News

Meet The 16-Year-Old From Compton Who Just Became The Youngest Black Pilot To Fly Around The U.S.

16-year-old Isaiah Cooper from Compton has become the youngest black pilot to fly around the United States.

Published

8 years ago

July 25, 2016

Unheard Voices Staff

Isaiah Cooper

16-year-old Isaiah Cooper has become the youngest black pilot to fly around the United States. The teen from Compton, CA made history when he landed in his hometown on Monday, July 18 after a 8,000-mile flight flying from California to Maine, Washington, Florida and back to Compton-Woodley Airport.

Just two days into his two-week journey, however, Cooper called his flight instructor and mentor Robin Petgrave to tell him he was ready to give up, according to NBC LA.

“It was terrifying. I was really scared, I wanted to give up and go home,” Cooper told Mic. “But having conversations with Robin and other people, it calmed my nerves and I continued on with the trip.”

He encountered bad weather while in Wyoming which damaged his original plane and forced him to make an emergency landing and switch planes.

Petgrove commended Cooper for overcoming and finishing his flight.

“It’s kinda cool when you see a kid that comes to you with this idea and this dream and then you help them to realize it,” Petgrave told Mic. “Especially when you have your setbacks like he did when Mother Nature challenged him and he had to execute emergency procedures.”

Cooper’s recent voyage is just the start for the teen. Next year after his 18th birthday, Cooper says he plans on becoming the youngest pilot to make a solo flight around the world, a record currently held by Matt Guthmiller who made the trip when he was 19.

The teen started a GoFundMe page to help fund his around-the-world trip. His goal is to raise $45,000.

He also notes, on his fundraising page, that he enrolled in an aviation youth program at

Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum, an organization that gives at-risk youth the opportunity to become pilots, when he was 5 years old. He admitted that he dropped out and fell into the wrong crowd during his early years of adolescence, but returned thanks to the help of Petgrave.

Isaiah Cooper wrote that his goal is “to become a productive young man with a future in aviation, and not a statistic.”

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Unheard Voices Staff

Unheard Voices is an award-winning news magazine that started in 2004 as a local Black newsletter in the Asbury Park, Neptune, and Long Branch, NJ areas to now broaden into a recognized Black online media outlet. They are the recipient of the NAACP Unsung Hero Award and CV Magazine's Innovator Award for Best Social Justice Communications Company.

News

5-year-old helps save his family from house fire

5-year-old Juwan Perry Jr. is being held a hero after saving his family from a house fire. Juwan’s mom says if it wasn’t for her son they likely wouldn’t have survived.

Published

6 months ago

April 27, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

5-year-old saves family from fire in Warren Michigan

Brittany Lee hugs her son Juwan (Photo Source: WXYZ-TV/CBS Detroit)

5-year-old Juwan Perry Jr is being held a hero after alerting his mother to a house fire, saving his family lives.

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5-year-old saves family

On Apr. 5th around 4:40 am, Juwan woke up to the smell of smoke in his home in Warren, Michigan.

He said he saw flames and called for his mother.

His screams came just in time, and his mom Brittany was able to get all seven of the children in the home outside to safety.

Juwan’s mom says if it wasn’t for her son they likely wouldn’t have survived.

As for Juwan, he told WXYZ-TV his motivation for helping save his family despite the fear. “Because I love everybody,” he said.

The Warren Fire Department got the fire under control but the home is a total loss.

To help in recovering from this devastating loss, a GoFundMe has been launched to support them during this challenging time.

News

Magnitude 4.8 earthquake strikes northeastern United States

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake in Lebanon, New Jersey shook the northeastern United States on Friday morning.

Published

7 months ago

April 5, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake shook the northeastern United States on Friday morning.

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Magnitude 4.8 earthquake

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake was detected near Lebanon, New Jersey, at 10:23 a.m. Friday.

The earthquake was felt in New Hampshire down to Maryland.

Notable event

According to the Richter scale, which is used to measure earthquake magnitude, they considered the event a “light” earthquake. Still, the geological survey posted on X that it was “notable.” They went on further to say earthquakes are “uncommon but not unheard of along the Atlantic Coast”.

It’s not yet clear if anyone was hurt in Friday’s quake.

News

9-year-old cancer survivor killed in tragic school bus accident

A family is in mourning after a 9-year-old cancer survivor was tragically killed in an accident in Orlando.

Published

10 months ago

January 19, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

9-year-old cancer survivor killed by school bus Elyas Amyr Marshall-Rodriguez

Elyas Amyr Marshall-Rodriguez (Photo Source: GoFundMe)

A family is in mourning after a 9-year-old cancer survivor was tragically killed in an accident in Orlando, Florida.

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9-year-old cancer survivor tragically killed

Elyas Amyr Marshall-Rodriguez got off the bus Tuesday afternoon and, as he was walking away from the bus, he dropped his football when he crawled under the bus to get it and the vehicle began moving.

Marshall-Rodriguez was in remission for leukemia when he was killed on Tuesday after being diagnosed at 2-years-old, according to his family who spoke at his vigil.