Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals Chair: It’s Very Unfortunate that Trump’s Blaming DEI for Plane Crash

KEILAR: “Joining us now live is Tennesse Garvey, he‘s a pilot and the chair of the board of directors for the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals. Tennesse, the president really taking aim at air traffic control in his remarks earlier, but I just wonder what your reaction is to what he said.”
GARVEY: “Well, Brianna, thanks for having me. And I will say, his remarks were very concerning, concerning because when it comes to diversity hiring, diversity hiring initiatives have never been attributed to any aviation accidents or incidents. So, it sends the wrong information, and it also sends miscommunication about truly what diversity hiring is.”
KEILAR: “I mean, tell us a little bit more about it, when you say it’s never been used in this regard before?”
GARVEY: “Sure. When it comes to diversity hiring initiatives, it‘s — the reason why organizations like OBAP, the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, exist, it‘s really to create opportunities to underrepresented communities for those that, you know, have that dream about pursuing a career within aviation/aerospace. The intent by corporations to make an effort to reach these individuals is to, you know, give them access to an opportunity that historically there have been barriers that have prevented individuals from achieving these goals or from achieving these career aspirations. So to say that DEI is a cause of, you know, the accident last night, it‘s very unfortunate because that‘s not what DEI is. It‘s all about, you know, breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for those that may not naturally have access to these opportunities.”