This Black History Month, the City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation recognizes the contributions and accomplishments of the Black community to the United States. Black people have strongly impacted the aviation industry, widely contributing to its success.
As an Inflight Regional Manager for Frontier Airlines, Shelly-Ann Cawley’s responsibilities include managing flight attendants and their supervisors. She travels to other Frontier crew bases, coaching, supporting, and developing her airline’s staff. Her main goal is to ensure a smooth operation with flights departing on time. Cawley has over 20 years of experience working for airlines and other companies.
“Black History Month, to me, is a time of reverence, homage, and celebration,” said Cawley. “It allows the story of an oppressed people to be heard in its true capacity. It's a celebration of how far we’ve come as a people who have suffered because of the color of our skin.”
The presidential election of former President Barack Obama is a moment in U.S. history that shaped Cawley’s life. “As an immigrant, minority woman of color, working in a white, male-dominated industry, I have experienced racism and sexism,” said Cawley. “That moment, for me, symbolizes that Black women can have a seat at the table.”
Former South African President Nelson Mandela is also an inspiration to Cawley as she respects his actions in service of the people in his country. “Even when opportunities presented themselves, he refused to compromise his vision for his people,” said Cawley. “While Nelson Mandela was a prisoner, he used his position to improve prisoners' conditions. Even in difficult situations, he showed humanity and continued to inspire people worldwide. Despite terrible provocation, he never answered racism with racism. I aspire to do the same daily.”
Cawley considers herself lucky for having a core group of friends she’s had since high school and her eldest sibling. They all support and hold one another accountable. “We all have different strengths and weaknesses,” she said. “We inspire each other always to do the right thing and strive to be better people each day.”
Cawley is passionate about including diverse groups of people in her profession. She believes that women are still under-represented in the aviation industry. She recognizes that diversity promotes creativity, better decision-making, open-mindedness, personal growth, and empathy.
The most meaningful part of Cawley’s job is showing up for her flight attendants and team. She appreciates when employees thank her for assisting them on the job. She loves working in her industry because she knows she makes a difference every day. A phrase Cawley lives by is “Always do the right thing, even if no one is watching”.
Cawley hopes Black History Month impacts generations through its legacy and teachings. “With knowledge, they will have a deeper understanding of where we started, where we are, and build upon that,” she said. “I hope it doesn’t stop at February and is taught and celebrated continuously. I hope people from different backgrounds understand that it’s not just about promoting diversity; it’s celebrating diversity, as we have much to celebrate. We have come a long way. We still see and experience racism daily. It unites us. It helps us understand the importance of our stories.”
