Newport News Shipbuilding’s African American Shipbuilders Association (AASA) hosted its annual Black History Month Celebration Friday, Feb. 9. This year’s event highlighted the principle of Sankofa.
Originating from the Akan tribe of Ghana, Sankofa expresses the importance of reaching back to knowledge gained in the past and bringing it into the present to make positive progress.
“Sankofa will be an ongoing theme for AASA in 2024. We hope to build on this Black History Month event and present even more impactful cultural, learning and growth experiences to the overall NNS community,” said AASA President Michelle Pope.
During the event, the AASA choir performed and a skit paid tribute to Nelson Mandela, who spent nearly three decades in prison for fighting apartheid policies in South Africa. In 1994, he became the nation’s first democratically elected president. AASA also honored Thomasina Wright – who became NNS’ first Black female vice president when she took responsibility for Fleet Support Programs in 2023 – and recent winners of awards at diversity conferences.
Dr. Veleka Gatling, assistant vice president for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence at Old Dominion University, was the keynote speaker. She spoke about the importance of creating diverse work environments while also implementing inclusive practices.
“We’re all products of our lived and learned experiences, and the way that we see the world is slightly different. It’s not right or wrong, it’s just different,” Gatling said. “When we’re truly inclusive, we choose curiosity over judgment. We ask questions instead of making assumptions. We talk about how we’re going to handle disagreements.”
Xavier Beale, vice president of Human Resources and Administration and AASA executive sponsor, told attendees that they “stand on the shoulders of giants” and their actions today will impact the company’s future.
“We need to revel in our legacy. We need to preserve it. And we need to build upon it,” he said. “What are we going to do as we write the next chapters of Newport News Shipbuilding and HII?”
