AT&T : Breaks Bread and Breaks Barriers with Inclusion Program

'The experiences are amazing, awesome,' Rachel said. 'I'm so grateful to everyone who has carried it forward. It wouldn't be a success if people didn't want to learn … and change.'

How do you get a program like this to work in a corporate environment? Rachel said one thing is key: leadership support.

'Randall Stephenson opened the door for us to talk about this and John Stankey completely picked up the torch,' Rachel said. 'That's the secret sauce. It's been taken to other companies and fizzled out because it didn't have that leadership support.'

Instead of curbing the program, the COVID-19 pandemic opened up DINE! in a new way - taking it online and global. 'We had been able to only do DINE! with people in a geographic area, because you gather,' Rachel said. 'Virtual though makes it even more effective. I was meeting with people in Mexico City, Atlanta, Bedminster (NJ) and El Segundo (Calif.). We're widening the table so there's room for everybody.'

Crystal Baker, accessibility solutions engineer at AT&T who organizes GAAD activities, said that since the observance falls at a time before most employees are back in the office, activities remained online for a second year. But, DINE! was added to the lineup with several sessions in the week before. Crystal got the idea after being asked to host a session a few months ago.