Fridays 10:00am - 11:00am (EDT)
EPISODE SUMMARY:
- Discover how aviation is being used to support neurodiverse families
- Learn how sensory-friendly experiences reduce fear and spark empowerment
- Be inspired by Antonio’s mission to create an inclusive future in flight
✈️ This Friday on Philanthropy in Phocus with Tommy DiMisa #InTheAttic
Join us for an inspiring flightpath into inclusion with Antonio Ferrara, founder of Aviators for Autism, a nonprofit on a mission to create sensory-friendly aviation experiences for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. From guided airport tours to immersive airfield events, Antonio is using aviation to empower neurodiverse individuals and break barriers—both on the ground and in the air. 🛫💙
This week, we explore “Flight Path to Inclusion.” Antonio shares how his love for aviation combined with a deep commitment to autism awareness has led to a movement that builds confidence, community, and new opportunities.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-ferrara-161103170/
Website: https://www.aviatorsforautism.org/
#AviatorsForAutism #AntonioFerrara #InclusionInAviation #NeurodiversityMatters #FlightPathToInclusion
In this powerful opening segment of Philanthropy in Phocus, Tommy D welcomes Antonio Ferrara, founder of Aviators for Autism, and dives into a heart-centered conversation about advocacy, awareness, and personal transformation. Antonio shares his journey as an “aviation brat” turned industry professional and father of a non-speaking autistic child—revealing how his lived experience inspired him to launch a mission-driven nonprofit helping families on the spectrum access travel opportunities. Together, they discuss the importance of compassion, breaking stigmas, and staying curious as we build more inclusive, supportive communities for all.
In this segment of Philanthropy in Phocus, Antonio Ferrara shares the moment of clarity that led him to found Aviators for Autism—merging his lifelong experience in aviation with his journey as a father to a non-speaking autistic son. He emphasizes the need to empower families on the spectrum to travel confidently, while also addressing the massive opportunity to employ neurodiverse individuals across the aviation industry’s wide range of roles. With workforce shortages in aviation and an underemployed autistic population, Antonio champions access over ability and urges companies to break stigmas, create inclusive hiring pathways, and recognize the unique value neurodiverse talent brings.
In this energizing segment of Philanthropy in Phocus, Antonio Ferrara shares the impact of Aviators for Autism’s immersive airport simulations—helping neurodiverse families build confidence and familiarity with flying through sensory-friendly practice experiences. He unveils his powerful vision of repurposing airplane fuselages for vocational training, giving neurodiverse individuals hands-on skills that translate into real aviation jobs. By breaking stigmas and highlighting the alignment between structured aviation workflows and neurodivergent strengths, Antonio advocates for turning “access” into action—empowering untapped talent to find purpose and opportunity in the skies.
In the closing segment of Philanthropy in Phocus, Antonio Ferrara shares his bold next step—launching a new aviation charter and sales business that actively employs neurodiverse individuals through a specialized flight desk operation. His model creates meaningful, behind-the-scenes employment pathways for the autism community, aligning structured aviation workflows with neurodivergent strengths. Antonio also calls for volunteers, vocational training partners, and support to expand programs like sensory-friendly airport simulations, aircraft detailing training, and eventually, the installation of sensory rooms in airports nationwide—all to break barriers and elevate access.
00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:52.730 Tommy DiMisa: What up world? It's your boy, the kid, the one and only the nonprofit sector connector. And I am back.
00:00:52.730 --> 00:01:17.609 Tommy DiMisa: Listen! You know what my guest gets to some higher heights, but I'm all the way up in the attic, you know. You know what I'm talking about. Gang just below the roof of my house 2 flights up from where I get the old coffee. I actually went around the block today, went to Honey's bistro and picked up a shaken espresso, and they know what they're doing with that shaken espresso, you know, just in case you know, you make sure it's got ice in it, because then you can get into the body quicker. Got to get the caffeine in his body. Those of you who know me
00:01:17.790 --> 00:01:28.629 Tommy DiMisa: sometimes people say, you know, Tommy D. Do you actually sleep? And I'll say I close my eyes. I'm not sure the brain ever turns off, man, because it's always moving. I'm always moving.
00:01:28.630 --> 00:01:55.340 Tommy DiMisa: I got a lot to talk about. I mean New York City. Imagine awards the semifinalists were announced this week. Maybe we'll get into it if we got some time later today. But go to let me get you that website. New York City. Imagine awards, the website is, I should know this one nycimagineawards.org nycimagineawards dot org check it out we got. I mean, the big event is October 28th at Ghostavinos, in New York City, right up by the 59th Street Bridge. What a cool place!
00:01:55.340 --> 00:01:58.930 Tommy DiMisa: I think we're getting really, really big. It's going to be 2, the or the
00:01:59.100 --> 00:02:22.109 Tommy DiMisa: really, the attendance is going to increase, and probably get too big for that place soon. But I mean what a cool place underneath the bridge and stuff like that, all right lots of ideas in my head. I may get to that point where we announce the semifinals, but if we don't get to that point, go check it out. There's still opportunities. If you want to get involved with the New York City. Imagine awards you can reach out to me, Tommy D. At philanthropy in focus.com, PHOC. US. You know that already.
00:02:22.110 --> 00:02:32.679 Tommy DiMisa: but send me something there on Instagram, Tommy Dnyc on Instagram, the nonprofit sector connector, and my big mission, as you know, is about hashtag ending the stigma together. So ending the stigma
00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:44.640 Tommy DiMisa: together on the Instagram. All right, listen, let's get into it. Let's get after. Let's get moving. Antonio Ferrara is in the attic. Not exactly, but kind of in the attic, virtually in the attic with me. My brother. What's up, man? What's going on? How are you?
00:02:45.160 --> 00:02:47.740 Tommy DiMisa: Good, Tommy? How are you, man? Good to see you, Buddy?
00:02:47.740 --> 00:02:56.000 Tommy DiMisa: Good to see you, man! I appreciate the kind words you had to say on the on the Internet, on the Interweb earlier this week. You know, it's just funny how things happen, because.
00:02:56.270 --> 00:03:21.950 Tommy DiMisa: you know, I do a lot of this stuff. I mean, we're way past. We're in, you know, on our path now to 300 episodes of this program had a really cool feature in the Long Island Herald talking about, you know, kind of rounding that corner. 200 episodes and we we were connected. Somebody told you to reach out to me, and then you made a comment on something I had done on Youtube, one of the shows, and I got to be honest with you gang. I'm doing my best to try to manage it all. But I saw like I went back, and I saw this comment from you.
00:03:21.950 --> 00:03:33.269 Tommy DiMisa: and I don't get a whole lot of comments on Youtube just being real. But, like you had said we should connect, we should reach out this whole thing, and I think it was like late on a Thursday night. I saw that. And I don't know if I texted you or emailed you. We end up talking.
00:03:33.860 --> 00:03:52.260 Tommy DiMisa: A couple days later you had your big event down at the airport which we're going to get into. But it's just funny, like how you know. Boom, snip, snap, snap, like how fast things can move and stuff like that. And you know all the love that I was kind of seeing you put out there. Just you know about the connection we have, and it's fast. We only know each other a couple months.
00:03:52.491 --> 00:04:05.209 Tommy DiMisa: But you know, like, you know, they say like when you know, you know, and that's kind of how it is. And we got some cool things in common. And listen, man. You're on the front lines doing great work. We got a lot of stories to tell today, just to kind of put a
00:04:05.210 --> 00:04:28.410 Tommy DiMisa: quick PIN in it. I mean, I was able to shoot out just kind of the tail end, I mean. The event was pretty much wrapped up, but I on that Saturday when I got out to you that day. But we got to do a video. I got to meet Josh Mursky, who's a colleague and friend of yours, and you know he's got the neurodiversity flag, and I know he's going to be mad at me because I screwed up the name of it. But it's like the neurodiversity. It's not the freedom flag, but.
00:04:28.410 --> 00:04:29.000 Antonio Ferrara: Thanks, flag.
00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:31.239 Tommy DiMisa: Strength flag. Thank you, Josh, I'm sorry.
00:04:32.180 --> 00:04:51.710 Tommy DiMisa: Neurodiversity, strength flag. You know what my little bit of neurodiversity Josh got in there with the Adhd, man, I don't get all the details sometimes. But all right, let's let's get into this man because you got a great story to tell. I imagine that for the next 40 or 50 years we're going to be friends. We're going to do cool stuff together, you know, and
00:04:51.790 --> 00:05:15.550 Tommy DiMisa: this is just the beginning. And we've done some cool stuff. We got some connections already going. So look, let's let's take it back because aviation brat like that's what like kind of when I started to check you out. And some of the stuff, you know, you call yourself like an aviation brat. So we're going to get into aviators for autism we're going to get into. You know the programming what your mission is. But really, what I always like to start with on this program is
00:05:15.550 --> 00:05:25.830 Tommy DiMisa: Anthony, what's your story, brother? What like? What is the deal? What's what's your background? You know where you came from? And really, why are? Why is aviation even important to you. How about we start there? Bro.
00:05:25.990 --> 00:05:40.430 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, no, for sure. I'm trying to stay focused. I'm like my add is bugging me right now because I brought one of my one of my organization shirts to throw on, and I've been running around all day, and I'm sitting here looking at your vanguard benefits, and I'm like, see he he's he understood the assignment.
00:05:40.430 --> 00:05:40.980 Tommy DiMisa: I honestly.
00:05:40.980 --> 00:05:41.409 Antonio Ferrara: Get it all.
00:05:41.410 --> 00:06:03.830 Tommy DiMisa: I love that song, too. She understood the assignment. I like that song. But look here, we go talk about swag. I was at operation fest. I got to tell you about this operation vest veterans ending suicide together. My dad owns a Ralph's Italian Isis in Huntington. My dad for the last 4 years has donated the Isis, so I shot out to Gardner Park on Sunday morning and helped some folks scoop Italian Isis.
00:06:03.830 --> 00:06:17.239 Tommy DiMisa: but you know I just I got to get some more swag like this. Shout out to Operation vest Stefan and Jenny Hesper doing great work for the veterans gang, you know. I will tell you this man. I'm not big. 1st of all, I was going to say I'm not big in the gym. I don't even go to the gym. I might wait
00:06:17.710 --> 00:06:23.030 Tommy DiMisa: buy, but like I'm not big on really any of this exercise stuff. But I got to get serious about it. But.
00:06:23.130 --> 00:06:44.829 Tommy DiMisa: Stefan, since you brought up the swag. Stefan has this thing where he does 22 plus one push-ups gang. It's tragic that our veterans are taking their lives at a rate of 22 a day. So they do. 22 push-ups, plus one plus one for that veteran who, who, I guess, how would you say, fortunately, was unsuccessful in attempting to take their life. You know, I just
00:06:45.650 --> 00:06:52.309 Tommy DiMisa: I did the push-ups, and I don't usually do the push-ups, because usually I'm recording like stuff. But I did the push-ups, and I felt like.
00:06:52.610 --> 00:07:07.840 Tommy DiMisa: maybe I'm like a little baby, but I felt like some pain in my in my chest the next morning and in my arms. And I was telling my son who my older son, who he and I battle because he thinks he's gonna be like. He's in charge of this place, and he's not, especially when I beat him in basketball in the driveway again.
00:07:08.290 --> 00:07:25.289 Tommy DiMisa: Remind him who's still in charge. But I was like dude. You know what it was a good hurt, though, like I felt the pain, and I was like, you know what. And I was talking to Stefan, you know. I see. I saw him at at the warrior movie premiere which I was the Mc. At at the Suffolk shout out to Warrior Ranch Foundation, but like I did the push-ups, and I was like, you know what man
00:07:25.430 --> 00:07:40.660 Tommy DiMisa: I got to do these pushups every day because I got to feel that pain cause. That reminds me. So, Stefan, I hear you. I see you. I'm going to start doing the 22 plus one on a regular, I mean for for a slim guy like me, man, just those push-ups. I might bulk up real quick, right? And I might just get.
00:07:40.660 --> 00:08:05.289 Antonio Ferrara: So with that I'll just say one thing with that, and then I'll dive right into your question. You know, veterans, veterans are important to me, my brother, it'll be 5 years July 8th that my brother lost his battle with mental health and addiction. Post deployment right? So while he didn't die of suicide. He kind of did right like he's making some life choices that led him down a kind of like a suicidal path, whether he overdosed or not. Right? So
00:08:05.290 --> 00:08:18.907 Antonio Ferrara: I'm super passionate about that. You know. I do some work with with veteran organizations, and I I'm with you. Let's start doing 22 plus one every morning. Send each other. Send each other a check mark on our system, you know. Don't just send me a check.
00:08:19.180 --> 00:08:21.510 Tommy DiMisa: Take checks and check marks. I, that man?
00:08:21.510 --> 00:08:22.569 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, that's true.
00:08:22.570 --> 00:08:23.100 Antonio Ferrara: Go.
00:08:23.100 --> 00:08:24.950 Tommy DiMisa: That's good. But that's accountability. Right? Man.
00:08:24.950 --> 00:08:25.370 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah.
00:08:25.370 --> 00:08:52.279 Tommy DiMisa: And I mean like that's the thing. And and I I know Stefan's been on this mission. I don't know how many days, because I didn't ask him when I saw him last week, but he would claim when I would see him over the years. Like, you know, Tommy is like 1,800 days. I did this or whatever. So, Steph, if you listen and text me, I'll probably text him during the show, because, you know, we got to do a lot of things at the same time, but I'll ask him how many days in a row, but like that's just the thing to promote, because what it is is builds awareness. And and you know, it builds a journey and a campaign and a commitment. So 1st of all.
00:08:52.280 --> 00:08:57.599 Tommy DiMisa: you know, sending condolences, the loss of your brother, I mean 5 years, I I mean, like feels like a blip.
00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:22.469 Antonio Ferrara: His birthday was yesterday. Yes, we were down at Calverton National, you know, the whole family visiting, and it's a little surreal to see right, because, like at 1 point in time, me and my brother weren't like on the best of terms because of his decisions right? And he was like my hero for a long time, and there was a point in time where I'm like, I don't want my kids over the house if he's over there, and things like that right? And now he's gone, and, like my youngest son never even got to meet him right? So it's like there's lots of
00:09:23.460 --> 00:09:35.699 Antonio Ferrara: you know, lots of guilt, lots of mistakes that you know I harbor. And I think that's why I do the stuff that I do with the veteran organization to kind of like pay tribute to my brother. But you know it's it's important, man, and I, you know. Thank you for all you do for the veterans.
00:09:35.700 --> 00:09:56.679 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, man, listen! I'm just trying. Listen. If I could build awareness and and drive people to to just kind of be like, I said, aware. But just to know what's up and what's going on, I mean, that's that's what I'm about is bringing that awareness. So let's let's switch. I mean we can go in a lot of different directions which we will. But like, talk about your family growing up and stuff like that. Your connection aviation, I mean it's it's forever right.
00:09:56.680 --> 00:10:24.249 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah. So that's where like the term aviation brat comes from. And some people in the industry, you know, may may get that. And so my dad's been a pilot for American airlines as long as I've been alive pretty much right, and he's still flying for American. He's young, he's 60. I'm 40, right? So he's been flying a long time. About 38 years at American. So I grew up an aviation brat in the sense that I was non revving by myself as an unaccompanied minor at like 3 and 4 years old, you know, traveling to and from Texas, New York.
00:10:24.510 --> 00:10:52.750 Antonio Ferrara: spending time with my dad at the airport, because he also had his own aircraft, and my dad's an A and P. And Ia, right? So I've been surrounded by aviation, my entire life. And actually, I've tried to stay out of aviation for a long time, and I'm never say nothing bad about my father. But as a kid, when your dad's not around as much as you love airplanes and stuff you're like, man, do I want to? Is this like the career that I want to go into, you know. So I had like a love, hate relationship until like my twenties, when I kind of decided like
00:10:53.380 --> 00:11:18.839 Antonio Ferrara: I know so much about this industry, even though I haven't been working in it. And like this is, I feel like it was like my calling. So you know, I kind of got into this industry as like a like a quasi kind of entrepreneur as a kid in his twenties cleaning, you know his own business, detailing airplanes, and, you know, in boats and stuff like that. And then, you know, slowly got a job at a 1 35 on the ramp. And just, you know, progress, my career, just, you know, through my.
00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:43.956 Antonio Ferrara: you know, my high level of knowledge, and you know, over the course of like 3 years, becoming a training manager on the ramp, you know, writing procedures and training ramp guys on fueling and towing and all that, and then moving up into the corporate office here at Talon, where I'm the director of quality control and aircraft appearance, and you know I oversee and manage a fleet of 35 aircraft. And we're talking about strategic sourcing and vendors and cabin attendance and pilot training all different types of things.
00:11:44.340 --> 00:11:48.230 Antonio Ferrara: so you know, that's just that's what my life is in aviation, and
00:11:48.240 --> 00:12:03.150 Antonio Ferrara: you know I have a 10 year old a non speaker on the spectrum with an aproxy, a diagnosis. And you know. If you were to ask me, I've used this line a couple of times in the past week, but if you'd asked me like my twenties like what I'd be doing at 40
00:12:03.150 --> 00:12:26.980 Antonio Ferrara: like advocating for aviation. And the autism spectrum was like not anywhere near the Bingo card, right like I thought, who knew what I was going to be doing, even when I had an autistic son. It like wasn't even like on my radar until a few years ago, and just through being at the airport. I mean, I don't have to tell you. You've been around a lot of this community, and the more you get around it. Whether you have a kid or you're supporting, just supporting that community.
00:12:26.980 --> 00:12:34.690 Antonio Ferrara: It tends to make you a little less judgmental, a little more patient, a little more understanding right like 5 years ago, when
00:12:34.690 --> 00:12:53.597 Antonio Ferrara: I was at a grocery store, and somebody behind the register is taking too long, and they're slow, like it's like easy to be like I got stuff to do like. Let's go when now it's just like I got nowhere to go, like, you know, because who am I to like treat anybody differently than I'd expect my son to be treated at his age? So you know, I think it
00:12:53.980 --> 00:13:19.576 Antonio Ferrara: really just put into a lot of perspective for me. And then, as I noticed, we travel a lot. My son travels everywhere. I'm like blessed like you wouldn't even know my son's autistic at the airport unless he's stemming right like he waits online. He knows how to go through security. He's like a stud, you know, my kid. I love him like, obviously, I'm his dad. But being at the airport, you really kind of like I'm a people watcher, and you see a lot of parents and people struggling. And I just felt like this, you know.
00:13:19.890 --> 00:13:44.260 Antonio Ferrara: this compelling feeling that I just needed to like, jump in and do something right, and that's kind of where the idea for aviators for autism came was just from more of a place of gratitude. Tommy, like, I'm super blessed and grateful to have like what I have. And most families don't have that. And 87% of families with a loved one on the spectrum. Don't plan family vacations. That probably means they're not flying right? So I mean, that's kind of what what brought me here. Right?
00:13:44.610 --> 00:13:47.089 Antonio Ferrara: This is where God guided me.
00:13:47.090 --> 00:13:58.516 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, yeah, interesting. Like, how things happen in life. Man, you know, I mean where I want to get into we might take quick break. But what I want to get into when we come back, like what it looks like from the perspective of
00:13:59.870 --> 00:14:20.629 Tommy DiMisa: Why, what was that catalyst. I mean, you weren't doing this the whole time. Why, your son was with us right. But then you just so like. At this point there was like a break point where you say you know what I got to lean in. I got to do this right. So it wasn't his whole life, his son, that you've been involved with this kind of work. So I want to get into that a little bit when we come back, just kind of like. And what you've learned from from other families who
00:14:20.630 --> 00:14:35.939 Tommy DiMisa: who have a child with different abilities, whether it be, you know, autism, spectrum disorder. Whatever. Man I'm so tired. I gotta be honest with you, man, I'm really done with neurotypical. I'm like done with it because I don't even think it's a thing. I really yeah, I because, you know, like
00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:38.740 Tommy DiMisa: I used to mock this word normal.
00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:52.749 Tommy DiMisa: What? The heck? I almost said a bad word on my show, which we don't do here, but like what the heck is normal man, there's like nothing. We're all on, you know. I'm big on the mental health space like we're all on this spectrum of mental health. We're all on the spectrum
00:14:52.750 --> 00:15:14.260 Tommy DiMisa: of neurodiversity. My opinion. Do I have any clinical? No, I don't. But I have 47 years of lived experience, and I know, and I'm raising 4 children with my wife. There are 4 children, but we're raising 4 children, you know, and I'm learning every single day, you know, in the conversations I'm in, whether it be Cse meetings for my own kids, or or just as you say. You know my connection to the population.
00:15:14.602 --> 00:15:23.170 Tommy DiMisa: I'm just tired. I want. I think there's like, talk about ending the stigma man. I think we all learn differently. We're all individuals and
00:15:23.690 --> 00:15:38.969 Tommy DiMisa: look straight up. Yes, people have some different, really different, difficult things. They're working through 100%. But I guess I'm kind of just saying like, if we just meet everybody with love and compassion, and be curious about where they're at in their situation.
00:15:39.290 --> 00:15:44.379 Tommy DiMisa: And and do I say we stop labeling. I don't know, man, I mean.
00:15:44.530 --> 00:15:57.570 Tommy DiMisa: Labeling is not a good thing, man. You know what this is stuff gang, you know. I share this with you. I'll deal with my therapist next week. We'll figure out what about this labeling, you know. I'll see you, Sean. I'll see you on Monday. We'll figure it's like it's like.
00:15:57.570 --> 00:16:16.944 Antonio Ferrara: Super it. Well, it's like super nuanced right? And it's this community's always split down the middle on like every topic, whether it's Aba, or whether it's you know, education, whether it's this or that, like it's or imagery a puzzle piece and infinity symbol right like there's always like this. There's always this
00:16:17.290 --> 00:16:39.449 Antonio Ferrara: you know, kind of decisive line. And then, even more recently, I don't want to get into anything political. But you know, when Rfk. Made the comments which we're probably not in the best taste as a father of a non speaker. I understand what he was trying to imply. Poor choice of words, you know definitely, if you read, if you read that before you said it like man, you should have read it 2 or 3 more times right. But stigmas.
00:16:39.450 --> 00:16:39.910 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.
00:16:39.910 --> 00:17:02.059 Antonio Ferrara: You know, when he says that and a bunch of parents come out, I'm not condemning them right. I love and support them. When a bunch of parents come out and say, My kid's on the honor roll. He plays basketball, he drives, he does that. It's a superpower. It also diminishes like parents like myself and others that are like, Oh, wow! I'm being heard like my kid is, you know, I'm going to be struggling. My son's a non speaker, and he's trying really hard to talk and do great things right. But
00:17:02.060 --> 00:17:21.940 Antonio Ferrara: my son may need lifelong care his whole life right? So it's like those stigmas, you know, affect the entire community like all across the board. And I think you know, even the community itself gets caught in some of those labeling scenarios, and they're just advocating right? That's why I won't blame them like their parents, their loved ones. And they're advocating for their lived experience. And that's important.
00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:49.539 Tommy DiMisa: 100%. I learned just coming through, you know, to see you that Saturday morning or Saturday, or by the time I got there might have been afternoon, but you know, just meeting your colleague, Josh, who schooled me a little bit, love you for Josh, but just schooled me a little bit on on the representation, and like the color blue, like I had said there was just recently, you know, something here in Nassau County, and he told me. The community is not about the color blue. I don't know, man, I'm learning, and I think, see, that's the thing about like how I feel is
00:17:49.540 --> 00:18:04.689 Tommy DiMisa: I just keep trying to say, no matter what conversation I'm in, if I can go in curious, open minded, and stop acting like I. And I'm talking to me. But I'm talking to you all, too. But I'm saying if I just go in this thing, go, I don't know, and that's how I try to be like in 99
00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:11.140 Tommy DiMisa: out of a hundred cases. I don't know. I hang with a lot of people who have all the answers right? I don't think they're right. I think they think they have
00:18:11.140 --> 00:18:12.320 Tommy DiMisa: Kansas right.
00:18:12.320 --> 00:18:22.649 Tommy DiMisa: But like I'm just trying to be like, I don't know. I don't know. I want to hear both sides and then try to find a way where there's like some kind of communication that happens. And we get to the best answer.
00:18:22.650 --> 00:18:43.629 Tommy DiMisa: I'm not real big on people who just know all the answers, because I realize every single day how little I actually know. And I'm just trying to be educated, you know what look that that might be. People might go. Well, you know, Tommy, that's silly that you say you don't know anything. No, I just. I'm trying to learn, man. And I think if we go into conversations and dialogues and be curious and try to grow from these things.
00:18:43.630 --> 00:18:54.540 Tommy DiMisa: I think we're better off. We got to take a quick break. We come back. We're going to talk about. What was that turning point for you where you said you know what. There's something here. I got to lean into this, and then we'll talk programs and things like that. How's that sound?
00:18:54.810 --> 00:18:55.610 Antonio Ferrara: Love it. Yeah.
00:18:55.610 --> 00:18:59.620 Tommy DiMisa: All right. This show is called Philanthropy and focus. I'm called Tommy D. We'll be right back.
00:20:41.390 --> 00:20:57.969 Tommy DiMisa: Through the static baby. Here's the deal. It's so funny because that song I wrote that song with my Buddy Brendan Levy, Uncle Brendan levy lead singer of damaged goods, and we were at a docs here on Long Island. Got to see damaged goods play the other night. Shout out to Brendan. I love you, man, you guys rock and roll.
00:20:57.970 --> 00:21:21.159 Tommy DiMisa: And we did that song together. I always try to give this cute joke. They used to be called the goods back in the day, and and then they got to be old men, and now they call themselves damaged goods, and I always get a kick out of that. But we they were rocking at Docs Saturday night. So give him some love for that, you know. I want to go to the website, gang aviatorsforautism.org aviatorsforautism dot org. You'll see the events and stuff. Let me ask you a question.
00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:25.219 Tommy DiMisa: The on the escalator is that you and your boys walking up there with the 2 gray hoodies.
00:21:25.220 --> 00:21:30.069 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah. So that's Nicholas and and Giorgio, and it's with I'm behind them. That's my wife.
00:21:30.070 --> 00:21:31.039 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, that's your wife in front of them.
00:21:31.510 --> 00:21:55.100 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I love that man just that graphic because they're you know what a cool that, seeing them do it. They're traveling. You're at the airport. You can see the train to the terminal rental car counters so like that is just a great graphic like doing it, and kind of like air quotes like overcoming some of these challenges, you know, like of just like what for some people, let me tell you to straight up. I hate to fly
00:21:55.330 --> 00:22:14.439 Tommy DiMisa: like I hate to fly like, because I we're going down to South Carolina. One of my boys has a baseball tournament. So we're going down South Carolina, and I'm like, by the time you get to the airport, you know, whatever. 2 h early I gotta leave my house like super early. Right? I figure I could drive down to South Carolina
00:22:14.440 --> 00:22:28.469 Tommy DiMisa: instead of getting on the plane. So I was like, I'm going to cruise. We'll have our own car long story short, we're going on a plane. I say, I hate to fly because I feel like it's just inconvenient. It's just the whole thing is, I got to wake up early. I got to get there early, you know, and then and then in the plane, and
00:22:29.780 --> 00:22:30.780 Tommy DiMisa: I
00:22:30.860 --> 00:22:46.179 Tommy DiMisa: am capable of getting on the plane and being comfortable and getting it happen right. Somebody who might have some stimulation challenges some extra stuff is just not comfortable. It's going to get even more and more complicated. Do you want to speak from a perspective? I said, we don't gonna talk a lot about groups.
00:22:46.180 --> 00:23:03.439 Tommy DiMisa: So we'll talk about your individual experiences or some of the individual experiences of other folks you're connecting with like that. What prompted you to do this like, what did you? What were you learning? What were you seeing? And when I say I hate flying, I think it's really cool that we could have put a plane up in the air and get me somewhere really quick. That's fine. I guess I'm just being
00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:14.190 Tommy DiMisa: cranky about some of the extra stuff that that it is, you know. Do I really have to take off my belt? So my! So my shorts fall off like I'm standing at Jfk, that's.
00:23:14.434 --> 00:23:17.370 Antonio Ferrara: If you not, if you have pre check or or clear, but.
00:23:17.370 --> 00:23:20.969 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, maybe I wanna get that. And then I can keep my belt on and my flip flops. Huh?
00:23:20.970 --> 00:23:25.109 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, and your shoes, Yup, and not take your tablets out of your backpack.
00:23:25.110 --> 00:23:31.060 Tommy DiMisa: So. Well, then, there's a kind of a pitch for doing that. Well, like that whole what's it called like Tsa, clear like pre check.
00:23:31.060 --> 00:23:48.430 Antonio Ferrara: Tsa pre check, and then clears like a separate thing. It clears like some extra biometrics, eye scans and stuff, and you kind of cut the line. But I'm cool with just giving up what I give up for for a pre check. I don't think I really need clear. I don't mean I wanna be scanning my eyes every time we travel. I travel a lot.
00:23:48.430 --> 00:23:50.389 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I, you do travel a lot. Yeah.
00:23:50.390 --> 00:24:01.759 Antonio Ferrara: And I, yeah. And I hate traveling, too. I mean, I've been on planes my whole entire life, and there's probably no more nobody that doesn't enjoy flying as much as me. It's just because I know so much like, you know, I'm looking out at the wing looking for loose panels.
00:24:01.760 --> 00:24:04.139 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, dude! That's even! That's even worse.
00:24:04.140 --> 00:24:08.840 Antonio Ferrara: Tape. Where's speed tape? What are these? What are these mechanics doing? I watched the guy fuel and make sure he doesn't ding the airplane.
00:24:08.840 --> 00:24:09.740 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, Bro.
00:24:09.740 --> 00:24:10.300 Antonio Ferrara: Window.
00:24:10.300 --> 00:24:18.940 Tommy DiMisa: I couldn't even dude if I had any knowledge. I would not like, you know, for that would be worse, because now this oh, forget about it. That's it.
00:24:18.940 --> 00:24:19.590 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I'd be.
00:24:19.590 --> 00:24:25.090 Tommy DiMisa: I would be grounded for life if I could tell like that might be wrong, or that might be wrong.
00:24:25.090 --> 00:24:41.709 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah. My biggest pet peeve is, too, is whenever the plane lands and everybody starts clapping. Yeah, I'm like, it's not over. If most accidents happen by airplanes hitting each other on the runway. So like, you know, and on the ramp. So it's like we're not clear yet. Clap when we get to the gate, and it was that guy's job. He gets paid 300 grand.
00:24:42.140 --> 00:24:44.640 Antonio Ferrara: You better put this thing on the ground in one piece.
00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:53.130 Tommy DiMisa: You know what I I remember growing up like, and people would do that and clap at the end. I don't see that anymore on planes so much, and.
00:24:53.130 --> 00:24:53.650 Antonio Ferrara: Every time.
00:24:53.650 --> 00:24:55.424 Tommy DiMisa: Every time a lot of plane.
00:24:56.420 --> 00:24:58.020 Tommy DiMisa: And do they really they employ.
00:24:58.020 --> 00:24:58.620 Antonio Ferrara: I was just on.
00:24:58.620 --> 00:24:59.390 Antonio Ferrara: Wow! That was good
00:24:59.390 --> 00:25:10.370 Antonio Ferrara: on a plane from Orlando to Laguardia on Saturday, and like half the plane clapped when he landed. We were also circling for an hour because of weather at Laguardia, so they were probably like stressed out. But.
00:25:10.930 --> 00:25:11.355 Tommy DiMisa: Oh.
00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:33.829 Tommy DiMisa: dude! But that's that to me is like extra brutal like. Now I'm stuck up here just circling. Anyway, it's not about this show's not called. Let's listen to Tommy. Complain about being in the 1st world and being able to fly places like that's that's not exactly what this show is about so when when was it when you or like kind of what was it that you realized that I got to do something here, man, to help families.
00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:56.239 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, you know, I kind of referenced it a little bit before I think. Like, when you have a kid, you start becoming a little bit more observant and more aware and understanding. So right as we were traveling a lot that was definitely like noticing things. And, man, I mean, I'll just go ahead and kind of like, give a credit. I feel like I want to give a lot of the credit to God on this one, you know, like I didn't, you know, really
00:25:56.370 --> 00:26:15.190 Antonio Ferrara: have much of a design for my life other than trying to be successful right? Like I didn't really have like any a whole lot of substance and value. It's like I'm in aviation. I just want to be successful. I want to be able to provide for my family and not worry about my son like when I'm gone right. But I mean, just do I think a lot of prayer, and just a lot of you know.
00:26:15.910 --> 00:26:35.240 Antonio Ferrara: trying to figure out what I wanted to do. It's just it kind of just came to me. And it's like you've got a non-speaking autistic son. You've spent the last 15 years of your life working in the aviation industry. You grew up in it like if there is any way to connect, like the 2 most impactful things in my life which is aviation and autism.
00:26:35.662 --> 00:26:57.469 Antonio Ferrara: This is how I'm gonna do it and like who better to to do it than me, because, you know, the mission goes far beyond just providing families with the tools and the confidence they need to travel. Tommy. I mean, we've talked, you know, a big thing for me, and I think as great as the empowering families to get on planes and fly. And how that's gonna you know.
00:26:57.850 --> 00:27:19.479 Antonio Ferrara: just give them a better quality of life and let them, as a family experience everything right? So Mom and Cindy are going to the cheerleading competition, and Dad staying home with Philip, because, you know, they don't want to fly right like the whole family should be experiencing that together right? So as important as that is, I think the most impactful thing that we're gonna do. And I think this is why I was put in this position to do this
00:27:19.480 --> 00:27:30.240 Antonio Ferrara: is to create the awareness, break the barriers and the stigmas, to create employment opportunities for the neurodiverse community in my industry. And I think that part of it just kind of
00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:47.059 Antonio Ferrara: man. It like. Hit me like a like a sack of bricks, Tommy, like I knew what I wanted to do about like exposing families, and how I was going to create these environments and these events to bring families in. But I was like on Linkedin one day, you know, on Linkedin. It just pops up all the time. Oh, jobs, jobs, jobs, and it's all aviation jobs.
00:27:47.060 --> 00:28:06.110 Antonio Ferrara: And it just like hit me. And I'm like man like aviation always has a workforce shortage. And you know a little stat that I learned from spectrum designs 80% of individuals on the spectrum with a high school or college degree are unemployed or underemployed right? And it just like hit me. I'm like, damn like aviation needs workforce.
00:28:06.360 --> 00:28:19.069 Antonio Ferrara: And there's a whole community that's like eager and chomping at the bit for just an opportunity right to prove themselves and to contribute and have a meaningful career where they're not just some greeter somewhere. Right? Those
00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:44.429 Antonio Ferrara: aviation. I liken aviation jobs to the spectrum, right? Like people hear aviation. And they think mechanics, pilots, air traffic controllers right like that's like the big thing. But there's a hundred jobs that go from the ground floor to 40 Fl, which is, you know, flight level 40, which is 40,000 feet. Right? There's 100 jobs. There's, you know, ramp agents, there's gate agents, there's engineers, there's data analysts. There's accounting.
00:28:44.430 --> 00:28:56.919 Antonio Ferrara: There's so many jobs that we can identify for individuals on the spectrum. Right? And I'm not talking about taking a non speaker like my son and putting them at the check in counter. Right? We're talking about identifying whether it's
00:28:56.980 --> 00:29:08.570 Antonio Ferrara: average IQ individuals that are on the spectrum and have some different things where they can be put into some back office type roles where they can be highly analytical and focused and be at a desk, or whether they're, you know.
00:29:08.600 --> 00:29:29.310 Antonio Ferrara: high IQ. 100 6,180 IQ people that lack some soft skills like social skills that can develop the next rocket for spacex or something right like, there's so much there. And it's just about identifying the the infrastructure jobs. And then those individuals in the community and place them in there. And I think that's what's really
00:29:29.430 --> 00:29:39.749 Antonio Ferrara: is really the big thing, right? Like my kids attend. There's so many kids out there that and this isn't get going away. And we need to figure out ways to utilize this community for one.
00:29:39.750 --> 00:29:52.489 Antonio Ferrara: our benefit as a world right and 2 for their ability to have a better quality of life and 3 for them to contribute like. There's so many people, you know. People look, look at Howard Hughes is one of the most influential people in aviation
00:29:52.490 --> 00:30:15.509 Antonio Ferrara: was definitely a neurodivergent. Whether he had just Ocd. And a bunch of other things like Howard Hughes was a neurodivergent, and he was one of the richest men in the world at one time. Look at Elon Musk right like. So there's no real. There's no real barriers. The barriers are the stigmas, and we need to figure out how to break those down, go into the companies and educate them and say, Hey, listen! Perfect example. There's a company called Draken.
00:30:15.510 --> 00:30:26.299 Antonio Ferrara: DRAK. EN. And what Draken does is they do like tactical training in aviation and aircraft and different things. Well, in my research I was introduced to Lauren Thatcher.
00:30:26.300 --> 00:30:55.740 Antonio Ferrara: Lauren Thatcher is the head of compliance for all of Drake and EU, and she's Adhd autistic, and she's a freaking rock star. And now they're like, Oh, wow! We've got this high level person here, like, do we have other people that are neurodiverse. And oh, we do. And now they're really seeing that the level of support that this community can bring to them from a from like an office level or an idea level of thinking level. So it's it's this is going to be the biggest thing for us. I think.
00:30:55.740 --> 00:31:17.589 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, man, I think it's just so great that we're at that point, you know, because I've always said and especially shout out to spirit. Huntington Art Center. Yes, I'm on the board there. Yes, Lindy Lou Foundation supports the organization for many years. Yes, I absolutely love the artworks program. There the artworks program is when our individuals age out, and then they can go to spirit and learn how to do
00:31:18.030 --> 00:31:37.940 Tommy DiMisa: the entire adobe suite of programs, I guess is the way I'll say it, since I don't know how to say it correctly. But the whole adobe suite and they learn to do digital design work website design. They, in fact, shout out to vanguard benefits. Since you brought it up before vanguard benefits our agency. If you want to check us out vanguard benefits uyou.com.
00:31:37.940 --> 00:32:04.080 Tommy DiMisa: But they the team, the neurodiverse team at Spirit Huntington is our outsource marketing team. They redid our mission, our vision, our value with our we worked with them. They didn't come up with the whole thing. But yes, they are our partners, and every 2 weeks we meet with the team about projects that vanguard benefits is doing from a marketing social media perspective. So I always complain and get up on my high horse and my! I had my soapbox up here somewhere in the attic.
00:32:04.080 --> 00:32:33.960 Tommy DiMisa: I can't find it, but if I had it I would stand up on my soapbox, and I'd say it's not about ability, it's about access. It's about pouring into somebody finding out what they really are good at. And I say this not to be self deprecating, just to be real. I suck it like a whole bunch of things, and I'm good at like 4 of them, and if I just stay in my flow and do the 4 that I'm really good at. Even if it relates to our business. My 2 partners realize we gotta let this guy, just do what he does best and keep him in flow and then utilize other opportunities
00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:35.040 Tommy DiMisa: that you know. The
00:32:35.190 --> 00:33:03.709 Tommy DiMisa: candidly, I'm more focused on business development for our agency than ever before, because my partners are like, go do that all freaking day, and we'll support you in other ways, and I believe if we give people support in what they're doing and give them the access to opportunity. It's not. I really think, Anthony, it's not. It's not about ability. It's about access to opportunity. And if we keep pouring in and you're talking about folks who lead organizations you mentioned Elon, you'd mentioned Howard Hughes you mentioned.
00:33:04.660 --> 00:33:11.360 Tommy DiMisa: there's so many you said, at a hundred different jobs from from the ground to how did you say the 40,000? What do you call it?
00:33:11.360 --> 00:33:13.099 Antonio Ferrara: 40 fl.
00:33:13.100 --> 00:33:22.890 Tommy DiMisa: 40 Fl. So from from the ground to 40. Fl, there's hundreds of jobs. There's hundreds of jobs in so many different industries. When we come back. I want to understand why there are so many opportunities
00:33:23.030 --> 00:33:33.360 Tommy DiMisa: in. Why are there so many open opportunities in aviation? Why is there such a challenge already, because when we hung out, you told me the field generally just doesn't have enough people period
00:33:33.460 --> 00:33:51.359 Tommy DiMisa: aside from ability or neurodiversity whatever. So let's go to break. We come back. I want to understand. Why do you think that is? And then we're going to talk more about the programs. You know, we're going to talk. I'll just drop this word on everybody fuselage. I wrote it down. It's like a teaser. We'll be right back to talk about that philanthropy and focus.
00:35:25.380 --> 00:35:44.109 Tommy DiMisa: Listen. Only mode check out. Go to Instagram aviators underscore 4 FOR. Underscore autism that's on the Instagram. But if you're watching as well. I'm actually showing that right now. So what's this thing right here with the with the superheroes that came out to visit at that last event?
00:35:44.110 --> 00:36:10.550 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, so we have. We actually have another event this Saturday we're doing with with tons of airlines, their internal nonprofit. They have called Help Alliance America's. We're actually gonna do another event this weekend. But this one in particular. This is like our 1st real, like big community event. And we did it here at talent air, obviously where I work. And you know, my good friend, who's also the CEO of talent. Air is also a board member on the on the nonprofit has been really instrumental and
00:36:10.550 --> 00:36:35.529 Antonio Ferrara: helping. You know me get everything started. You know, I'm just a regular guy blue collar that just decided, hey, I'm going to do something that usually millionaires do. I'm gonna start a nonprofit and like, Do a bunch of, you know, free work for other people, right? So I feel like, without the support of people like James and other people. I wouldn't even be here. So I want to make sure that you know I share that because I'm eternally grateful. You know James has always been great
00:36:35.530 --> 00:36:49.319 Antonio Ferrara: to me, and a big supporter, and without him I wouldn't be doing probably as well with this as I am right now. But that event was really just like an intro to aviation. We called it aviation adventure day. And we had a bunch of families individuals come in.
00:36:49.880 --> 00:37:16.388 Antonio Ferrara: and we just created like a kind of like a all inclusive kind of introduction aviation. We had my good friend Pete, who owns Long Island aviators. This is a flight school. He's a retired detective, a great guy. He came over and brought one of his cessnas over. So piston aircraft, you know, 4 seater. And he did meet a pilot and basically a walk through the airplane and told everybody what these parts are, how they work. Let the kids sit inside and take photos.
00:37:16.910 --> 00:37:45.820 Antonio Ferrara: we had then we obviously had board the jet. So you see the aircraft there. We had everybody board the jet in groups, and we had cabin attendants who work in the private private jet sector. So business aviation! They came in and they did a safety briefing with life vests and and masks, and, you know, kind of just give the parents an idea like, Hey, you're gonna get on an airplane. And this is kind of what the process is. Gonna be right, you know, I don't want dumb down is not the word just
00:37:46.500 --> 00:37:53.110 Antonio Ferrara: more sensory, friendly, right? They're not going into a huge airport. They're coming here to a closed facility. We had them
00:37:53.710 --> 00:38:05.609 Antonio Ferrara: look at. We had a fuel truck come out, so we had somebody a line Guy, come out and explain the fuel truck to them and say, here these are. This is how we fuel up the airplane. So just a bunch of fun little activities for the family to kind of
00:38:05.670 --> 00:38:26.529 Antonio Ferrara: just get exposed to aviation, and it was a really great time. We had lots of lots of great feedback from the community. A lot of the parents loved it. Some of the kids have never even been around plane, and I hear it all the time. My kids love airplanes, but they've never even been on one, you know. So that's what that's what that event was. And that's kind of you know what we're looking to do with
00:38:26.640 --> 00:38:55.779 Antonio Ferrara: a lot of this going forward and what we have coming this weekend Saturday is with Latons and help alliance. America's is we're gonna do a little something similar, but more geared towards the boarding process. So they're gonna come in. They're gonna check in. They're gonna get a boarding pass. They're gonna create a passport. They're gonna go through security. And then they're gonna board an aircraft, right? So this is like, literally the airport experience that we're gonna be doing here with them. So I'm really excited about that.
00:38:55.780 --> 00:39:16.759 Tommy DiMisa: I think you know I was watching something. 1st of all again go to aviatorsforautism.org, and then you click on the events, tab, and you'll see the event. You know this is tomorrow. So if you caught this sometime within the next 48 h, then it already happened. But if you're listening, live right now, you know this is tomorrow. January. That's good, Tommy.
00:39:16.990 --> 00:39:17.350 Antonio Ferrara: That's true.
00:39:17.350 --> 00:39:46.589 Tommy DiMisa: 14, Saturday, June 14, th in Farmingdale, aviators for autism and help alliance. America's practice boarding, you know. Listen. I was watching something this morning on on. I don't know where Instagram or Youtube and it was talking about. You know, my my folks, the Adhd gang. Right you you're you, me that whole gang right? And it was talking about like how some of us, some of us like we need structure. We need like, I need structure for sure. I need to have like processes and structure to support where things are just not going to happen. If I don't have a certain way of doing it.
00:39:46.650 --> 00:39:51.936 Tommy DiMisa: didn't know that for 42 years, you know. Figured it out. I thought I was just lazy.
00:39:52.230 --> 00:39:59.110 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, I can feel, you know my story. I was, I was diagnosed with add, as a kid was on Ritalin, for, like, you know
00:39:59.170 --> 00:40:02.889 Antonio Ferrara: 1012 years right, and then protested off in high school and
00:40:02.910 --> 00:40:29.319 Antonio Ferrara: thought I was just getting through life like none of that stuff affected me, and it wasn't until I started advocating. And like really like peeling back the layers, it's like, no, you still gots it. And all these things that you thought was just you was is because of this right, the imaginary shelf, the different things that you know. The the shiny new, the shiny new toy syndrome like you could be totally focused on one idea, and somebody pops in and goes, hey, what about this? And you're like, what's that shiny new.
00:40:29.320 --> 00:40:33.800 Tommy DiMisa: We won't even bring up what it's like to be married to one of us. That's a whole other situation.
00:40:34.217 --> 00:40:37.142 Antonio Ferrara: Feel for my wife. She's the same.
00:40:37.560 --> 00:40:52.309 Tommy DiMisa: 100%. But what I was really thinking, though, is like that whole process piece there, like having something guardrails and stuff like that, or even like, you know, it's a perfect thing like that that man or woman who's on the runway with the like the lights and stuff like that. You're like.
00:40:52.310 --> 00:40:53.280 Antonio Ferrara: The marshaller.
00:40:53.280 --> 00:40:54.280 Tommy DiMisa: What are they called?
00:40:54.280 --> 00:40:55.080 Antonio Ferrara: Marshaller.
00:40:55.080 --> 00:41:18.880 Tommy DiMisa: A marshaller is like telling that pilot like this is the spot right here, right like this is where you land. I could use a marshaller a lot of my life. But why I'm bringing it up is, you know, going tomorrow and going through that process of okay checking in and getting a boarding pass that gives me context, and it puts me in this paradigm of when I am doing this for real. I know what to expect, and I think a lot of us would like to know what to expect. And I know
00:41:18.880 --> 00:41:28.740 Tommy DiMisa: again raising my own 4 children and and their 4 own differences and things like that. And we're trying to navigate through what that's like. If we have more. Excuse me if we have more
00:41:28.740 --> 00:41:33.659 Tommy DiMisa: context and and those guardrails. I like to say, I think I think we're better off.
00:41:33.950 --> 00:41:45.960 Tommy DiMisa: So I want to get into this thing because you you shared with me, Tommy, do you have this vision for this getting a fuselage? And what what's that about, man? I mean, let's we didn't say we were going to talk about it, but I think I'd love to.
00:41:46.160 --> 00:41:52.109 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, yeah, no. Let's talk about that. And then we'll we'll talk to a little bit more about how I'm gonna create some jobs.
00:41:52.110 --> 00:41:52.510 Tommy DiMisa: Yes.
00:41:52.705 --> 00:42:01.899 Antonio Ferrara: In in the industry, because it's something I haven't been able to share too much about. And you kind of know some of the stuff that's going on with me and my transition, and I think this be a great opportunity to share some of that, too.
00:42:03.980 --> 00:42:07.500 Antonio Ferrara: So my add just took me there. What was the what was the main? What was the main question?
00:42:08.520 --> 00:42:09.000 Antonio Ferrara: Yay.
00:42:09.000 --> 00:42:10.510 Tommy DiMisa: And jobs. There we go.
00:42:10.510 --> 00:42:22.070 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, so. And it's funny. The fuselage thing, man, I'm telling you like the power of prayer is like crazy. I don't mean I want to make anybody vomit or anything. It's not your thing. It's okay. I don't judge anybody for it, man, but
00:42:22.270 --> 00:42:42.169 Antonio Ferrara: manifestation and prayer work. So I had this idea of like, I want airplane fuselage. I used to own aviation detailing company right? Like what's low hanging fruit for me to train people. I can create training for aircraft detailing right? There's tons of flight schools all over the country that could use one or 2 individuals to keep the planes clean. Right. Just nice, easy, solid, you know.
00:42:42.421 --> 00:42:59.519 Antonio Ferrara: I feel like low hanging fruit that we could grow out so like man who does fuselage, I'm like, Oh, fly alliance. They do. They have a 1, 45. They're they're an operator like Talon. They have a 1, 45, just like we do. And they'll actually take older planes, strip them down, take the parts, sell the parts, and then usually scrap like the fuselage.
00:42:59.520 --> 00:43:08.050 Tommy DiMisa: What is. Give me. Give me some context I had to ask you. I only hear about the fuselage tragically. When a plane crashes, you hear about the fuselage? Right?
00:43:08.050 --> 00:43:08.500 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah.
00:43:08.500 --> 00:43:10.849 Tommy DiMisa: What exactly is that for people who don't know.
00:43:11.040 --> 00:43:31.169 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah. So in our industry, we call it the tube. We call it the cabin right? The fuselage is the is the long cylindrical piece that we all sit in, whether you're on an airliner or you're on a private jet, or if you're in a cessna right, the airplane's body is considered the fuselage where where we sit, when and where most of the the, you know cables. Electronics are usually in the fuselage.
00:43:31.450 --> 00:43:32.150 Tommy DiMisa: So once you're
00:43:32.150 --> 00:43:38.769 Tommy DiMisa: vision for that. So you if you get this fuselage, what do you see? How do you see breaking it down to its components.
00:43:39.190 --> 00:43:42.629 Tommy DiMisa: It's like individual jobs. What? What are you thinking there? What what can you learn.
00:43:42.630 --> 00:44:05.260 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah. So you know and I'll do this quick. I'll try and do in 30 seconds. So I was like, Oh, Fly Alliance, does this. Who do I know? There, Joe Santo, I'm gonna reach out to Joe. Joe. Get me in touch with Kevin. I want to get fuselage. I got this plan for my nonprofit. Joe couldn't get in touch with him, even though you know Kevin's just busy, so he probably just didn't get back to him. Then I was like, who else do I know Kevin Kevin Tasker? Kevin's freaking? Chris is Kevin's partner.
00:44:05.460 --> 00:44:13.779 Antonio Ferrara: Chris. I need you to get a hold of Kevin. I gotta. I want a fuselage from a nonprofit. He's like, all right. I'll try. The next week. Kevin walks into the building here at Talent Air.
00:44:13.780 --> 00:44:15.839 Tommy DiMisa: Wasn't carrying a fuselage, was he?
00:44:15.840 --> 00:44:16.700 Antonio Ferrara: No, no!
00:44:16.700 --> 00:44:25.689 Antonio Ferrara: But I cornered the dude, and I walked right up to him in the hall. I'm like, Hey, Kevin, it's pleasure to meet you. I'm Anthony Ferrara. I've actually been trying to get in touch with you through like Joe and Chris, he's like, why do I know your name?
00:44:25.690 --> 00:44:47.799 Antonio Ferrara: And I mentioned my sister. I'm like my sister does airplane photography. She's worked for you so long. Story short, I told them what I wanted to do. I manifested that crap bro like I manifested the dude walking into my building. And I said, Listen, this is my plan. I want to take airplane fuselages. I want to bring them to vocational training facilities. So think a winter center. Think a facility like that, and say, Hey.
00:44:47.800 --> 00:45:01.920 Antonio Ferrara: you've got this hotel room for Marriott, or whatever. What do you think about putting an airplane fuselage in this in this building? And we create a training protocol and partner with flight schools and companies around here on Long Island that we will train and.
00:45:01.990 --> 00:45:17.269 Antonio Ferrara: you know, provide the the proper skill set for neurodiverse workforce on cleaning aircraft, and then they can kind of go come into the industry and and pick up a job like that, whether it's here at like a Long Island aviators or a talent, and, you know, kind of be an aircraft detailer.
00:45:17.270 --> 00:45:24.549 Tommy DiMisa: What do you need for that? I mean? Obviously, that's your business. You did that detailing work. So now you need the fuselage. Do we have one is Kevin Kevin. If you listen and thank you for
00:45:25.320 --> 00:45:28.910 Tommy DiMisa: like like, where are you at with that cause? This, we this gets to the sort of the
00:45:28.910 --> 00:45:33.372 Tommy DiMisa: yeah. Kevin's like when I'm ready, he's when you need one. You let me know.
00:45:33.670 --> 00:45:41.280 Tommy DiMisa: have access. Now you need a place to put the fuselage, shout out to Chris Ponzio at the Winter Center for autism. So, Chris, last week we had an event where my friend.
00:45:41.280 --> 00:45:41.800 Antonio Ferrara: That's great!
00:45:41.800 --> 00:46:06.739 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, my friend, Christine Fitzpatrick, from League of Yes, was getting an award. Suffolk County Hall of Fame. I met Chris Vaccaro. Chris Vaccaro is going to come on the show, you know, with the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame, Tommy. D, focus. Yeah, that's funny. So here's the thing like all these people. So you you know you gotta what I heard you do. And you say manifest, and I love that word. I use it too. But you also. I heard you connecting. I heard you play network. I heard you say, persistent, follow up! How do I get to this guy?
00:46:06.740 --> 00:46:21.450 Tommy DiMisa: Well, I got to go through this guy or whatever. And then. So I think that is an incredible opportunity and program. Why, really quick, before we go to break, why do you think in the industry there's not enough people taking jobs? That's what I we started to go to before.
00:46:21.820 --> 00:46:25.980 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah. So aviation is really specialized. And a lot of
00:46:26.150 --> 00:46:46.659 Antonio Ferrara: a lot of people, some of the jobs like mechanics Atc pilots. Right? Obviously, you've got to go through training, and you've got to go get your pilot's license and spend tens of thousands of dollars atc. You've got to go through training and all these different things. So it's specialized. And then when we get into analytics or accounting and everything, a lot of people just think, oh, it's an aviation job.
00:46:46.660 --> 00:47:01.550 Antonio Ferrara: It's not. I don't know aviation like, what is it right? And there's a thing that I like to use like people don't know. You can't be what you can't see right? So like people just don't think it's obtainable. And aviation is constantly growing and growing and growing, and it's advancing. I mean. A 100 years ago
00:47:01.670 --> 00:47:14.909 Antonio Ferrara: they put an airplane on a slingshot, and 2 brothers flew at 5 feet above the ground for like 30 feet right? And now we're flying nonstop 18 h on like G 700 s. Right? So it's like it moves very, very fast.
00:47:14.910 --> 00:47:39.779 Antonio Ferrara: and it's ever changing. So right now, everybody's like drones, autonomous flight, vertical lift, evtol electrical vertical lift right like. Now we're in that world already, and like 5 years, you know, we're going to be there, right? So it's just always it's always going. And aviation is very strict. And I think the key to the neurodiverse community is one of the biggest complaints in this industry from employers is employees not following
00:47:39.780 --> 00:47:42.339 Antonio Ferrara: procedures, standards, and workflow.
00:47:42.340 --> 00:47:42.970 Tommy DiMisa: Okay.
00:47:42.970 --> 00:48:11.150 Antonio Ferrara: And if you give a neurodiverse person a workflow, a procedure like that's the Bible, right? Like you just said, like, I need to know what I'm doing, and I'm going to do it right. So if you tell an individual like this is what you're doing these hours of the day, this is what you're responsible for. And they're in an office, and they're able to sit and focus and do these linear tasks. They're just gonna bang them out, bang them out! Bang them out! And then, 6 h later, they're like, Hey, what else do I have to do, you know? Is there anything left to do so. That's like where my mind is like trying to connect the 2. And it's
00:48:11.170 --> 00:48:17.229 Antonio Ferrara: it's really just about it's just hard to fill it. There's not not everybody's in aviation, you know. It's specialized.
00:48:17.230 --> 00:48:34.430 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, we got to take a quick break. But I just want to mention, you know, there's a so I'm very involved with best buddies, and there's a gentleman who I know named Zach Smith, and I just Googled him. He's a game statistician for the Nfl. Right Zach.
00:48:36.780 --> 00:48:44.810 Tommy DiMisa: is able to lock in and pick up all these stats from Nfl games, and that is like a sweet spot where he's able to lock in and focus.
00:48:44.810 --> 00:49:09.799 Tommy DiMisa: Many people could never do that job. I'm 1 of those many people who could never do that job right. But the point is, if we get into the person, the spot where somebody's really successful and where they can lock in and follow certain things. And you mentioned procedures and stuff like that super super important and appropriate. We're going to get back. Take a quick break. We'll get back. We'll bring it home, and I want to ask you what else you need? Who do you want to meet? How does the nonprofit sector, connector and all the little nonprofit sector connectors that
00:49:09.800 --> 00:49:17.660 Tommy DiMisa: I've that I've made up and created in the world. How do we all help you? How do we make those connections? We'll talk about that when we get back to shows fully have to be in focus right back.
00:50:59.850 --> 00:51:21.869 Tommy DiMisa: Gang. We're not going to go through the New York City. Imagine awards today and all the semifinalists. But I want you to go to, and I'm sharing this on the screen. Nyc. imagineawards.org. You'll be able to see that on your own. So check it out, Anthony, what do you need, man, how do we connect with you? How do we get further going? How do we get things going further for the organization, for the impact? You're making things like that for aviators, for autism. How do we do that?
00:51:22.260 --> 00:51:30.075 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, no. Awesome. Well, I definitely want to start by just sharing, because obviously, we've we've talked a little bit about it. But I think this, I think this will maybe
00:51:30.560 --> 00:51:55.820 Antonio Ferrara: give a little insight onto maybe some of the the help that we're going to be looking for over here in the next 12 months, and then I'll I'll I'll add some of the additional things that we're kinda we're kind of working on as well. So yeah. I've been in town here 11 years. It's it's been a great opportunity for me. I've learned so much and been able to do and grow so many different things. But you know, next week I'm going to be going out on my own running my own.
00:51:55.820 --> 00:52:03.370 Tommy DiMisa: Of all. Let's go, baby. This is about taking chances, and you know, getting outside of your comfort zone. I talk about it all the time. But please continue.
00:52:03.370 --> 00:52:12.371 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, so what what we're gonna be doing is aircraft charter and sales and aircraft sales. Right? So in our industry,
00:52:13.020 --> 00:52:38.009 Antonio Ferrara: some companies use what we call a flight desk. Right? So, Tommy, D, you come up to me like, and I need to go from Teterboro to Palm Beach. I got a $20,000 budget. What's what's available for me? Right? Typically, at that point I would like, go out and source it, reach out to operators. Hey? Can I get it? What do we got? What do we got here, Da, Da, and then present them to you? But with the flight desk my plan is to take the neurodiverse community because the flight desk is a back office non forward facing role. Right? So I don't want
00:52:38.010 --> 00:52:52.090 Antonio Ferrara: to put neurodiverse individuals in a high pressure forward, facing sales thing where they're dealing with millionaires, billionaires. And you know, it's just, it's not. Then I'm not setting them up for success. Right? So we're gonna bring them into the back office. And I'm going to create the flight desk
00:52:52.090 --> 00:53:18.240 Antonio Ferrara: made out of strictly autistic and neurodiverse individuals right? And Josh Mursky is probably going to be the 1st guy that I bring on to do this because Josh is super high level and like he'll pick this up quick. You know what I mean like, this is like easy work for Josh. So instead, when Tommy D comes up and he goes, I need to go to Palm Beach. I go. Hey, Josh, this is my trip. This is my routing. This is my budget. I need you to do the trip sourcing for me. And then he's going to go and he's gonna reach out to the operators. So he's going to be able to sit
00:53:18.380 --> 00:53:32.170 Antonio Ferrara: and in front of a screen and work on a focused task and handle the line items. Get the options, give me a little heavy use. Operator may experience delays, low bug, low baggage capacities, whatever, right? And really.
00:53:32.280 --> 00:53:56.900 Antonio Ferrara: I want to build the roadmap. I think it's easier for me to say, Hey, look what I'm doing. You guys can do it than going to people and say, Hey, you should do this right. So I think a big thing with that is obviously going to be bringing in some people on a high level that can help build the procedures and and processes to make it successful, to bring in this community
00:53:56.950 --> 00:54:13.789 Antonio Ferrara: and work in in a, in a, in a high stakes, kinda fast paced industry, but having them in the back office. So it's not as as time sensitive. So I mean, I'm really excited for the opportunity to like start a business that's actually gonna fulfill my nonprofits mission, which is create employment opportunities right?
00:54:13.790 --> 00:54:17.080 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, I just 1st of all, like.
00:54:17.670 --> 00:54:25.950 Tommy DiMisa: you know, I could tell you very spiritual and religious, and and God is important, maybe not religious, but God, the whole God-centered thing for you, and like
00:54:26.060 --> 00:54:37.200 Tommy DiMisa: this came into your purview, and you decided that this was where you were going to go. And this is what you're gonna do, and I don't know if there's such a thing like, say, guaranteed success, man, but I just think you're serving
00:54:37.200 --> 00:54:56.419 Tommy DiMisa: a need in the, in the population, in the community. Yes, for to serve individuals and serve community. But then, again, it's a business. So people are now going to have employment, and they're going to be, you know. Listen so much of us roll our career. Or how do I say this? So much roll our personality and who we are
00:54:56.420 --> 00:55:07.619 Tommy DiMisa: and identify by what it is we do you know, now, I think it's best if we identify not just what we do for a profession, but other things. But we don't have that kind of time for me to explain my ideas around that. My point is, though.
00:55:07.620 --> 00:55:37.360 Tommy DiMisa: you're now giving people opportunities that they may not have had before they're going to learn training, you know you mentioned Josh. Shout out to Josh, Josh, we got to get you on Long Island change makers. I know we had to reschedule. We got to fix that. But the thing is you mentioned, you know, if that's what he wants to do, and he learns this thing, and then maybe he elevates to a different part, and he's just an example. But he, these individuals go. You know what, Anthony, I actually yes, I'm neurodiverse. But I really want to do this in the aviation world or not in the aviation world. But you'll be able to support them
00:55:37.360 --> 00:55:58.599 Tommy DiMisa: into their next move. Right? So it's empowerment, it's access. It's giving people opportunity, and it's serving. If you go back to the business side. It's serving an industry that needs more human beings in the work, that there are all these job opportunities. So listen, I think this is going to turn into one of those things. 1st of all, we're friends. We're going to hang out. We're gonna do this together. I'm going to bring you whatever I can.
00:55:58.660 --> 00:56:17.459 Tommy DiMisa: I think it turns out to, though. Well, you keep me posted every so often about what's new, what's going on, and we do shows, and we do different things. We go live, whatever you know. That's a content thing. Where we could just go. We just go. I got this thing. I need cool. Why don't we just jump on a Facebook, live and like, tell people what you need and people will go. Oh, I know somebody who can help with that. So
00:56:17.910 --> 00:56:19.950 Tommy DiMisa: that's what that's my whole world. Yeah.
00:56:19.950 --> 00:56:39.460 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, no, that's for sure. And I mean, and at a high level, like the stuff that we're looking for right now for support. Tommy. What makes the most impact for us is, I'm a lot like you, man. So I I love to connect with other organizations and seeing what they're doing. I love to get in the mix and and roll up my sleeves and help other organizations. Just so. I'm
00:56:39.720 --> 00:56:44.159 Antonio Ferrara: I'm a giver right. I've never even asked you for anything? Right? Yeah, you.
00:56:44.160 --> 00:56:47.039 Tommy DiMisa: I think you asked me to come on the show. I think you asked me that. I think that.
00:56:47.040 --> 00:56:58.399 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, I did. I did ask you that right. But everything else, you know, we're we're just trying to like, you know, pour into each other right? And and that's kind of how I always end. But if people are interested in reaching out right, obviously, we always need.
00:56:58.400 --> 00:57:01.420 Tommy DiMisa: How do they get to you? Yeah, how do they get to you if they want to connect with you and and.
00:57:01.420 --> 00:57:25.410 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah, the website. Everything on the website comes to me, the aviation advocate on Instagram, Anthony Ferrara on Linkedin. All that stuff is the best way to get to me always. I'm always on that. But really, you know, volunteer strategic partners, we're working on different initiatives for like travel, sensory bags, or obviously anybody in the education and the vocational training space that you know, has a
00:57:25.410 --> 00:57:49.950 Antonio Ferrara: has a passion or feels compelled to maybe get outside their line of thinking right? That's why I bring up like a winter's. And I'm not saying outside their line. But they're focused on commercial kitchen and cleaning, and some of these other things. Right? So this is a totally new thing. So anybody that has any connections into that space would be great for us, and a big thing that I want to start working on is sensory rooms, you know. I've been speaking with Grand
00:57:49.950 --> 00:57:53.710 Antonio Ferrara: in Michigan is they just put a huge sensory room in, and they're trying to build some buzz around it. So
00:57:53.710 --> 00:57:54.140 Antonio Ferrara: what do you mean?
00:57:54.140 --> 00:57:54.750 Antonio Ferrara: Bring it in.
00:57:54.750 --> 00:57:57.559 Tommy DiMisa: You mean at an airport when you say yes, you're referring to.
00:57:57.560 --> 00:58:04.997 Antonio Ferrara: Airport. All right. I want to talk more about that really quick. Not today. Because we're going to run out of time. Yeah, what I want to ask you, really quick. Is
00:58:05.600 --> 00:58:15.820 Tommy DiMisa: I? Oh, and I got an answer from Stefan Hessler. So we got to get to that about how many days with push-ups. I'll tell you before we leave. But do you know, Chris Ponzio, already at Winter Center? Are you talking.
00:58:15.820 --> 00:58:16.330 Antonio Ferrara: Yeah.
00:58:16.330 --> 00:58:19.575 Tommy DiMisa: Good. All right, we'll talk about that. We'll all have lunch.
00:58:20.000 --> 00:58:35.480 Tommy DiMisa: all right. We got actually 3,361 days this man has been doing these 22 plus one April second, 2016. He's been doing these push-ups. So shout out to Stefan Hesper, shout out to operation. Best shout out to you, and Anthony.
00:58:35.480 --> 00:59:04.450 Tommy DiMisa: love this lid. By the way, I got to get you one of these man. I had them in all different colors. I'll get you an operation vest lid. Okay, go to nycimagineawards.com go to aviatorsforautism.org hit me up on wherever you find me. You know what I'm saying, but like emails, cool Tommy D. At philanthropyandfocus.com, or I don't really know how to use the messaging feature on Instagram. But I mean, send me something on Instagram, Tommy, d dot. Nyc, I appreciate you all, Anthony. Thanks for what you're doing, man. We're going to do some cool stuff together. I'm happy to be part of what you're doing. I appreciate you, man.
00:59:04.450 --> 00:59:26.350 Antonio Ferrara: No man, Tommy, thank you. I mean, you know you've just been. I mean, I'll just regurgitate a lot of the things I said. You know you've been like really a godsend, you've, you know, embraced me with open arms, and I'm not trying to pound our chest. But you know the saying real recognize, real. And I'm really humbled and grateful that you know you see me for who I am, and you know you're willing to, you know. Just
00:59:26.620 --> 00:59:45.459 Antonio Ferrara: be there. And I mean, that's that in itself is is worth more than to me than any like donations and sponsors. And anything right like I'm a network guy. You see, my Linkedin, I post other people more than I post myself. Right? I just like throwing other people out there and like making sure they're getting people see what they're doing. So, man, thank you. You're amazing.
00:59:45.460 --> 00:59:45.950 Tommy DiMisa: I appreciate.
00:59:45.950 --> 00:59:47.909 Antonio Ferrara: Your reputation far precedes you.
00:59:47.910 --> 00:59:55.930 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, I appreciate. We got to leave it there out of time, and it's just that when it's telling great things about me. We still got to go. This has been another in focus production. I love you all. See you next week later, bye.
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