Hello, my name is Karen in Knowledge Transfer. At the age of 3 months I was burned over 80% of my small body. The scars cover my face, arms and legs. Aside from the external scars, I was perfectly fine. Because I had this experience at such a young age, I never knew a life without this physical appearance. As an adult, I still have to overcome the stares and curiosity from some about my visible scars.

I started in the company as a recruiter, once I was presenting to a group on Apprentice Linemen careers and a gentleman in the audience asked if my scars were from an electrical accident. The person thought that I was a former line worker and must have gotten burned doing that type of work. My recommendation is to never judge a book by its cover; we all contribute to the fabric of PG&E. Our diversity makes us exceptional. Please join me in sharing your story!

Hello! I’m Michael, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Principal for PG&E. Growing up I remember my aunt not being allowed to bring her boyfriend to family events, David had a different skin color than we did. I also grew up in a place and time where I couldn’t come out as gay until I was almost finished with college.

I have seen what racism and homophobia do to hurt and demoralize people. I knew I wanted to be part of a solution and that led me to a career in diversity, equity and inclusion. I am here to help all of you to speak up and share your stories too, everyone is included in the definition of diversity!

I’m Elizabeth, the Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Champion for PG&E’s Finance & Risk. When I was growing up, I was made fun of because I looked "weird" (Asian) or told that I couldn’t do a lot of things because I was a girl.

I also saw my mother, one of the earliest woman physicans in Korea, struggle with barriers in the new country that provided limited opportunities for her. I want to help others who may feel different gain confidence and respect they deserve so that they can fully utilize their talents to contribute in a way that energizes them.

Hello, I’m Dionne and I work with our Employee Resource Groups and Engineering Networks. Growing up in Pittsburg, CA, I lived in a community that was not only diverse but cared about each other. When our country experienced gun violence, I helped launch PG&E’s first Healing Circles. In multiple locations, employees at various job levels could stand in solidarity to support one another.

Speaking Up about how events impact us and our focus at work helps us all process our thoughts in a safe and welcoming environment. I have fond memories of how I grew up and am happy I could find a way to foster that type of environment here. This is my Why? What is yours?

Hola, my name is Rafael and I work in Supply Chain. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and we are a mixed race of Spaniards, Tainos (Caribbean Indians) and Africans, so by ‘design’ we all look different but are the same. When I moved to the Bay Area in 2008 I was categorized as Hispanic/Latino – accurately of course. But I was not used to labels or categories of any kind, so the confusion lingered for a while.

Soon I saw this as a fantastic opportunity to leverage my uniqueness and ensure everyone in my team could too, while respecting and learning from each other. The team thrived in every aspect you can think of and became a top performer in diversity, employee engagement and effectiveness. How are you leveraging your uniqueness and the uniqueness of those around you?

Hello! My name is Ronnie in Finance. I grew up in American Canyon, CA, doing a lot of camping, hiking and walking from one edge of the city to the other. I went off to college in New York, which was a major change! Growing up in Vallejo, I was a relatively normal-sized fish in a relatively small pond. Moving to NYC was jarring in the sense that there was almost too much diversity to manage, and focusing was a constant issue – academically, socially and personally. What I learned is that to really contribute I had to remain true to what I believed in – socially, personally, intellectually and racially.

That allowed me to learn from and invest in others around me in a way that promoted exponential growth and understanding. My moral is you don’t “manage” diversity – you find your center and actively participate in it in a way that supports the whole – community, culture, core group, etc. Well, that's my story. I'd like to know yours!

I’m Matt and I work on our Community Wildfire Safety Program in Electric Operations. As a straight, Christian, white male from a middle class family, I’ve rarely felt the discomfort of being on the outside. It took me until after college to understand my experience wasn’t shared by everyone. Many people have faced hurdles I simply couldn’t relate to. Some of our coworkers have incredible stories of overcoming hardship.

As I began to appreciate the differences in our experiences, I realized the importance of creating a safe space so everyone could be their full, true self. Just like serving our customers, diversity and inclusion are team sports, and wherever we come from, everyone has something to contribute. What are you bringing to the team?

Hello! I’m Sheryl, Workforce Excellence Program Manager in Gas Operations and Diversity Inclusion Champion. I was born and raised in Oakland, CA. When I was in the 7th grade, my family moved to Union City and I began 8th grade in the New Haven school district. It was quite an eye opener to arrive at school on the first day to see and experience a virtual melting pot of ethnicities, cultures, and languages. It took a bit of time adjusting and finding new friends. Eventually, I found my group of friends who represented every nationality in our town and it finally felt right.

The life lesson that I learned from that experience brought to life the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. which is to be embraced and ”not judged by the color of one’s skin, but by the content of a person’s character.” For this, I am forever grateful.

Hello! My name is Mary and I work in Human Resources. I grew up in a Catholic household in the Midwest, where our winter holidays were fairly traditional. My mother did a wonderful job of making Thanksgiving and Christmas seem really special; however, from an inward or spiritual perspective, though, I had a sense that something was missing for me. My siblings also felt that lack, but it didn't bother them the way it did me. Years later, this sense of "lack" brought me onto the path of yoga – which I have been doing (and teaching) for over 10 years.

The practice opened my mind and heart to the truth that we're all connected (separation is learned) and if we can lessen our own suffering, we can lessen the suffering of all beings everywhere. So now, my holidays include the Winter Solstice for quiet reflection, and Bodhi Day to celebrate the pursuit of peace and awakening. Since we're all part of the same collective whole, why don't you join me and share your story, too?

Hello! I’m Aimee, Director, Land Management and DEIB Champion for Land Management. I come from a family that was racially homogenous when I was younger and has become more racially diverse over the years. When I was a kid, it was accepted in my family to use racist, homophobic, and sexist language. It pained me to hear it. I knew it was wrong. As our family has evolved over the years, I have heard and seen changes in individuals that give me hope that the spirit of inclusion can be learned. I believe we all have accountability for building a welcoming environment. l am so proud to work for a company that champions diversity, equity and inclusion. DE&I creates a culture of psychological safety where we can be our brother’s and sister’s keeper, and we all benefit from that.

Hi, my name is Alex and I work in Gas Transmission and Distribution Construction as a Director of Project Execution. My mom came from Mexico when she was 19 and was a single mother. She worked many hours for minimum wage to provide for me. She never went to school. Her dream for me was to get an education in hopes for a chance for a better life and career. Through PG&E's amazing programs I was able to achieve obtaining a BS in Finance, MBA, and PMP certification. My mom inspired me, and proved that you can start life with nothing, and still achieve your career goals. What is your story?

I’m Matt and I work in Power Generation. I was a nationally ranked athlete before being diagnosed with a learning disability and Bipolar Disorder. Despite these setbacks, I graduated at the top of my class & built a successful career–but I had no idea that bipolar disorder would challenge me for the rest of my life. Over the years, I’ve earned various professional awards, but to me, it’s more important to share my story about learning to overcome the stigma of disability. I live with my disability daily and have occasionally had to take time off work to mend. But I’ve always bounced back. Imagine spending tireless energy trying to go above and beyond to prove that you’re still capable of doing the job. It’s a lot of unnecessary pressure! In order to relieve this self-imposed pressure, I had to be courageous and surmount the stigma attached to my label, by speaking openly about it. PG&E’s emphasis and support of DEI has given me the courage to tell my story. Share yours and you’ll find that there are a lot of caring and understanding people in the world.

Hi, I’m Linette, a Materials Handler at the company. I was a stay-at-home mom before I joined and completed the company’s PowerPathway training program which introduced me to roles at the company. I started out with the company as a Traffic Control Flagger; a position I kept for 7 months. PowerPathway prepared me so well for growth! I’m still pinching myself as I dive into my new position with attentiveness and enthusiasm. PG&E has been a huge part of my life. What workforce development programs do you know about? Could you share PowerPathway with someone you know?