The following blog post was written by Anne Hudson, Specialist ACT, People Department
Did you know that October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)? At Southwest, we love to celebrate all of our Employees and their ability to bring their authentic selves to work.
Each of our Employees brings a unique perspective, set of skills, and story with them to work. For our Employees with disabilities, that can look and feel different than what others might expect or experience. Some people simply have “different abilities.” And really, aren’t we all unique, with “different abilities”? Where some struggle, others excel. Where some have an innate ability, others have a steep learning curve. That is not exclusive to the world of disabilities—it’s part of the world we live in. In the month of October, we are proud to recognize and celebrate these differences in the workplace.
Dating back to 1945, NDEAM has been recognized by the Department of Labor as a way to “celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities and educate about the value of a workforce inclusive of their skills and talents.”
And celebrate is something we do well here at Southwest! This video shares the story of Eric Aiken, a Customer Service Representative who has a visual impairment. Eric serves our Customers with a smile and all Heart, while navigating his tasks through the use of assistive technology.
