Spirit Magazine - August 2013 - (Page 141)

All Are Welcome PHOTOGRAPHY BY DONNA M C WILLIAM Southwest Employee Melissa Chun shares how the Airline makes a daily practice of honoring diversity. After 20 years in Los Angeles Ground Operations at Southwest Airlines, I still feel very fortunate to have found my way to the LUV Airline. I was hired as a Customer Service Agent right out of college and now work as the Manager of Station Administration. Throughout the years, one thing has remained the same for both Employees and Customers: Everyone is welcome at Southwest. Embracing diversity resonated with me from the very beginning, and it later became a bright spot in my career when, in 2010, I was asked to be a member of our Company’s Diversity Council. A born-and-raised Hawaiian, I first became passionate about diversity and inclusion when I learned about all the different cultures from around the world that came to my home state and helped make it such a unique and interesting place. To not celebrate my culture or Community Outreach ALL-INCLUSIVE Employees attend the annual Diversity Summit at Southwest headquarters. heritage is to ignore a part of what makes me unique. My nationality is American, my race is Asian, my heritage is 50 percent Chinese and 50 percent Japanese, and I called Hawaii home. My culture is all of these combined. Southwest was founded on core values of mutual respect and The Golden Rule of treating others the way we want to be treated. Southwest’s Diversity Council, formed in 2007 and made up entirely of Employee volunteers, ensures that Employees are aware of the strength and diversity of our workforce. These Council Members share the importance of having a civil and inclusive work environment with their fellow Employees, which is why I’m so proud to be a part of this group. Today, our efforts continue to grow. Ellen Torbert is Southwest’s Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion, and her fulltime job is to champion diversity, inclusiveness, innovation, and acceptance within our Company. As Southwest works toward serving international destinations, our awareness of culture and diversity will continue to expand and strengthen. We understand the importance of ensuring that each Employee and Customer is treated as an individual. Because we value all that makes you unique, at Southwest Airlines, we welcome you. —Melissa Chun Manager of Station Administration Los Angeles AUGUST 2013 SPIRIT 141

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - August 2013

Spirit Magazine - August 2013
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
The Numbers
Wise Guide
Business
The Greatest Show on Turf
Flipped Out
Your Adventure In Grand Rapids
Life Adventure In Grand Rapids
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Route Map
Rapid Rewards Partners
Flight Service
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - August 2013