Willa

This bold mixed media collage celebrates the pioneering spirit of Willa Brown, the first African American woman in the United States to earn both her pilot’s and aircraft mechanic’s licenses. A fearless aviator, educator, and advocate, Brown co-founded a flight school that trained hundreds of Black pilots—including many of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. Through layers of historic imagery, aviation maps, and dynamic textures, this piece captures her unwavering determination to break racial and gender barriers in aviation. Her legacy soars as a symbol of courage, leadership, and unshakable vision.