As Veterans & Military Families Month comes to a close, a new T-Mobile employee shares her experience being married to the military, and how she found a support system inside the company.

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Last year, I got married in a library three weeks after I got engaged. Before you think this was a choice to be eclectic and hip, let me explain.

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My husband is an active-duty Special Operations soldier in the Army. Planning the big wedding we wanted around his shifting responsibilities of team training and permanent change of station (PCS) date was impossible. We tried again for this coming summer — hoped, really — but found out he would be deployed through the following fall.

We have been together since graduating college in 2017. I supported him when he enlisted in the military and embarked on the daunting journey of basic training, followed by an extensive two-year training course, the first year of which we were only able to speak sixteen weeks out of the twelve months.

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I’ve learned that many partners who have married into the military endure challenges that may be hard for other spouses to relate to. My husband’s commanders recommended he not get into a serious relationship when entering his training course — oops, he was a little too late! — due to the time commitment and lack of communication, but no one can truly prepare you as the spouse for the obstacles that will become normalized in your everyday life at home.

It’s why many people often say, “Military spouses serve too!” In almost every practical sense, I’ve committed myself to the military life as well.

My husband is away right now, in fact, and I’m not allowed to know the details of what he’s doing because it’s confidential. Our first anniversary is this month, and we won’t be able to spend that milestone moment together.

My biggest worry when entering a military relationship was that I was no longer going to be able to keep my independence, especially career-wise. I worked so hard to earn my master’s degree and chase my own career goals, but with the military, you never know where you are going to end up. My husband is set to be stationed every four to five years, and that could be anywhere.

According to the <a href="https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2091431/dod-releases-military-spouse-licensure-report/#:~:text=Military%20spouses%20face%20a%2024%25%20unemployment%20rate%2C%20much,in%20large%20part%20by%20the%20mobile%20military%20life.">U.S. Department of Defense</a>, military spouses have faced an unemployment rate of 24%, much higher than the general population, due to the many obstacles of constantly relocating a career. Add in COVID-19, and that number continues to rise.

We recently relocated from the East Coast to Washington state for my husband’s first post, and I quickly learned that employers are wary of hiring someone who isn’t “local” or “reliable” and some military spouses recommended I not disclose my husband’s occupation. But something changed when I happened to find a job opening with T-Mobile and applied. Instead of skepticism, I was greeted with gratitude and a willingness to accommodate remote working. Thankfully, I got the gig and even received an email from our CEO Mike Sievert thanking my husband and me for our service.

During my application process, I found out that T-Mobile pledged to hire over 10,000 veterans and military spouses by 2023, offering excellent benefits made specifically for the military, plus child-care assistance and health care.

I was lucky to find such an accommodating employer and colleagues, but I also learned that the <a href="https://es.t-mobile.com/responsibility/community/military?icid=MGPO_TMO_U_20MILAPRMO_705AZU6Z07OZUXK8K20563">T-Mobile Military & Diversity Sourcing team</a> accelerates military hiring efforts and provides additional support, going above and beyond to steer veterans and spouses in the right direction when looking for their next career moves. T-Mobile is also engaged in over 100 military communities across the country, and before COVID, attended more than 100 hiring events nationwide each year.

Keeping up with the changes in the world and adjusting to our current virtual reality, T-Mobile partnered with <a href="https://www.hiringourheroes.org/">Hiring Our Heroes</a> (HOH), which finds meaningful employment opportunities for service members, as well as the <a href="https://www.hiringourheroes.org/military-spouses/amplify-military-spouse-career-intensives/">AMPLIFY</a> military spouse hiring program. HOH also provides a platform for military spouses to connect nationally through the <a href="https://www.hiringourheroes.org/military-spouse-professional-network/">Military Spouse Employment Network.</a>

Other partnerships include the <a href="https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/u-s-department-of-veterans-affairs">U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs</a>, to enable real-time healthcare via a video chat, and <a href="https://fourblock.org/">Four Block Online</a> to provide service members and spouses online access to career readiness programs.

On my first day at the company, I was added to the Slack channel “Veterans & Allies Network,” which is a community of over 12,000 T-Mobile employees who seek to increase awareness around veteran culture and encourage veterans and spouses to lend their perspectives.

It’s been almost four years since we became part of the military, one year that we’ve been married, nine months since we arrived in Washington and forty days since he’s been away on his latest assignment.

Are there difficult days when I wish that my husband was home safe and focused on our family consistently? Of course. But it is also an amazing feeling to know that my husband is working with his unit, training with allied countries to help those in need around the world. Both of these things can be true and coexist in my life.

And when I need someone to lean on while my husband is away, I know that I have my new and ever-growing military spouse community and allies at work. That’s a first anniversary gift I never could have imagined.

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The T-Mobile Military & Diversity Sourcing team accelerates military hiring efforts and provides additional support, going above and beyond to steer veterans and spouses in the right direction when looking for their next career moves. T-Mobile is also engaged in over 100 military communities across the country, and before COVID, attended more than 100 hiring events nationwide each year.

Navigating Life as a New Military Spouse | T-Mobile Newsroom

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La vida como cónyuge de un miembro de las fuerzas armadas

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What’s the news: In coordination with Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford and his office, T-Mobile has launched its new Apprenticeship Program. The Un-carrier has hired its first 10 participants for roles on the Care team at its Las Vegas Customer Experience Center and virtually on the Technology team—and is already making plans to expand the program into more states and areas within the company.

Why it matters: T-Mobile’s Apprenticeship Program is creating amazing career opportunities for diverse talent to learn new skills through hands-on experiences. Participants earn while they learn, gain skills and experience that open up amazing career opportunities and get access to the Un-carrier’s world class benefits.

Who it’s for: Anyone with a passion to learn new skills and be a part of the Un-carrier’s workforce of the future.

Bellevue, Wash. — November 19, 2020 — Today, T-Mobile announced that it has successfully launched its new six-year Apprenticeship Program in the state of Nevada. Created in coordination with the Nevada Attorney General's Office and the Nevada Governor's Office of Workforce Innovation and the Nevada State Apprenticeship Council, the program has already filled ten paid apprenticeship roles on its Care and Technology teams, including seven at its Customer Experience Center in Las Vegas. By the fourth year of the program, T-Mobile will select 15 apprentices annually for Nevada-based opportunities and intends to use the Nevada program as a model to expand the apprenticeship program in other states as it builds a workforce that is best positioned to serve consumers and expand the company’s leadership in the 5G era.

The apprenticeship program, an example of the real benefits T-Mobile’s merger with Sprint has created for consumers across the country, resulted from discussions with Attorney General Ford, and his Nevada Bureau of Consumer Protection. For 12 months, T-Mobile apprentices learn new skills through 144 hours of hands-on experience, performing important work at T-Mobile in highly skilled roles. The apprentices receive nationally recognized training and classroom instruction credentialed through the U.S. Department of Labor, and partner with mentors and receive step-by-step coaching from their manager.

“T-Mobile has always made it a priority to grow and develop a diverse workforce because there are tremendous benefits all around! This new Apprenticeship Program that we’re kicking off in Nevada will be the model for our future nationwide program, creating meaningful opportunities for diverse talent who will play a critical role in driving our Un-carrier success,” said Deeanne King, T-Mobile’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “Nevadans have everything we’re looking for to kick off this program - diverse backgrounds and perspectives, a passion for creating a great customer experience, and an eagerness to learn new skills. We thank Attorney General Ford and his team for their leadership, and we’re excited to see the positive outcomes from this program!”

“I couldn’t be prouder of the efforts of my office that have resulted in opportunities for Nevadans and other states around the country to obtain jobs and learn valuable skills through a structured apprenticeship program,” said Attorney General Aaron D. Ford. “T-Mobile has demonstrated a commitment to Nevada consumers that extends beyond just lower prices for products and services. When my office presented the idea of an apprenticeship program, T-Mobile embraced the opportunity and I am pleased to see its early and long-term success.”

T-Mobile Apprentices join a company that has consistently been featured on national, regional and state “Best Place to Work” lists year after year—more than 70 national and local workplace awards in 2019, including recognition as a great employer for parents, diversity, women, Hispanics, LGBTQ and more. In addition to great pay, T-Mobile employees are eligible to receive the company’s outstanding benefits, including health coverage, college tuition assistance, a childcare subsidy benefit, paid parental leave and adoption/surrogacy benefits. They will also have opportunities for career development and management preparation.

Find out more about T-Mobile’s career opportunities on the T-Mobile Careers <a href="https://es.t-mobile.com/careers">site</a>.

About T-Mobile T-Mobile U.S. Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is America’s supercharged Un-carrier, delivering an advanced 4G LTE and transformative nationwide 5G network that will offer reliable connectivity for all. Los clientes de T‑Mobile reciben una calidad inigualable por su dinero, una firme obsesión por ofrecerles la mejor experiencia de servicio posible y un dinamismo indiscutible en disrupción del mercado para crear competencia e innovación más allá del ámbito del servicio móvil. Con sede en Bellevue, Washington, T‑Mobile presta servicios a través de sus subsidiarias y opera sus marcas emblemáticas, T‑Mobile, Metro by T‑Mobile y Sprint. For more information please visit: <a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com%2F&esheet=52321646&newsitemid=20201106005342&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.com&index=7&md5=69f49b59c279f5e231e1966f993f5cda">http://www.t-mobile.com</a>.

In coordination with Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford and his office, T-Mobile has launched its new Apprenticeship Program.

T-Mobile Rolls Out Apprenticeship Program Offering Industry-Leading Career Opportunities to Nevadans–and Beyond | T-Mobile Newsroom

T-Mobile Rolls Out Apprenticeship Program Offering Industry-Leading Career Opportunities to Nevadans–and Beyond

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As National Disability Employment Awareness Month draws to a close, I want to talk about how important it is to acknowledge and celebrate — all year long — the countless contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. And with a son who was physically impacted a few years ago by a severe skiing accident, along with a cousin who is Deaf, I have a personal connection to disability. Through them and others, I recognize the challenges that exist for these individuals and the incredible value that they can add to any company’s team.

I read a really compelling stat that underscored how untapped the disabled workforce is: If just 1 percent of the <a href="https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-89/Accenture-Disability-Inclusion-Research-Report.pdf#zoom=50">10.7 million working-age people with disabilities in the U.S.</a> who are available to join the workforce started jobs, the influx would boost America’s GDP by a massive $25 billion! Here’s why: Disability drives innovation.

Think about it. People with disabilities conquer hurdles every day that other folks might never consider. Transitan por un mundo que no está necesariamente diseñado para ellos y para hacerlo, utilizan una combinación de creatividad, agilidad, resiliencia, perseverancia y voluntad de experimentar. That makes them natural, intuitive innovators who companies like Microsoft, IBM, Salesforce, Dell and many others have attracted through dedicated “ability hiring” initiatives. In fact, companies that qualify as “champions” on the <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdisabilityin.org%2Fwhat-we-do%2Fdisability-equality-index%2F2020companies%2F&data=04%7C01%7CJonathan.Zwickel1%40T-Mobile.com%7C15a4c4c59669456da10708d87170db81%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637384076822331550%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=0PoxnXmSfpkbcpE23GsWDNC59ZFKMJxB0nwb4HkpzWI%3D&reserved=0">Disability Equality Index</a> — meaning they are committed to strengthening the bridge between business and the disability communities — achieved on average 28% higher revenue over a four-year period, double the net income and 30% higher economic profit margins.

T-Mobile is one of those Diversity, Equity and Inclusion champions because we encourage our employees to bring their unique differences to work every day. And, by the way, this makes good business sense. Those differences make us collectively smarter, stronger and more customer-centric. As persons with disabilities are <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dol.gov%2Fagencies%2Fodep%2Fpublications%2Fstatistics&data=04%7C01%7CJonathan.Zwickel1%40T-Mobile.com%7C15a4c4c59669456da10708d87170db81%7Cbe0f980bdd994b19bd7bbc71a09b026c%7C0%7C0%7C637384076822321598%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=hLbnxPNB8s2POmoRpfHFMs4LTe3HO7aW1XlUvxb1ck8%3D&reserved=0">the third-largest market segment</a> in the U.S. after Hispanics and African Americans, we need to have a workforce that understands, reflects and support their needs. This is where our amazing group of 11,000 employees who are part of our <a href="https://es.t-mobile.com/careers/culture-and-benefits/diversity">Accessibility Community at T-Mobile, or ACT</a>, comes in. These employees — some with disabilities, others who are friends, family or allies of those with disabilities — remind us of the doors that open when we’re inclusive.

This is foundational to our culture at T-Mobile, just as it was at Sprint for many, many years. In fact, this year Sprint Accessibility, a team that develops, markets and distributes communication products and services for customers who are Deaf, DeafBlind (Deaf and Blind), have hearing or vision loss or cognitive, speech or mobility disabilities, celebrated its 30-year anniversary! Impressive, especially when you consider that the Americans with Disabilities Act — the landmark decision that mandated that states provide reasonable services and accommodations for people with disabilities — is the same age.

Many employees of what is now the <a href="https://es.t-mobile.com/responsibility/consumer-info/accessibility-policy">T-Mobile Accessibility</a> team following our merger are themselves people with disabilities — employees like Ken Arcia, a customer relations manager for T-Mobile. Ken, who is Deaf/Hard of Hearing, provides accessibility solutions to customers and state agencies in Arizona, Nevada and North Dakota. He also showcases T-Mobile’s products for those who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing at trade shows around the country. And Hannah Defelice, a Blind/Low-Vision customer relationship manager who herself is DeafBlind. They are proud to share their stories with the wider world, Ken as a frequent guest speaker at schools and colleges and Hannah as a paratriathlete.

Both use T-Mobile accessibility products and services like <a href="https://www.sprintrelay.com/iprelay">IP Relay</a> and <a href="https://sprintcaptel.com/">CapTel</a> for work and personal communication. And they achieve meaningful connections with their colleagues and customers in the disabled community simply by being who they are, true assets to our company culture and our business. As Ken likes to point out, SMS messaging, aka texting, was originally developed for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community. How’s that for an accessibility innovation that the entire world has embraced?!

Yet there is still so much more we can do to be better. To further our inclusive hiring and work-culture practices, our recently-announced <a href="https://es.t-mobile.com/news/community/meet-the-civil-rights-leaders-joining-t-mobiles-external-diversity-and-inclusion-council">External Diversity and Inclusion Council</a> is helping us align to best practices that support diverse employees and customers. And our internal Diversity Recruiting Team is expanding T-Mobile’s partnership with the experts at Disability:IN by joining their <a href="https://disabilityin.org/what-we-do/inclusion-works/">Inclusion Works</a> program, which provides us with customized consulting to expand our culture of inclusion and develop a sustainable recruitment strategy.

In addition to our many efforts at T-Mobile to champion disability inclusion, we won’t stop listening, learning and growing. I’ve discovered that expressing our individuality is what connects us with others. Let’s ensure we’re creating company cultures that value the kind of unique perspectives that broaden opportunities not only in our workplaces, but also our world.

Cada día, las personas con discapacidades superan obstáculos que otros quizás ni se imaginan. Transitan por un mundo que no está necesariamente diseñado para ellos y para hacerlo, utilizan una combinación de creatividad, agilidad, resiliencia, perseverancia y voluntad de experimentar.

Diversity Equals Innovation | T-Mobile Newsroom

Diversidad significa innovación

Jonathan Zwickel

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T-Mobile’s External Diversity and Inclusion Council members say celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month on a companywide level is the right way to honor Latinx employees — past, present and future.

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“Most people know about the Latino population in terms of statistics,” says T-Mobile External Diversity and Inclusion Council member Gilbert Casellas. “There are 58 million of us, with a GDP that’s equivalent to $2.3 trillion, and if we were a separate country we would be the eighth largest country in the world. Fortunately, we’re part of this great country and making it even greater.”

As a way to highlight Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15, T-Mobile announced it is honoring its Hispanic employees and customers through community giving, events and dialogues that promote Hispanic voices under the central theme of Orgullosos de Nuestro Pasado. Enfrentando el Presente. Impactando el Futuro. — Proud of our Past. Facing the Present. Impactando el Futuro.

Impacting the future is the keen focus of the company’s <a href="https://es.t-mobile.com/news/community/meet-the-civil-rights-leaders-joining-t-mobiles-external-diversity-and-inclusion-council">External D&I Council</a>, as their work to advise T-Mobile on its DE&I initiatives now begins.

Casellas, former chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has put that belief into action with his extensive legal and policy experience as a diversity, equity and inclusion advisor to several major corporations, governmental commissions and universities. He says Hispanic Heritage Month is a reminder to everyone the multifaceted role the Latinx population plays in the success of the country.

“Bring your whole selves to work,” urges Casellas. “Let your voices be heard. As our country and its institutions and businesses become increasingly more diverse, I believe we as Latinos will have a greater role in driving that success.”

For its part, T-Mobile has been recognized as a Best Employer for Latinos in the Nation by Latino Leaders Magazine and named 2018 Corporation of the Year by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Throughout this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month, the company’s over 55 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chapters across the country gave their members an opportunity to learn and have meaningful conversations with virtual panel discussions, cultural exchanges and guest speakers that explored the topics of culture, history, representation and equity.

Listening to these voices serves as motivation for fellow council member Sindy Benavides, the Chief Executive Officer of <a href="https://lulac.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LULAC</a>. She says working with T-Mobile’s External D&I Council creates a gold standard for all companies when it comes to engaging their Latinx employees and is a way for her to pay homage to those who came before her.

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a special month to celebrate and honor our ancestors, especially for their mission, their courage, their sacrifice and their love,” says Benavides. “I hope that through the work I do every single day at the League of United Latin America Citizens, the oldest and largest national Latino civil rights organization in the country, that I honor their legacy, their sacrificio , because they gave everything for me.”

Both Casellas and Benavides say they are encouraged as they think about the Hispanic community’s impact at T-Mobile and in the U.S. 

“We have a proud legacy and our future is bright,” says Casellas.

T-Mobile has honored that legacy this Hispanic Heritage Month with donations to organizations that  provide resources for a bright future, including a $10,000 donation to the Latino Community Fund as part of the company’s Community Spotlight program with the Seattle Mariners and by doubling employee donations to <a href="http://www.elcentrodelaraza.org/">El Centro de la Raza</a>, an educational, cultural and social service agency that provides support centering around the Latinx community but not excluding others in need.

“We know that in 2050 we will be 130 million Latinos strong,” says Benavides. “My hope is we as a community understand our power, understand our heritage and understand we come from a united, strong, courageous community with leaders that make up who we are today.”

As a way to highlight Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15, T-Mobile announced it is honoring its Hispanic employees and customers through community giving, events and dialogues that promote Hispanic voices under the central theme of Orgullosos de Nuestro Pasado. Enfrentando el Presente. Impactando el Futuro. - Orgullosos de Nuestro Pasado. Enfrentando el Presente. Impactando el Futuro.

"We Have a Proud Legacy and Our Future Is Bright!" | T-Mobile Newsroom

“We Have a Proud Legacy and Our Future Is Bright!”

AlexandraFidler

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Elaine Welteroth, former editor-in-chief at Teen Vogue, spoke to T-Mobile employees, offering a simple directive: leave roadmaps to help women follow the trails you’ve blazed.

“There was a whole new blueprint that I was going to be sort of writing for myself as I went along the way, and there were not a lot of role models or blueprints that I could refer to throughout my journey,” Elaine Welteroth reminisced while speaking virtually to some 5,200 employees logged in to T-Mobile’s fourth annual Women’s Summit, which recently took place. “I just remember how important it felt to connect with another black woman leader.”

Welteroth found her way to become the youngest editor-in-chief at a Conde Nast publication when she took the helm of <a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/">Teen Vogue</a> in 2017, as chronicled in her 2019 best-selling memoir More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are — but she said finding a mentor who looked like her and shared similar experiences in her career journey was one of the biggest challenges she faced. And as someone who identifies with the Shonda Rhimes-coined acronym F.O.D. (First. Only. Different.), she feels a responsibility to ensure the advice of a mentor who has been there before isn’t so elusive for those next in line.

“I thought, ‘We are doing a disservice to the next generation,’” she continued. “The goal is to be the first but not the last. The responsibility that comes with being a F.O.D. is to create more space for other folks who might not have an opportunity had it not been for you being there.” The summit, hosted by the Women & Allies Network, one of six Employee Resource Groups focused on the company’s <a href="https://es.t-mobile.com/news/community/building-a-long-lasting-and-impactful-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-plan">Diversity, Equality and Inclusion initiatives</a>, was held on Women’s Equality day, which this year marked 100 years since the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote — even if that right was not immediately available to all women due to discriminatory local laws. The summit tackled subjects focused on understanding the meaning and importance of allyship, intersectionality and inclusionist thinking. The session with Welteroth also included T-Mobile’s Jon Freier, EVP of Consumer Markets, and was moderated by Women & Allies Network Co-Chair Lauren Hayes, Director of Signature Retail Consumer Markets for the company. “We need to be sharing our stories, our tools, in order to empower each other and feel less alone,” Welteroth said definitively when asked what’s next in the journey towards women’s equality. “I thought if I’m going to be held up as a trailblazer for being first then I have work to do beyond the scope of my job description. I have to make sure the work I’m doing lays the groundwork, paves a trail, but also leaves signposts along the way that make it less daunting, less alienating, less confusing and less disempowering for the next young black woman leader who comes behind me.”   But while Welteroth remarked on the importance of recognizing and leveraging women who identify with her experiences as a black female professional in white corporate America as key, she didn’t discount the power that comes along with inviting others without these shared stories and experiences into the dialogue. Her conversations were once relegated to a privately shared understanding, but Welteroth said the next necessary step towards change involves the uncloaking of these truths for public discussion.

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“My coping mechanism throughout my career in media has been to find my tribe, find people who can relate to these experiences of micro-aggression and … what it means to be the only one like you in a room in a corporate environment. We have our off-line chats and we have our group chats … and we support and we hear each other … but I think now there is an opening in the matrix,” said Welteroth. “There is an opportunity for all of us to be a part of these conversations because Black people, women, whatever the marginalized group is, we cannot fix these problems on our own. We need to be working in concert with the majority and the folks in power to actually create the change that we all want to see.”

Armed with a newly created blueprint and ample signage to place along the way, Welteroth made it clear that she is determined to ensure her journey is a key part of that change.

Gold medal gymnast Aly Raisman also presented as one of T-Mobile’s Women’s Summit guest speakers. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://es.t-mobile.com/news/community/gold-medalist-aly-raisman-on-courage-and-self-compassion" target="_blank">Watch her discuss</a> managing anxiety, believing in yourself and finding courage within.

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Best-selling author and journalist Elaine Welteroth spoke to T-Mobile employees why being the first Black editor in different, groundbreaking capacities at two Conde Nast publications was a problem, not an accolade.

"Why Forge a New Path if No One Follows?" | T-Mobile Newsroom

“Why Forge a New Path if No One Follows?”

Shawna Ryan

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The founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative joined T-Mobile for its Talking with Trailblazers guest-speaker series

Recently, some 4,500 T-Mobile employees tuned in for a livestream conversation between EVP of T-Mobile for Business Mike Katz and Bryan Stevenson, the founder and executive director of the <a href="https://eji.org/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://eji.org/">Equal Justice Initiative</a> (EJI), an organization committed to challenging racial economic justice, ending mass incarceration and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable in our society. He is also notably the author of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/books/review/just-mercy-by-bryan-stevenson.html" data-type="URL" data-id="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/books/review/just-mercy-by-bryan-stevenson.html">New York Times</a> bestselling memoir Just Mercy, which was adapted into a box office hit starring Michael B. Jordan as Stevenson.

The event was a part of T-Mobile’s ongoing <a href="https://es.t-mobile.com/news/community/trailblazer-takeaways-ibram-x-kendi-on-being-an-antiracist">Talking with Trailblazers</a> series and took a deep dive into the societal and justice reforms needed in this country.

“I really wanted to use the law to protect people who might not be protected by our political process, who might not be protected by majoritarian outcomes,” the Harvard Law School graduate said of choosing his legal career. “I ended up coming to the Deep South to represent people on death row because I was deeply troubled by the fact that we have a criminal justice system that treats you better if you're rich and guilty than if you're poor and innocent. I was deeply troubled by the fact that people on death row were literally dying for legal representation because there is no right to counsel for the condemned after the initial trial and appeal. It also brought my interest in racial justice and helping the poor together. That's really how I came to being this."

Here are other key takeaways that Stevenson offered during this trenchant, of the moment Talking with Trailblazers event.

If we want to make a difference in the world, we've got to get “proximate.” “I don’t think we should underestimate the power of getting proximate to people who have been mistreated, abused, knocked down, excluded and disfavored. If nothing else, in proximity we can wrap our arms around folks and we can affirm their humanity and affirm their dignity. For me and the staff at EJI, we are fully committed to that proximity even though when you're proximate to someone on death row and you’re standing next to someone who is going to be executed, that will be challenging for you. But we absolutely are persuaded that our ability to be effective is conditioned on our willingness to get proximate … to get close to the people who are directly impacted. If we're concerned about income inequality, we’ve got to get closer to the poor. We've got to get closer to the excluded. If we care about criminal justice reform, we've got to get closer to the incarcerated and the condemned.”

Hopelessness is the enemy of justice. “I often say this, that hopelessness is the enemy of justice and justice prevails where hopelessness persists. Hope is what will get some of us to stand up when others say sit down and will get some of us to speak when others say be quiet, and it becomes a relationship. I'm both worried about the moment we're in with the pandemic and the impact it's having on people in jails and prisons, the impact it's having on the poor and communities of color. But I'm also very hopeful about this moment because I am seeing an energy, I'm seeing a resolve. I'm seeing companies having conversations they haven't had before. That's very exciting to me.

"But ultimately, my hope really comes by looking back at the generations that come before me. I'm the heir of a generation of people in Montgomery, Alabama that did so much more with so much less. I know I'm standing on their shoulders and they found a way to lift people up like me but with half the capacity and resources that I have in terms of material things. I have hope because if we had the will and the determination to overcome chattel slavery and to overcome lynching and terror and overcome segregation, we have to have the will and resolve to overcome these problems of over-incarceration and police violence.”

You can't really be informed until you know history. “This problem of over-incarceration directly intersects with this legacy and history of racial inequality. That's why right now our work is really focusing on both of these areas, because we understand that we have to confront, we have to do something about this long history of bigotry and bias that has been sustained by silence and our collective indifference. The police throughout their history first were organized in communities and one of the primary tasks was catching people who might be runaway slaves. At the very outset, the police identity was aligned with sustaining and continuing and protecting the institution of slavery. After our reconstruction, it was the police who stepped back and allowed mob violence and lawlessness to terrorize black people for a century. When John Lewis and Dr. King and Amelia Boynton went to the Edmund Pettus Bridge dressed in their Sunday best, it was the uniformed police officers that beat and battered and bloodied them. That identity cannot be disconnected from these issues.”

If you want to help, you have to do your homework. “I think if people try to do racial justice and racial equity work, or even diversity and inclusion work, without doing the education, it's almost like saying, ‘I want to be a nurse without learning anything about anatomy or about medicine or about healthcare.’ You can have a passion to help people who are sick, but until you have the knowledge, you're not going to be effective and you may do more harm than good. That's why I really do see this moment as a moment where we have to prioritize the learning, the education, the kind of conversations that really reposition our own understanding about what has to happen.”

We can't ever advance equity and opportunity if we only do the things that are comfortable and convenient. “I’m not interested in talking about slavery and lynching and segregation because I want to punish America for this history. My interest is liberation. But to get there, we're going to have to be willing to do the uncomfortable truth-telling, to do the uncomfortable reimagining, rethinking — reevaluating systems and structures, to do the uncomfortable conversations that allow us to address these issues like they've never been addressed before.

"I've been working with folks in the NBA and I'm super proud of the players and the coaches that are using their platform to get people to see things and to hear things they wouldn't otherwise see. These coaches are actually opening their press conferences by reading from our calendar and I love it because what they're doing is taking advantage of the space they have to advance in understanding. Don't make it the burden of just people of color to address these issues, because that can be exhausting and overwhelming. But all of us have a role to play. I think when we all commit to that we create a better environment for everybody.”

Justice is a constant struggle. “If we are willing to struggle, if we are willing to fight, if we're willing to get proximate, if we're willing to stay hopeful, if we're willing to do uncomfortable things, we can prevail, we can make progress. But if we are not, we will see these problems that are all around us continue to grow and deepen and manifest themselves in even more tragic waves. I would invite everybody to go to our website<a href="http://eji.org/"> eji.org</a> and become a part of that community of active educators that are sharing this information and knowledge.”

Stay tuned for more takeaways from T-Mobile’s Talking with Trailblazers series.

T-Mobile employees tuned in for a livestream conversation with Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), an organization committed to challenging racial economic justice, ending mass incarceration and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable in our society. También es conocido como autor de la autobiografía Just Mercy, bestseller del New York Times, que fue adaptada en una exitosa película protagonizada por Michael B. Jordan en el papel de Stevenson.

Trailblazer Takeaways: ‘Just Mercy’ Author Bryan Stevenson on Achieving Equal Justice | T-Mobile Newsroom

Aportes de pioneros: el autor de "Just Mercy", Bryan Stevenson, habla sobre cómo lograr justicia igualitaria

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Be the envy of your next Zoom, Teams or WebEx meeting, and let your Magenta flag fly.

New backgrounds added Nov. 10, 2020

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By now, we could all use a change of scene in our work-from-home scenery, and we're here to help — with 14 brand new T-Mobile virtual backgrounds! Whether you want to put yourself on the mound at T-Mobile Park, sky-high above T-Mobile Center or in the comfy confines of a Signature Store, we’ve got a bevy of Magenta backgrounds to choose from. So add an air of adventure and a splash of Magenta to your next <a href="https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/210707503-Virtual-Background#:~:text=While%20in%20a%20Zoom%20meeting,background%20will%20be%20automatically%20applied.">Zoom</a>, <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/change-your-background-for-a-teams-meeting-f77a2381-443a-499d-825e-509a140f4780">Teams</a>, <a href="https://help.webex.com/en-us/80jduab/Use-a-Virtual-Background-in-the-Cisco-Webex-Meetings-Suite">WebEx</a> or even <a href="https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/thread/39520143?hl=en">Google Classroom</a> call. (And follow the links provided if you need pointers on how add a background for each of those platforms.) Whatever your Un-carrier flight of fancy, we’ve got your back … ground!

NEW! TAP INTO T-MOBILE'S NATIONWIDE 5G NETWORK OR SWING BY THE FULLY RENOVATED BELLEVUE HQ   

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SCHEDULE SOME TEAM TIME AT T-MOBILE PARK IN SEATTLE

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ROCK OUT AT T-MOBILE CENTER IN KANSAS CITY

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FEELING LUCKY? HEAD TO T-MOBILE ARENA IN LAS VEGAS

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SWING BY THE T-MOBILE SIGNATURE STORE IN TIMES SQUARE

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OR HIT THE WEST COAST SIGNATURE STORE IN SAN FRANCISCO...

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OR FURTHER DOWN THE COAST IN SUNNY SANTA MONICA!

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Whether you want to put yourself on the mound at T-Mobile Park, sky-high above T-Mobile Center or in the comfy confines of a Signature Store, we’ve got 11 brand new Magenta backgrounds for you to choose from.

Get Your Very Own T-Mobile Landmark Virtual Background! (Updated: Now with 5G!) | T-Mobile Newsroom

Get Your Very Own T-Mobile Landmark Virtual Background! (Updated: Now with 5G!)

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https://www.t-mobile.com/news/community/virtual-backgrounds-for-zoom-teams-webex-meetings

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As T-Mobile and Sprint were planning our long-anticipated merger, we realized that we had a significant opportunity in front of us. We could use our new scale and resources as a larger combined company, to not only get bigger, but also to become BETTER in so many ways. This was our opportunity to seize.

Knowing we would be opening our doors to millions of additional customers and welcoming thousands of new employees, we embraced the challenge to create a new T-Mobile with a unique customer-obsessed culture, centered on attracting, retaining and developing the best team in the history of our industry. And to do that, we knew it would be absolutely essential to further commit to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) as a long-term strategy. So back in October 2019, we decided to make a significant $25 million investment in this effort, entering into an important <a href="https://nul.org/news/civil-rights-groups-sign-groundbreaking-diversity-agreement-t-mobile-us">Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)</a> to work closely with six major American DE&I advocacy organizations to expand on our long-standing commitment to DE&I: the National Urban League, National Action Network, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Asian Pacific American Advocates, League of United Latin American Citizens and UnidosUS.

And now, with our merger complete, I’m pleased to share that we are officially kicking off this exciting work. The timing is more relevant and critical than we could have predicted, and the issues that the MOU addresses are even more pressing today than when we entered into the agreement last year. As our nation is experiencing a profound moment, and there is real momentum to address racial equity, significant change is more within our reach than in any recent time. And we at T-Mobile are committed to being part of that change.

I’m excited today to announce that a team of incredible leaders will advise us in these efforts.

As part of the MOU, we have formed an External Diversity and Inclusion Council that is made up of some of the best advocates and thinkers in the DE&I space. Each of the organizations that signed the MOU has a seat on the council, and we rounded out the group with seven more esteemed leaders. Now 14 members strong, the council is already helping us identify priorities and chart a Strategic Diversity Plan to set meaningful goals and hold ourselves accountable to accomplish them.

It’s truly an honor to <a href="https://es.t-mobile.com/news/_admin/?p=58112&post_type=story&preview=1&_ppp=a3d2e1f0c4">introduce</a> the members of T-Mobile’s External Diversity and Inclusion Council, for the first time here!

Marc Morial, President & CEO, <a href="https://nul.org/">National Urban League</a>

Marc, who will serve as Council chair, has long been <a href="https://es.t-mobile.com/news/community/trailblazer-takeaways-black-history-month-2020">a trusted advisor</a> to T-Mobile and is a recognized leader of America’s Black community. He served as Mayor of New Orleans, president of the United States Conference of Mayors, and Louisiana State Senator.

Kevin Allis, CEO, <a href="http://www.ncai.org/">National Congress of American Indians</a>

Kevin is an enrolled member of the Forest County Potawatomi Community and a longtime advocate for American Indian equity. He is an attorney practicing Federal Indian law and labor and employment litigation and has served as an officer with the Baltimore Police Department.

Sindy Benavides, CEO, <a href="https://lulac.org/">League of United Latin American Citizens</a>

A Honduran-born immigrant who now leads the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the country, Sindy is now CEO of LULAC and has devoted her career to public service, ensuring that countless young people, women and immigrants have the same opportunities she did.

Gilbert F. Casellas, Former Chairman, EEOC

Gil has extensive legal and policy experience having served as a diversity, equity and inclusion advisor to several major corporations, governmental commissions and universities as well as the chief diversity officer of a Fortune 50 company.

Rachelle Chong, California Emerging Technology Fund Board Member and former FCC Commissioner

Rachelle was the first Asian American appointed to the Federal Communications Commission. As special counsel to CETF, she’s fought to bridge the digital divide by advocating for public policy, public awareness and strategic partnerships in California and Washington, D.C.

Maurita Coley Flippin, Esq., President and CEO, <a href="https://www.mmtconline.org/">Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council</a>

Maurita is a lawyer and media executive with a background in telecom and internet law, and policy and business operations. She’s been involved in mass media most of her career, including as a member of the BET executive team, and has produced several award-winning independent films produced by filmmakers of color.

Alphonso David, President, <a href="https://www.hrc.org/">Human Rights Campaign </a>

Alphonso is the first civil rights lawyer and person of color to serve as president of the Human Rights Campaign in the organization’s nearly 40-year history. In 2015, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Alphonso to serve as the governor’s chief counsel and principal legal advisor.

Carol Glazer, President, <a href="https://www.nod.org/">National Organization on Disability</a>

Carol is president of the National Organization on Disability, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization that represents 57 million people. She’s an expert on the employment of people with disabilities and is the mother of two children, one of whom was born with hydrocephalus and has physical and intellectual disabilities.

Derrick Johnson, President, <a href="https://www.naacp.org/">National Association for the Advancement of Colored People</a>

Before becoming president and CEO of the NAACP, Derrick served as president of the NAACP Mississippi State Conference leading campaigns for voting rights and equitable education. He also founded One Voice Inc., a non-profit focused on improving the quality of life for African Americans through civic engagement training and initiatives.

Empleados

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Aportes de pioneros: el autor de "Just Mercy", Bryan Stevenson, habla sobre cómo lograr justicia igualitaria

Get Your Very Own T‑Mobile Landmark Virtual Background! (Updated: Now with 5G!)

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