The Inspirational Aviator’s Neice Shares Her Legacy Through WomenVenture

The Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars Foundation, founded and led by Gigi Coleman-Brooms, was established in 2013.

Coleman-Brooms and her team have enrolled over 600 teens between the ages of 14 and 18 to date, and this year, their efforts will be showcased at EAA’s Oshkosh Airventure for the first time.

Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman was the first African American female pilot. She was known for her extraordinary aerobatic skills and has been an inspiration to countless communities and women worldwide. Though Coleman passed in a tragic stunt accident, her goal of motivating other women and African Americans lives on in aviation.

“I’m just so happy,” Coleman-Brooms states, “that I’m here, representing Aunt Bessie and what we’ve been trying to do... I always tell people, Aunt Bessie got her license two years before Amelia Earheart, but no one knew about her. She’s not in the history books. But hopefully, now, she’s going to inspire women.”

The Foundation’s primary mission is to promote Bessie Coleman’s legacy through aviation and STEM programs. They implement hands-on learning strategies, allowing students to fly simulators, visit airports and control towers, and hear from industry professionals. 

Currently, they are partnering with the After School Matters organization, which is a Chicago-based non-profit that provides summer programs and nighttime projects during the school year. Their efforts have proven to be successful, with several students receiving scholarships, attending college, and pursuing Aviation careers.

“It’s just been a blessing. I believe that my mother and my grandmother are looking down on me, and this is what they wanted me to do. My mom wanted people to know. So, she worked hard, she did essay contests... she worked so hard to keep the legacy going. And I can see it’s changed people's lives,” emphasized Coleman-Brooms.

If you would like to stop by to learn about the cause, the foundation, or how to support it, visit the Bessie Coleman Foundation booth in the WomenVenture Center.

FMI: www.bessiecolemanaviationallstars.org