The FAA hosted the first Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Summit at the FAA Headquarters office in Washington, DC on March 27 & 28, 2024. This educational and informational 2-day in-person event brought together the leadership of several Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) from across the country to connect with government agencies including the FAA. 

 The HSI Summit aimed to create, establish, and empower HSIs by providing correct information on how to identify resources and work with the Federal government. It focused on promoting and supporting  Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) at the FAA, Department of Transportation (DOT), and across the government.

The summit aligned with the White House Executive Order 14045, which aims to advance educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity for Hispanics.

 Currently, there are over 500+ Hispanic Serving Institutions** throughout 24 states, including Puerto Rico, with over 2 million Hispanic students enrolled. HSIs serve as a valuable source of talent, providing future applicants for internship programs. These institutions play a critical role in advancing intergenerational mobility, success, and opportunity for Hispanic students. The summit emphasized the importance of building partnerships to strengthen outreach efforts. Collaborations between HSIs and federal agencies can broaden opportunities for students, faculty, and members of HSIs.

 It was a great event and it fostered collaboration, promoted educational equity, and strengthened ties between HSIs, the FAA, and other government agencies. By working together, we can create a more inclusive and prosperous future for all students.

A huge thank you goes out to Migdalia Gonzalez and her Civil Rights team for putting such a great event together. We also thank FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker and Associate Administrator for Civil Rights John Benison.  for their opening remarks and their  commitment to continue to support the summit every year moving forward. Our NHCFAE was proud to also sponsor the event. We also thank our other sister Employee Associations like PWC (Professional Women Controllers), NBCFAE, (National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees), NAAN, ( The Native American Alaska Native Coalition, and TWO( Technical Womens Organization) who were present and supported the summit.  

On the second day after the summit, our NHCFAE FAAmilia gathered in the offices of our legislative partners McCallister & Quinn and celebrated such a historic 2-day summit.