Feel Good Friday - The Ninety-Nines

Today is Amelia Earhart Day, honoring the pioneering aviator born on this day in 1897. That makes it a great day to talk about an organization that carries her legacy forward, The Ninety-Nines.

Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, the mission of The Ninety-Nines is "to promote the advancement of aviation through education, scholarships and mutual support while honoring our unique history and sharing our passion for flight." Earhart herself helped bring the group together, meeting with 25 other licensed women pilots at Curtiss Field on Long Island in 1929. The organization took its quirky name from the number of charter members who ultimately signed on and she went on to serve as its first president. Nearly a century later, the group has grown into a worldwide network of chapters spanning the U.S., Canada, and beyond.

The Ninety-Nines still centers mentorship and access today. Their Professional Pilot Leadership Initiative pairs women pursuing aviation careers with experienced mentors, helping them build the skills and confidence needed to succeed in a field where they remain a small minority. For people who've never set foot in a cockpit, the Let's Fly Now! First Flight Program offers an introduction to flying, often the spark that turns curiosity into a career. 

The organization also awards Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarships and Section and Chapter Scholarships to help cover the steep cost of flight training, while its long-running Airmarking program paints identifying markers on rooftops and water towers to help pilots navigate. The Ninety-Nines’ Museum of Women Pilots preserves the stories of the women who paved the way. This month, the group is mourning longtime member Wally Funk, one of the celebrated Mercury 13 women and later a Blue Origin astronaut, a reminder of just how far its members have flown.

If you’re feeling inspired, there are several ways you can support The Ninety-Nines and the future of women in aviation. Make a donation or become a Friend of the 99s if you're not a pilot yourself but want to back their mission. You can also amplify their message on social media by following The Ninety-Nines on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, and help keep Earhart's legacy airborne.

Happy Amelia Earhart Day! 

Feel Good Friday - American Association of People with Disabilities

July is Disability Pride Month, which traces its roots to the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, making this a fitting moment to spotlight American Association of People with Disabilities.

Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the mission of American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is "to increase the political and economic power of people with disabilities." AAPD was founded by a coalition of disability rights leaders, including Justin Dart, often called the father of the ADA. The organization remains disability-led today and advocates for the civil rights of more than 70 million Americans with disabilities. AAPD has been especially vocal this year about federal funding cuts threatening Medicaid and other disability protections, a reminder that the full inclusion the ADA promised is still very much a work in progress.

AAPD's Summer Internship Program is one of its most compelling initiatives. Since 2002, the program has placed college students, graduate students, and recent graduates with disabilities in paid ten-week internships with Congressional offices, federal agencies, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations in Washington, D.C. Interns receive a stipend of at least $20 an hour, transportation, and fully accessible housing, removing many of the financial barriers that keep disabled students out of competitive internships, while a career mentor helps guide their next steps. 

The REV UP Voting Campaign builds the power of the disability vote by increasing civic engagement and election accessibility through coalitions in twenty states. AAPD also invests in the next generation of disabled leaders alongside their ongoing policy advocacy on healthcare, housing, education, and employment.

If you're in the D.C. area, AAPD is hosting its 2026 ADA Anniversary Celebration on July 22, marking the 36th anniversary of the ADA. This year's event will recognize the progress made since 1990 and honor the leaders whose advocacy made the ADA possible. 

No matter where you live, you can support AAPD's work by making a donation that helps fund their advocacy directly, and amplify their message on social media. Follow them on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and help build the political and economic power of the disability community.

Happy Disability Pride Month!

Feel Good Friday - Rising Sun Center for Opportunity

Today's Feel Good Friday is personal. I got a Green House Call from Rising Sun Center for Opportunity last week, and I still can't get over the fact that the whole thing was free!

Founded in 1994 as Rising Sun Energy Center in Santa Cruz and now headquartered in Oakland, California, the mission of Rising Sun Center for Opportunity is "building career pathways for economic equity and climate resilience."

Rising Sun's Climate Careers program hires and trains Bay Area youth ages 15 to 24 as paid Energy Specialists, sending them out to deliver free in-home Green House Calls while they build real-world experience for green careers.

Here's what that looked like at my house. Two Energy Specialists came at the appointed time and evaluated my appliances, replaced some old lightbulbs with LEDs, and measured the water flow from every faucet. After walking me through their recommendations and answering all my questions, they left me with a bag of gifts, including a smart power strip, a phone-controlled lightbulb, a portable induction burner with a compatible pan, and a few other energy-saving extras. All free!

Rising Sun's other core program, Opportunity Build, is a pre-apprenticeship that prepares adults for union careers in the building trades. This includes Women Building the Bay, one of the few all-women cohorts in the country. 

Rising Sun has had a big impact on the region. Since they began, they've delivered no-cost Green House Calls to more than 66,000 households and trained over 3,450 youth and adults for careers in the green economy.

This summer's Green House Call season is happening right now across the Bay Area and Central California, so if my experience has you curious, there's no better time to sign up.

If you'd like to support the work of Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, you can make a donation or amplify their message on social media. Follow them on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube, and help spread the word about the program that's quietly saving Bay Area households money and energy, one house call at a time.