Dusty Roads is the biography of Barbara “Dusty” Roads, a flight attendant who challenged the airline industry’s sexist standards in the 1950s and ’60s and became one of the first female lobbyists fighting for women and against gender discrimination. Why was this an important book for you to write?

While a few books on the women’s movement mentioned one or two of Dusty’s major achievements, they rarely captured the depth or accuracy her story deserved. One book dedicated an entire chapter to Dusty and her colleague and mentor, Nancy Collins. Still, even that left out the most important part: Dusty made it her lifelong mission to fight for her fellow flight attendants. I couldn’t believe no one had suggested writing her biography to preserve her legacy. When I asked if I could write it, she said, “I’ve just been waiting for someone to ask!”

Dusty was fearless. She confronted union leaders, challenged pay disparities between men and women, and fought the airline industry’s discriminatory rules about age, marriage, weight, and appearance. Her persistence helped overturn many regulations that had held women back in the 50s and 60s and beyond. Whether negotiating contracts or lobbying Congress members, she never stopped advocating for her colleagues.

I began writing this book to honor Dusty’s accomplishments for both female and male flight attendants and to make sure her legacy isn’t forgotten. I knew I had a compelling story the moment I saw Dusty thank Gloria Steinem, and she replied, “Oh no, Dusty, I should be thanking you. You’re the one who started it all.” Dusty cried afterward, finally understanding the true significance of her impact. At that moment, I knew I had to write this book. I was the only one who knew her well enough to collect all her stories, and I didn’t want this part of airline and American history to disappear. 

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

One key idea I wanted to communicate is that persistence really matters. Dusty’s story shows how one determined woman can challenge deep-seated misogyny and transform an entire industry. I also wanted to help readers see that real progress often starts with ordinary people refusing to accept injustice—and that lasting change requires both women and men standing together. I hope Dusty’s legacy inspires others to keep moving forward because the fight for equality continues. 

Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?

Yes! One of the most profound discoveries was learning about Sonia Pressman Fuentes, the first female legal counsel at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after Title VII passed. Through JSTOR, I uncovered her articles describing the misogyny she witnessed at the EEOC, including the delays in addressing discrimination complaints from flight attendants. The most startling fact was that nearly one-third of all complaints in the EEOC’s first year came from flight attendants—yet most were ignored by the male commissioners, except for Aileen Hernandez, the only woman and the first Black commissioner. That neglect is what prompted Betty Friedan to propose creating the National Organization for Women, an organization I joined in 1970.

When I found Sonia’s phone number, she generously shared her story with me. She knew that two flight attendants had filed the first EEOC complaint but didn’t realize it was Dusty and Jean. Sonia and Dusty had never met, yet both had spent their careers fighting similar injustices from different angles—one through law and the other through labor. One Christmas, I brought them together on a Zoom call, breaking their “six degrees of separation.” Watching them finally meet was a deeply moving reminder of how many women worked, often unknowingly, in parallel to change history.

What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Dusty Roads?

I hope readers finish this book feeling confident in their own strength and understanding that knowing their rights is the first step in fighting injustice. Dusty showed me that progress isn’t automatic. It moves in cycles, and each generation must learn what those before them endured and achieved so we never forget how far we’ve come or how much further we still need to go.

She understood that the true goal has always been fairness, especially in a world that too often relegates women to second-class status. Her legacy is a reminder that courage is contagious and that every act of standing up for equality lights the way for others.

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