How is this for a perk — Pride’s is one of the first faces President Barack Obama sees when he arrives in Air Force One. “I have been very fortunate that every time the president has come to Chicago, I have been there,” she grins.
When Pride’s not working, she’s connecting with the artist community to help their careers take flight.
Pride spoke to rolling out about her hectic life, welcoming Pres. Obama and Air Force One, and how she serves the arts community.
What is your typical day like?
There is no typical day, I am on call 24-hours a day, and I receive media, customer and passenger calls 24 hours a day. My office is out by O’Hare Airport, and I work on the media requests that are pending and that might entail a lot of research with content experts at the airport.
What type of media requests do you receive?
People might call and want to know how many bathrooms there are at the airport, and there are actual blogs for people who want to know that kind of information. So that wherever you travel, there are ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act]-compliant bathrooms, or that there are 400 family companion bathrooms, and changing tables or areas for new mothers.
There are also negative requests, such as when people are looking to expose something that may have happened in the airport.
What is an example of a negative media request, and how did you handle it?
Someone had cellphone video of a mouse in one of the terminals, so we had to go out with the city health department and talk about how they inspect the airport, and how regularly, and we have to go over piles and piles of information. Then we talked to this reporter on camera.
It can go from something very high to very low.
What’s a high point story for your office?
The Chicago Department of Aviation partners with CAPS [Chicago Alternative Policing Strategies], every summer and we bring out some at-risk and some medium-risk CPS [Chicago Public Schools] students so that they can do some community service with CAPS.
In the program, the kids come out to the airport and they talk to people who work there to find out about the kinds of jobs there are — and we also work with our airline partners.
Today, United took a 747 out of service, so the kids could go on the plane and they had pilots explain exactly what all goes on in a plane and what it takes to become a pilot.
We were very fortunate to have two of the Tuskegee Airmen come and talk to the kids, and they came in full uniform.
One of them was the youngest of the original group of Tuskegee Airmen, Bev Dungill, he’s 86. That’s always very wonderful because of the history, and you don’t want to forget the sacrifices and the historical significance of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Many Chicagoans know you from your work in the arts community; what is your mission on that front?
I facilitate the Chicago Independent Artists Network, and the purpose of that group is to keep creative people in Chicago working in Chicago.
Because I also work with people from other disciplines, like those involved in real estate, I can assist when artists are looking for places to film, or are in need of a location for a book signing event. Perhaps someone has a limo company, and an artist may need a limo for a film or theatrical production.
I also go to as many cultural events for people, particularly those in the Chicago Independent Artists Network to support them, and to take pictures and show them.
Performers and other organizations send me info on their events; recently, the Illinois Film Office sent me information about casting for the NBC TV series being filmed here, “The Playboy Club.” I send out that info on my Facebook page on the CIAN page, and I continue my professional networking.
There are so many opportunities in the creative arts. We encourage artists to join and network with us.
For more information about The Chicago Independent Artists Network, join them. The group meets on the second Tuesday of every month, at Wishbone Restaurant on Lincoln Blvd. in Chicago. Come prepared to sing, dance or watch a film.
