Race & Ethnicity 101

In this virtual session, participants will learn more about race and racism and how to have meaningful, productive conversations.  

By the conclusion of this workshop, participants will: 

• Be able to define race, racism, ethnicity and other terminology and develop a common language and understanding of this topic.  
• Explore a timeline of race and racism in the U.S and be able to see its progression throughout our history. 
• Examine prejudice, racial and ethnic bias and be able to determine their cumulative effects.  
• Introduce techniques to be able to have meaningful dialogue about race and ethnicity beyond this workshop. 

LGBTQ 101

This virtual workshop is designed to make participants feel more confident using language that is inclusive of LGBTQ people and engaging in effective allyship for the LGBTQ community.

By the conclusion of this virtual session, participants will be able to:

• Use appropriate and affirming language when discussing the LGBTQ community
• Describe common barriers to inclusion and safety that LGBTQ people face in the workplace and beyond
• Implement strategies for supporting and affirming LGBTQ people at work

Veterans & Military Culture 101

This virtual program is an introductory overview of the military and how we can work together to ensure that active duty as well as veteran military personnel transition well into our company.   

By the conclusion of this virtual session, participants will:

• Explain the differences and similarities in structure, culture, and communication between Southern Company and the Armed Services
• Articulate some of the misconceptions and challenge the stereotypes about military veterans
• Identify transferable skills and work experiences that make veterans a good fit for our Company.
• Identify ways to help create an environment where veterans can effectively integrate in the workforce and be successful

Disability 101

People with disabilities make up the largest minority group in the United States - yet disability often gets overlooked as an important dimension of diversity! In this virtual workshop, we’ll define and demystify terminology related to disability and share strategies for being effective allies to disabled people in the workplace.

By the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Define the different types of disabilities
• Use appropriate terminology to talk about disabilities
• Implement workplace strategies that are inclusive of people with disabilities

Generational Diversity 101

Every generation is exposed to different cultural, social, and economic influences throughout their lifetime – and these influences can shape how we work, how we plan our careers, and how we think about work-life balance. This workshop will explore the impact that generational stereotypes have on workplace inclusion and provide solutions for creating a supportive and productive environment for employees of all ages.

By the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe key influences on each generation in the workforce today
• Identify and challenge stereotypes about each generation
• State the business case for creating a workplace that is inclusive of different ages
• Create strategies for building positive working relationships on cross-generational teams.

Interrupting Bias

The purpose of this course is to challenge participants to educate themselves beyond their own biases, to grow their cultural competence, share some strategies for how to interrupt bias when we see it or experience it, and give them the opportunity to practice the strategies utilizing some real world scenarios.

By the conclusion of this workshop, participants will:

• Define what workplace bias is
• Identify the types of behaviors that require intervention
• Utilize strategies to interrupt biased behaviors and comments

Creating an Accessible Workplace

We often think of accessibility in terms of ADA compliance – but creating a workplace free of access barriers can also include considerations based on gender, sexual orientation, religion, parenting, and so much more! This workshop will provide practical information for how all employees can create accessible and inclusive meetings, events, and workspaces.

By the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify access barriers in the workplace or professional practices and remove them – including barriers related to disability, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy/nursing, and religion
• Implement best practices for honoring accommodation requests in events or meetings
• Write access statements for events and meetings to assist attendees who may need accommodations 

Facilitating D+I Moments

D+I moments are aligned with Our Values and Code of Ethics. All employees are encouraged to share D+I moments during work-related meetings, activities, or events. Like safety briefings delivered at the beginning of all work-related meetings, D+I moments are designed to reinforce the importance of D+I in building an inclusive workplace, elevate our understanding about the various dimensions of D+I, and provide a platform for all employees to contribute to the conversation and share practical tools for incorporating D+I in our daily interactions.

Building a Diverse Work Team 

As leaders, one of the most important ways we can create inclusive work environments is to ensure that we build a diverse work team. The purpose of this course is to explore the importance and value in building a diverse work team. Participants will learn how to identify identity and skill gaps on a team when a vacancy arises. Participants will also learn how to reduce bias in job posting, screening matrix, interviews and candidate selection. This course will also cover effective strategies to ensure new members effectively integrate onto the team.

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Explain the importance and value in building a diverse work team.
• Define Affirmative Action, EEO, protected class, non-discrimination, and other terms related to hiring diverse talent.
• Dispel myths around AA, EEO, and other legal requirements of job selection.
• Demonstrate how to identify identity and skill gaps on a team.
• Identify ways to broaden candidate pools to increase opportunities to diversify selection options
• Summarize ways to reduce bias in job posting, screening matrix, interviews and candidate selection

Cross Cultural Mentorship & Sponsorship

While both mentoring and sponsoring may be happening both informally and formally in our company, we want to encourage the establishment of more cross-cultural partnerships. This program provides details about the importance of cross-cultural mentorships and sponsorships and how we can ensure they are effective and help our company improve the representation of underrepresented groups in leadership. 

By the conclusion of this workshop, participants will:

• Define what a cross-cultural mentorship relationship is
• Explain the difference between mentorships and sponsorships
• Articulate the value of cross-cultural mentorships and sponsorships
• Summarize ways in which cross-cultural mentorships and sponsorships are effective
• Identify and effectively mentor or sponsor employees from different cultural backgrounds

Aby Parsons, Ph.D.   
Diversity and Inclusion Manager  

Dr. Aby Parsons joined Georgia Power as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager in 2019. In her role, she creates and guides the company’s DEI strategy which includes training and development, communications, tools and resources, and Employee Resource Groups.  

Prior to joining Georgia Power, Aby spent five years serving as the founding director of the LGBTQIA Resource Center at Georgia Tech, developing student and employee initiatives at the intersections of gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, religion, and wellbeing. Aby was also a lecturer in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication where she taught courses in gender and sexuality studies.  

Her career has also included extensive work in secondary and outdoor education, leadership development, and social justice in the U.S. and in her home country of England. She has delivered presentations, keynote addresses, and trainings to Fortune 500 companies, sports teams, fraternal organizations, and professional associations on the topic of LGBTQIA inclusion, and has been interviewed by local and national media outlets on transgender inclusion in education and employment.   

Aby earned her BA in American Studies and her Masters by Research at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston. She earned her Ph.D. in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Emory University and went on to complete additional training in Qualitative Research Methods at the Rollins School of Public Health.  

 

Al Williams 
Program Manager, Diversity & Inclusion 

Al joined Georgia Power in 2018 as Program Manager - Diversity and Inclusion. He is people oriented and, in his role, he puts people at the center of everything he does. Al helps Georgia Power achieve its diversity and inclusion goals by providing learning and development opportunities that increase the knowledge and skills of our employees.  He consults and collaborate with leaders and employees on D+I topics and issues. Al also leads the Inclusion Connectors, a network of employees across the state who communicate the importance of D+I and help to create and sustain an inclusive workplace.    

Prior to joining Georgia Power, Al spent his career helping some of Georgia’s largest companies achieve their people strategies in the areas of customer service, human resources, learning and development, equal opportunity, ethics and compliance and diversity, equity, and inclusion. These companies include Delta Air Lines, Cox Media Group and Georgia-Pacific. 

A native of Georgia, Al earned a BA in Business Administration at Morehouse College. He is a member of the Atlanta Diversity Management and Advocacy Group, the American Association of Blacks in Energy, and the Association of Talent Development. 

Away from work, Al enjoys reading, biking, traveling, and spending time with his spouse Daphne. 

Hoss Brown, M.A  
Diversity and Inclusion Consultant  

Hoss Brown joined Georgia Power as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant in 2021. In his role, he assists the DEI team in communications, and training and development.  

Prior to joining Georgia Power, Hoss served for two years as the Director of Diversity Initiatives for the University of South Carolina-Aiken. In that role, he developed programs, services, policies, and initiatives that served to build a more diverse and inclusive campus. This programing included areas such as—heritage month celebrations, trainings, workshops and educational outreach, advocacy and support services, DEI strategic planning, and cultural event planning. Hoss was also the instructor for the academic course, ASUP:215 Diversity Leadership at the University.    

Supplementing his educational and professional experience, Hoss also has social justice and volunteer experience working with local NAACP chapters, the Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG, and Palestinian Rights Organizations.  

Hoss earned his BA and MA in Communication from the University of Cincinnati. In addition, he also earned a graduate certificate in Human Resource Management from the University.