Maya Angelou might have said it best. “I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.”
There is a magic in giving that makes my heart pound with joy and gratitude when someone receives a gift I’ve chosen for them. I’m always so excited I could burst. I love making others happy, letting them know they are important to me, and giving them a bit of my heart along the way.
This year I turned 40. That may be upsetting for some people, but I have learned to embrace what each year brings to me and be grateful for it. This year, I looked back at a tiny gift I was given just as I was about to embark on my first solo flight as I pursued my pilot’s license.
The Gift of a Teddy Bear
It was a little brown teddy bear. He was strapped in for that flight and every flight I have made since, from the 10 hours of solo flying necessary to obtain my license to the many cross-country flights I have been blessed to fly since.
As I flew and visited regional airports across the country, I looked around and realized I didn’t see others who looked like me, a Latina woman pilot. It inspired me to come up with the word, “Pilotina,” which has become my identifier in the aviation world and encapsulates my desire to encourage more Latinas to become pilots.
It wasn’t long before my husband, Juan Pablo, was inspired to create a beautiful Pilotina logo for me. It’s an airplane with a heart to represent purpose, a propeller that provides the power to elevate, and wings to represent the support system of community, mentors, and angels that keeps us flying.
There is magic in a teddy bear—as a child’s companion who can be confided in and as the co-pilot for every Pilotina or person who aspires to become one. I love making magic happen and spreading it to others. As part of that, and something that gives me great joy, I have been able to hand out 2,050 teddy bears with words of encouragement over the last 7 years.
Another big step in my aviation journey was collaborating to bring Latinas in Aviation to the Field of Firsts Foundation at College Park Aviation Museum. It is my goal to inspire others to become pilots and leaders in aviation through that exhibit.
A Teddy Bear Birthday
As my 40th birthday approached this year, I thought about how it’s a big number and a significant milestone. I knew I had to do something that would impact the community and I would remember for the rest of my life.
That is how the Teddy Bear National Tour was born. It was the result of what I call a “Divine Download” and instantly had me planning the trip of a lifetime. Once completed, three of us (my copilot Peter, passenger Ana and I) had shared 400 special edition Pilotina teddy bears across 1,347 nautical miles, flown 13 hours across four states, and made seven stops.
We began in Illinois and flew 488 nautical miles to Kansas. There, I made a presentation to students at Wichita State University. Let’s just say that college students feel the magic in teddy bears, too.
When we left there, we had what would turn out to be the best aviation moment of the trip—rising up and flying at 7,000 feet above the clouds. I could almost reach out and grab one on the way past!
The next several days and 859 nautical miles had us delivering teddy bears to hundreds of students (and teachers!) in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. We did flyovers to the thrill of students below, met with students of all ages, and—I hope—inspired some to become the next generation of Pilotinas.
There is something special and beautiful about a teddy bear. One young student clutched his bear tightly against his chest, smiling, and told me, “My teddy bear loves you,” while another little girl said, “Mine is named Pilotina, like you.”
To all the 2,050 in four continents that own one of teddy bears, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Jacqueline Ruiz is the CEO of JJR Marketing (www.jjrmarketing.com) and Fig Factor Media LLC international book publishing company (www.figfactormedia.com), founder of The Fig Factor Foundation (www.thefigfactor.org), creator of Today’s Inspired Latina book series and international movement (http://www.todayslatina.com), author of 31 books (www.jackiecamacho.com), international speaker, and sports airplane pilot. Jacqueline speaks to hundreds of audiences about marketing, servant leadership, finding your passion, and achieving success in business. She has addressed the United States Army, BP International, United Airlines, Allstate, and Farmers Insurance among other corporations to share her inspiration.
If you or an organization you know needs as speaker, please get in touch with us at https://www.jackiecamacho.com/contact.