNair highlighted the theme of developing new processes to build systems that equitably distribute power. Multiple speakers recognized the need to dismantle systems that were not designed for equity—especially systems that were intentionally designed for inequity. If those systems are to be dismantled, then what are the tools and strategies for achieving equitable and just socioeconomic impacts?

___________________

^* Headshots, left to right: Tina Frias, Amber Woodburn McNair.

Following are some examples mentioned during the Insight Event that would be helpful if implemented:

• Developing internal networks of allies and people conducting DEIJ work, for example, repeating this Insight Event;
• Encouraging trade associations to advocate for federal policies, for example, encouraging AAAE and ACI to motivate progress in Congress, which would expand FAA’s options;
• Experimenting with new organizational dynamics and approaches, for example,
  • Appointing DEI representatives who can advocate at the executive level of the organization,
  • Hiring consultants to play a significant role in internal DEI communications and strategic planning, and
  • Formalizing intentions and actions with an internal charter; and
• Pursuing multimodal and multijurisdictional approaches.

Frias shared some of her own closing comments and stated that individuals with research ideas identified during the Insight Event should submit those ideas to ACRP. She noted that ACRP had extended the deadline to allow for ideas from this event to be submitted.