Personal Perspectives

By Sr Communications Coordinator Ashley Omondi

Personal perspectives make each of us unique, and we’re lucky enough to have more than 60,000 Employees and theirs at Southwest. This quarter Diana Session shares about her Southwest career and how she maintains a healthy lifestyle while keeping a positive outlook on life. Let’s continue to learn from each other and lean on our perspectives regarding respect, family, and our Company Values.

To bring these stories to life, we asked volunteers to share a bit about their lives, their journey with Southwest Airlines, and what it’s like to be them. As you read each of these Employee stories, we hope it’s a reminder how important it is to love and support one another and continue to live by The Golden Rule. If you’re interested in sharing your own story, email LUVLines@wnco.com.

Diana Session

CS&S Customer Representative

I was born and raised in San Antonio, but I’ve lived in Houston since 1989, when my Southwest journey began. I’m what you call a boomerang. I initially retired in 2009 but missed Southwest so much that I came back to rejoin my Cohearts in 2011. I’m now a Customer Representative in our Customer Support and Services Department (CS&S). My primary goal is to focus on serving our wonderful Customers.

I grew up on the south side of San Antonio in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood and was one of eight siblings. It was a crowded household, but we made the best of it! I graduated from high school with about 500 students and was one of only seven African American students. I loved being surrounded by different cultures—it didn’t make me uncomfortable. The experience taught me to be open and friendly to all, which I’ve carried through my time in college at the University of Houston, Texas Lutheran College, Lone Star College, and throughout my career.

Most people know me as outgoing and heavily involved in my church—I’ve been an usher since I was 10 and still serve today. I’m also an avid athlete. I’ve participated in five Senior Olympic Games, where I competed in volleyball and track & field. I also play basketball, coach young athletes, and referee in my spare time. You may also find me lifting dumbbells at my desk between calls or walking on my lunch breaks on any given day.

Staying healthy is so important to me that I walk at least two hours daily. I often walk on my lunch breaks to add to my daily movement target. During my walks, I focus on staying in the moment and observing my surroundings. What’s one of the things I started doing? I pick up money left on the ground on my walks. I’ve found as much as $105 on one daily walk (including a $100 bill that day!) and enough since 2016 to fill up over 60 coin banks. I plan to count the money in April. No matter where I go, I pick up all coins, and people often ask me why, and I always respond by telling them, “A penny makes many.” I encourage everyone to stay active and find ways to make exercising fun. This activity motivates me each day.

In addition to living a healthy lifestyle, I’m also family oriented. I’m grateful for more than 18 years of marriage with my husband, James. My daughter, Kam, is the lead vocalist for The Suffers, where she’s performed on shows such as “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “The Daily Show.” My son, Langston, is an Army veteran. Our blended and extended family has also blessed us with bonus children!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s the power in prayer and kindness. It doesn’t matter how much you make, your level of education, or what side of town you live. At the end of the day it doesn’t make you better than anyone else. We should all live by treating each other with love, respect, and kindness. Those are values that I continue to instill in my family daily.

At Southwest, I believe it’s important to keep communication top of mind and not to let up. Even though some of us work on cross-functional Teams or even remotely, we should continue to find ways to engage each other, celebrate, and have fun! I love staying connected to my peers and finding ways to embrace them. One of my talents has always been keeping in touch and staying connected. I pride myself on being a connector in my personal life and at Southwest.

Overall, I encourage you to make meaningful connections with your Cohearts. Keep The Golden Rule in mind and find ways to stay active mentally and physically. Hopefully, we can run into each other on a walk in the near future. Until then, keep in touch.

Last year, we introduced “The Scoop,” a digital publication available to Customers via the e-reader on the Inflight Entertainment Portal. Each quarter includes is an Employee Spotlight that celebrates our Employees and the amazing work they do each day to go above and beyond for our Customers. Here is the spotlight for this quarter.