Rebel Girls Dads & Daughters: 25 Tales of Teamwork and Fun
8 ANANYA AND SANJAY SHARMA AIR FORCE PILOTS Once there was a girl who followed her dreams to the skies Ananya knew she wanted to be a fighter pilot from the time she was very little Growing up on military bases Ananya saw pilots going to work every morning Her dad Sanjay was one of them Whenever she heard a fighter jet whiz past overhead Ananya would stop whatever she was doing and smile She closed her eyes imagining her father soaring through the sky Every evening when Sanjay got home Ananya would quiz him about all the flights he took that day But there was something that confused Ananya As a child I would often ask my father why there were no women fighter pilots Ananya says Sanjay always told her not to feel discouraged and to believe in herself Don't worry You will be one he would say Sanjay was right When Ananya grew up she joined the military Every day she trained and studied to be a pilot Her father's faith in her abilities helped her keep going even on the days when she thought about quitting Then when Ananya was 24 years old the day came for her and her father to fly their planes in the same formation through the sky They became the first father-daughter team in the Indian Air Force to fly their planes together On that fateful day Sanjay thought back to the little girl who gazed up at the clouds hoping to fly her own plane He realized that helping his daughter achieve her dream was one of his greatest accomplishments That was the biggest day of my life he said ANANYA BORN 1998 SANJAY BIRTHDATE UNKNOWN INDIA
ANANYA ALWAYS USED TO SAY I WANT TO BECOME A FIGHTER PILOT LIKE YOU AIR COMMODORE SHARMA ILLUSTRATION BY SALINI PERERA
other any like weren't concerts family Ángela's fans cheering of Once ÁNGELA AND PEPE AGUILAR SINGERS there was a girl who sang on stage with her family for thousands show At an Aguilar show cowboys rode in on galloping horses carrying Mexican and American flags dancers in elaborate costumes twirled around the stage and skilled musicians kept the beat of the lively ranchera songs Ángela herself did more than just sing She had to manage the flowing skirts of her ball gown while riding a horse and delivering soaring high notes During the show Ángela wore a tiny earpiece with a direct line to her dad Pepe He suggested ways to connect with the audience and encouraged Ángela during the more challenging numbers Ángela felt lucky to have come from a family of singers and performers She began singing as a toddler As she grew up Ángela studied music seven hours a day She realized that while she loved the traditional Mexican music her father and grandparents performed for sold-out stadiums she didn't want to do things exactly like they did I try to be respectful of what my family has done in the past while still being true to myself Ángela has said Pepe supported Ángela doing things a little differently And he was always there when she needed his advice When Ángela started to perform her way pairing sparkly silver boots with a traditional dress and writing her own songs influenced by pop and R & B artists fans loved it Ángela became the youngest woman to ever have a number one hit in Mexico and she's been nominated for several Latin Grammy Awards But Ángela is just getting started She dreams of sharing the music of her heritage with the whole world ÁNGELA BORN OCTOBER 8 2003 PEPE BORN AUGUST 7 1968 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND MEXICO 10
IF YOU HAVE A PASSION GO FOR IT IF YOU HAVE A GOAL GO FOR IT NOTHING HAPPENS OVERNIGHT ÁNGELA AGUILAR ILLUSTRATION BY BECE LUNA
