Duquesne Light Holdings Recognizes Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
A message from President and CEO Kevin Walker
In May, Duquesne Light Holdings (DLH) joins many other American companies in celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, when we take the opportunity to recognize the many contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture and achievements of our great nation. The 2023 theme, chosen by the Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC), is “Advancing Leaders Through Opportunity.” According to FAPAC, the public sector’s “pivot” in workplace processes throughout the pandemic “has manifested noteworthy opportunities, which hinge on innovation, critical thinking, strategic leadership and building great teams.”
The AAPI community includes cultures with rich history and traditions from the entire Asian continent, and the Pacific Island groups of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Americans who moved from or have ancestors from these places continue to impact many aspects of American culture and society. From the arts to sports, science to politics and literature to law, the United States would not be what it is today without these contributions.
At DLH, we celebrate our diversity and the unique perspectives and experiences that employees bring to our organization every day. Some of our employees have partnered with our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council so we can learn more about them and their culture during our AAPI Heritage Month celebration. They will be featured in employee spotlights on our social media channels throughout the month of May, and we will host internal events for employees who are interested in learning more about AAPI cultures and traditions.
We’re also proud to announce that we will be introducing DLH’s newest Ally Circle representing our AAPI community and allies. Ally Circles are an incubator initiative intended to lead into full-fledged business employee resource groups (BERGs). BERGs are inclusive employee-led networks that support and lead DEI efforts in our workplace and community. Our AAPI Ally Circle will continue to advance our DEI efforts with a focus on building relationships within the Pittsburgh AAPI community, supporting employee connections, sense of belonging and professional development, and increasing education and awareness of AAPI topics.
During AAPI Heritage Month, we look forward to celebrating our coworkers’ unique heritage and the contributions they bring to our organization daily as we further our vision of a clean energy future for all. Our differences make us stronger and enable us to not only support one another, but the communities we serve.