What I Learned from #MujeresMondays

When I was in elementary school – or, as my British and Irish colleagues call it, ‘primary school’ – I did a career aptitude test that told me I was well suited to becoming an air traffic controller. Obviously, life had other plans for me, though I’m happy I gravitated towards aviation nonetheless!

As you may have seen, for the past year I have been sharing weekly LinkedIn posts titled #MujeresMondays. Catchy alliteration aside, I was predominantly aiming to highlight the role of women in aviation: a contribution that has been far too often overlooked. Women are still significantly outnumbered in senior leadership roles in the industry, so it is all the more important to celebrate female representation and achievement as we strive to build a more inclusive future.

With the #MujeresMondays title, I also wanted to nod to my own personal journey. Originally from Chicago, I’ve been based in Madrid for almost a decade now, so I thought that by mixing Spanish and English – both in the name of the series, as well as the pieces’ content – I could highlight the cultures that have helped to shape me personally and professionally, while also helping me reach a broader and more inclusive audience.

As I think back on what I took from a year of posting weekly, I wanted to share the reflections that most stood out to me. Here they are, in no particular order!

Okay, this will sound banal, but it’s true. Amelia Earhart is probably the only female figure in aviation that most people could name – and as much as she deserves her flowers for her incredible bravery and groundbreaking achievements, I only wish that the accomplishments of people like Major Margaret Witt, Hèléne Boucher, and Carmela Combe Thomson received as much coverage.

Doing the #MujeresMondays series made me feel connected to the history of aviation in a way I’d never experienced before. I am now compelled to keep shouting about the work of women in the sector, past, present, and all over the world, whenever I can now.

The nature of aviation as an industry is, of course, global, which is one of the best things about it. I love getting to meet and speak to people from all over the world as part of my job, though investigating the background of aviation in territories including Latin and South America, Africa, and Asia and elsewhere was certainly enlightening. This was something else that gave me a newfound appreciation for the interconnectedness of the sector and the real lives and experiences that have contributed so richly to it.

The objective of #MujeresMondays was to celebrate female workers and achievement in aviation – and while women have traditionally been excluded from positions of power in the industry, this is sadly even more common for people of colour and members of LGBTQIA+ communities, whose innovations have not received the widespread recognition they deserve.

I made an effort to include some of these stories in my posts, like Latin America’s first trans woman airline captain Traniela Carle Campolieto; the first African woman to command a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Irene Koki Mutungi; and Zoya Agarwal, the youngest woman pilot to fly a Boeing 777. These examples may not be much, but it’s incumbent on all of us to educate ourselves and champion such efforts so that future generations understand the multifaceted history of the industry and don’t face the same barriers as some of their forebears.

My job is demanding, and while #MujeresMondays is of course related to my work, I’ll admit that it was easier to share some weeks more than others. As much as I enjoyed creating the posts, there were of course occasions when doing so was less than appealing due to a lack of time, feeling stumped about what to write about, or both.

However, I would say that pushing through and working out what to cover on weeks where I wasn’t feeling it ended up being a really valuable reminder of the power of creativity. If you’re struggling with or for an idea, leave it and come back after a while – you might surprise yourself!

As well as finding out about the history and culture of so many different countries and airlines, it’s been wonderful to read up on of various projects and organisations that have made a real difference when it comes to women’s representation in aviation. Just a few stories that I’d like to plug include:

Careflight celebrating women in aeromedicine

Sri Lankan Airlines and Wizz Air operating all-female flights on International Women’s Day

The success of IATA’s 25by2025 scheme

Meanwhile, some organisations and initiatives that are more than worthy of attention include:

The Brooke Owens Fellowship, awarded in memory of a space industry pioneer to give women access to opportunities in the field

Flying Nurses International, which specialises in commercial airline medical transport

The Ninety-Nines Inc, an international organisation of female pilots

International Aerospace Women’s Association

A-WING (Aviation Women Inspiring the Next Generation)

FlyPink, a non-profit breast cancer awareness initiative started by Qantaslink pilots

Sisters of the Skies, for female pilots of colour

Institute for Women of Aviation Worldwide

Well done to everyone behind all this wonderful work – your dedication to making aviation and aerospace more visible and accessible for women all over the world is nothing short of inspiring.

This has been one of the nicest parts about posting regularly. Researching and writing about the work of female leaders in aviation has led to new professional relationships not just with some of the people my content reached, but also with a few of the actual individuals I wrote about after I tagged them in the posts. This is an element of the process that I wasn’t anticipating, and which came as such a wonderful surprise.

I’d worked in aviation before, though I can safely say I know much more about the industry now than before I embarked on the #MujeresMondays journey. I’m appreciative of the space Venari Partners has afforded me to work on it and increase my knowledge. It’s great to have colleagues that are passionate and knowledgeable, with whom I can share ideas and discuss pressing themes.

I’m well aware that my efforts at posting might be small-scale in the grand scheme of things, but still it has been lovely having colleagues and connections alike telling me how much they’ve enjoyed my weekly series. I’ve been able to spread crucial stories to a wider audience that might not otherwise have come across them: something that would have made this endeavour worthwhile by itself, whatever about all the other positives.

I’ve so enjoyed doing #MujeresMondays, and while I won’t be posting every Monday anymore, it certainly doesn’t mean that the learning is over. In fact, you’ll soon being seeing so much more content from us about women in aviation – I’m genuinely excited for what’s to come. Keep your eyes peeled for some big news from us soon!

In the meantime, as ever, I am passionate about promoting female talent in aviation, so if you would like to hear about how Venari Partners can help your business, or if you are a professional considering your next move in the industry, be sure to drop me a line.