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Patricia Diaz Dennis
Senior Vice President &
Assistant General
Counsel
AT&T
It’s no accident AT&T
has a reputation as a
great place to work for
Latinas. The company’s
commitment to diversity
and inclusion,
communicated from the
top by our chairman and
CEO, helps us be more
effective in our
business practices and,
in turn, gives AT&T a
competitive edge.
Even with the exciting
changes in our business,
offering employees
rewarding work
opportunities remains a
top AT&T priority. We
have numerous programs
in place to help Latinas
grow their careers, such
as AT&T’s Self-Development
and Learning Resource
Center, a tuition aid
program, and our
Leadership Development
Program, designed for
high-achieving recent
college graduates.
Employee resource groups
are also a valuable
career development tool.
HACEMOS, the Hispanic/Latino
Employee Association of
AT&T, has “mentoring
circles” to facilitate
relationships between
management and non-management
employees. I have been a
member of HACEMOS for
many years, and involved
in the mentoring
initiative since it
launched. I have to say
I sometimes learn more
from my mentees than
they learn from me. |
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Patricia Diaz
Dennis discusses
development
opportunities at
AT&T and why
education is so
important for
Latinos.
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As
women, we certainly have
our challenges, but
working for an
accommodating employer
makes life a little
easier. It’s important
we set our own
priorities – at AT&T,
I’ve been able to do my
job well, be there for
my family and, remain
involved in the
community. Being the
first Latina to serve as
national board president
of the Girl Scouts of
the USA has been both a
pleasure and privilege
for me….and without AT&T’s
incredible support, Girl
Scouts would not have
accomplished all that it
has over the last three
years. Girl Scouts’
mission is to build
girls of courage,
confidence and character
who make the world a
better place. Girl
Scouts make a difference
and I’ve enjoyed making
a difference within the
organization and the
communities it serves.
AT&T
recently launched a $100
million philanthropic
initiative, AT&T Aspire,
to address the horrible
statistic that nearly
one-third of U.S.
students drop out of
high school. The stats
for Latino youth in
particular are even more
devastating. A little
more than half of Latino
students who enter high
school graduate with a
diploma, but this pales
in comparison to 75
percent of White
students. Latinos remain
the “most likely” for
two alarming categories:
to drop out of school,
and to be found in large
urban, poverty-stricken
schools. We’re also the
least likely to enroll
in college, and our
children lag behind non-Hispanics
in nearly all areas of
educational performance.
By
the year 2050, Latinos
are expected to be the
largest ethnic group in
the country. Companies
are always in need of
diverse talent, as
diverse individuals
bring a rich variety of
ideas and perspectives
to the table…and we,
already in the workplace
receiving the benefits
of a good education,
must reach out to ensure
those behind us also
educate themselves.
Education is so
important. It’s the key
to taking advantage of
the opportunities
offered by this great
country. AT&T takes
seriously the
responsibility to invest
in the next generation
of America’s workforce,
especially our Latino
young people. Role
models help young people
reach their full
potential, and having
that extra support as an
adult doesn’t hurt
either. So I encourage
employees here at AT&T
to do the same. Become
more engaged with your
colleagues…try new
assignments…raise your
hand and volunteer.
Education is an ongoing
process. Global
businesses need people
who understand different
cultures, world history,
politics and religion. |
