On December 1, 2018, Gabriel J. Christian, Esq., became the first Caribbean-born President of the Tuskegee Airmen East Coast Chapter. This summer, Christian led the Tuskegee Airmen by organizing and hosting a historic fundraising event which featured two prominent Caribbean nationals during its 2019 Tuskegee Youth In Aviation Breakfast Fundraiser on May 25th in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
The theme for this year’s fundraiser event was “Honoring the Legacy of Excellence” as featured on CBS News (WUSA9) in Washington, D.C.
The East Coast Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (ECCTAI) is the largest and most active chapter in the national organization and brings together — in the spirit of friendship and goodwill — all who share in the aspirations and successes of the men and women who pioneered military aviation in the Tuskegee Airmen; a group of Black military pilots who fought in World War II. As the newly elected President of ECCTAI, Gabriel J. Christian, a native islander from The Commonwealth of Dominica, is the first Caribbean-born President to serve in this role. Keeping the legacy of his father, Wendell McKenzie Christian, who was a British Army World War II veteran.
Christian is an attorney, an author, and a long-standing and active volunteer member of ECCTAI for over a decade whilst also serving as Lead Counsel at his Bowie-based law practice: The Maryland Law Offices of Gabriel J. Christian & Associates. Having been raised by a decorated fireman father and a dutiful mother who impressed upon him the importance of civil services, Christian seeks to preserve the legacy of the proud Tuskegee Airmen. “Their successes expanded the bounds of freedom and equality for all people, at home and abroad.”
The event’s keynote speaker, Jamaican-native islander Robert Rashford, is an internationally known aerospace engineer who makes tools for use in outer space. His wide-ranging work has earned him many awards. This includes four awards from NASA for his work on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite and the Hubble Space Telescope. He also received an award for Excellence in Science and Technology from the Institute of Caribbean Studies. Today, he says to young people, “Expect challenges in your life; if you have no challenges, you do not live- use each one to motivate you to achieve great things.”
Rashford’s stellar accomplishments and focus on encouraging today’s youth to challenge themselves made him the ideal choice for Keynote during the event.
At a time when space exploration is key to the survival of our species, our scholarship program helps fund activities that promote aerospace and youth leadership development, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Gabriel J. Christian, Esq: Attorney and President of ECCTAI
ECCTAI is dedicated to fostering recognition of and preserving the history of Black achievements in aviation, and to inspiring and motivating young men and women toward endeavors in aviation and aerospace careers. For more on ECCTAI and to start making a difference
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