Celebrating our differences. (2024)

On today’s episode of Up To Speed Live, join host Jen Marin for:

  • Our fun new feature, Culture Buzz,
  • A recap of our big news from last week,
  • Disability Pride Month, as we celebrate the mental and physical diversity among our V Teamers with disabilities,
  • A special guest joins us to talk about Verizon’s accessibility products, and how they’ve made the difference in this V Teamer’s day-to-day work,
  • An important reminder about mid-year performance,
  • Be sure to take Code of Conduct training, and
  • Total by Verizon keeps the Copa America excitement pumping.

🐝 … But first, here’s your culture buzz, from Inside Out.

Hollywood insiders are feeling a little less Anxiety and a lot more Joy now that Pixar’s Inside Out 2 has become the first movie since Barbie to reach $1 billion in box office sales. Inside Out 2 is still in theaters only, but before you go, remember to bring some tissues. Second, why not get caught up or refreshed by watching Inside Out on Disney+, which you can get on our myPlan and myHome for just $10/month!

Learn more about Disney+ on Verizon’s myPlan and myHome.

▶️ Press play to check out V Teamer reactions from last week’s big announcement!

If you haven’t seen the big reveal of the brand refresh, new products and Culture OS, be sure to check out last week’s special edition of Up To Speed.

🎈 Celebrating Disability Pride Month!

July means we’ve just passed the halfway point of the year, it means that summer is here, and it’s Disability Pride Month, when we recognize and celebrate the contributions of individuals with disabilities.

Jen was joined by Executive Advisory Board Member and SVP of Consumer HR Michelle Goldman and ADVANCE Global Finance Lead Jean Marston. They discussed this month’s theme: “Different than, Not less than.”

Disability is everywhere: Disability is a natural part of life and no one is exempt: It intersects every other identity factor, such as gender, race, sexual orientation, poverty, military service, age and much more. Like other diversity celebrations, they want to help make it possible for everyone to bring their authentic selves to work, home and every other part of life.

Get involved: The ADVANCE ERG is for all disabilities, accessibility advocates, caregivers, family members, and friends. There are many events that you can see on the Disability Pride Month page, but they highlighted:

  • ADVANCE’s Disability Pride Month marquee event occurs on its Membership Meeting on Tuesday, July 9 from 1-2 PM ET with Spring Lacy our new Global Head of Diversity, Culture and Community
  • Power of Neurodiversity webinar with Spring Health will be announced soon, so stay on the lookout for details
  • Volunteer: Please note: the Vocal ID volunteer event received so much volunteer interest that registration is now closed. But, you can still lend a hand to people with disabilities by volunteering with ADVANCE: Nurture our Nature Litter Collection event. Get detailshere.

Get all the details about Disability Pride Month.

▶️ Speaking of assistive technology … watch now for a demonstration. [10:46]

V Teamer Jeff Holloway demonstrates a talk-to-type software solution that allows him to continue to work despite suffering from spinal myelopathy, a disorder causing deterioration of the spinal cord that led to numbness in his hands, arms and torso.

Be sure to watch this demonstration of the software technology, but also to learn more about how Verizon goes that extra mile to support V Teamers with disabilities.

📆 Set aside some time for the new Code of Conduct training.

The Verizon Code of Conduct is just another way we put integrity at the heart of everything we do.

Get all the updates: Stay informed on the new ways our Code of Conduct may apply to your day-to-day interactions, including Slack conduct, respecting workplace diversity and much more, with the annual Code of Conduct training.

Fun fact: This year, choose from four different music styles to enjoy while going through training.

Complete your Code of Conduct training by August 12.

📌 Make a moment for mid-year.

Another topic to keep top of mind is your mid-year performance activities, which are currently underway.

What it is: Your chance to have a meaningful talk with your leader that helps you map out and drive your career forward. Take the time to put together some notes on what you’d like to discuss: your accomplishments, how you delivered and how you’re looking to grow.

Mid-year timeline: Here are the deadlines to keep in mind for management employees in V Team Central:

  • Now - July 9: Submit your first-half 2024 accomplishments
  • July 9 - 31: Meet with your supervisor to discuss your performance

Important note: For other teams, including associates and those using myInfo, reach out to your manager for more details on timing.

Management employees:

  • If you use V Team Central, enter your accomplishments here.
  • If you use myInfo, enter your accomplishments here.

⚽ Kicking it with COPA

We’re now almost two weeks into the 2024 Copa América soccer tournament and the excitement continues to grow – thanks in part to Total by Verizon’s exciting “text-to-sign” campaign.

With Total by Verizon, soccer fans can actually send a text with a message to 1-855-504-SIGN in support of their favorite teams and players.

Following the tournament? Tonight (Tuesday) at 9 PM ET we have two big games: Costa Rica v. Paraguay and Colombia v. Brazil.

For more on how we’re fueling soccer fan love, visit Total by Verizon on Instagram.

Click here for a transcript of the webcast.

Tell us what you think of Up To Speed.

Celebrating our differences. (2024)

FAQs

How should we celebrate our individual differences answer? ›

Celebrating our individual differences involves recognizing and appreciating the unique qualities and characteristics that each person possesses. It is important to acknowledge both the similarities and differences among individuals, as this promotes unity and cooperative effort .

Why is celebrating our differences important? ›

Help children understand and respect similarities and differences among people. Children begin to recognize differences at very young ages. They see what goes on around them by listening, observing, and exploring.

What does celebrating differences mean? ›

I really like this definition of celebrating differences: “It means understanding that each individual is unique while recognizing our individual differences.

What is the celebration of the differences? ›

At its core, celebrating diversity is about showing respect and gratitude for the differences between us. It is about understanding and appreciating backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs that differ from our own and creating a safe environment for individuals to express themselves.

What is celebrating our diversity? ›

Celebrating diversity means embracing and valuing the differences that make each person special and unique. It also means acknowledging and appreciating differences between individuals and groups. It means embracing the rich cultural heritage and traditions through food, music, art or religion.

Why is it important to appreciate individual differences? ›

Promotes inclusivity and equity: When individuals are respected for their differences, they are more likely to feel included and valued in society. This leads to a more equitable and just society where everyone is given an equal opportunity to thrive.

Why our differences make us unique? ›

Our differences can be seen in our appearance, our beliefs, our values, and our experiences. These differences shape who we are and how we interact with the world around us. Embracing our differences can lead to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world.

Why should we embrace our differences? ›

Embracing our differences not only helps us expand our understanding, it leads to a more peaceful coexistence. As our world grows increasingly connected and we learn more about the people in it, it's important to keep an open mind about cultures and people who are different from us.

How do our differences bring us together? ›

Our differences are what give us strength – the key is to appreciate them rather than fear them. Our comfort comes from finding where we overlap in our common practices and beliefs and, more than anything else, our common values and goals.

How do you celebrate difference? ›

Allow children to talk about things that they find different so that they can explore their ideas and attitudes. Using statements (such as “we are all equal”) without context and explanation can sometimes create the opposite effect and make people feel like they 'stand out' more.

What is the purpose of celebrating? ›

Celebrations create opportunities for fun, amusem*nt, entertainment, and recreation, which can help to reduce stress, tensions, anxieties, and other factors that can negatively affect morale, participation, or engagement.

Why is it important to recognize accept and celebrate differences? ›

Appreciating and celebrating our differences becomes an everyday experience and begins to take down walls, build critical bridges of connection and understanding, promotes empathy and tolerance, and moves us toward a healthier and whole society that not only accepts but celebrates who we are together.

Why is it important to celebrate people's differences? ›

Good equality and diversity practices make sure that the services provided to people are fair and accessible to everyone. They ensure that people are treated as equals, that people get the dignity and respect they deserve and that their differences are celebrated.

What does it mean we celebrate diversity? ›

It is a time to recognize and understand our differences, be it gender, race, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation and other factors while honoring the common essence of humanity.

Should cultural differences be celebrated? ›

By celebrating our differences, we can create a more inclusive, empathetic, and peaceful society that values all individuals for their unique contributions. Today, let us join hands and celebrate the gift of cultural diversity, recognizing that it is through our differences that we become truly human.

How do you celebrate individuality? ›

Be Authentic: Stay true to yourself and let your genuine personality shine through. Pursue Your Passions: Engage in activities you love, and your enthusiasm will naturally set you apart. Speak Your Mind: Share your thoughts and opinions confidently, even if they differ from the norm.

How should we celebrate our individual differences brainly? ›

Expert-Verified Answer

We should celebrate our individual differences by, first, appreciating our uniqueness. We should learn the beauty of loving ourselves before learning to love others, because what we have, we are able to share.

How do you provide individual differences? ›

Creating an inclusive learning environment involves recognizing and accommodating diverse learning needs. Adopting instructional strategies that cater to individual differences, such as differentiated instruction and flexible grouping, educators can provide personalized learning experiences for each student.

How do you respect individual differences? ›

Respect doesn't mean ignoring people's differences, or simply tolerating them. Rather, it involves recognizing differences, understanding their significance, and responding with interest, politeness and care.

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