Southwest Airlines Celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage During The Month Of May And All Throughout The Year

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May 09, 2013, 03:00 ET

DALLAS, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) is demonstrating its commitment to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community through its celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May. The Company is hosting an array of activities during the month of May and continues its commitment to the community by celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage all year long.

"Southwest Airlines appreciates the opportunity to embrace the rich cultural backgrounds of our Customers and Employees. While we celebrate during the month, it's important to demonstrate our commitment to the Asian community all year long," said Ellen Torbert, Southwest Airlines' Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion. "We value our community partnerships with more than 30 nonprofit organizations that focus on the Asian community to help ensure access to higher education, build stronger businesses, and celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage."

Southwest proudly gives back to the Asian Pacific American community:

May | Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, Annual Awards Gala, and Leadership Academy, Washington, D.C.

Southwest Airlines is the Official Airline of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies 19th Annual Gala Awards Dinner where Asian American and Pacific Islander pioneers will be celebrated. Southwest also will provide travel to the National Leadership Academy, which gives Asian Pacific American leaders the tools to successfully reach their goals.

May | Hawaii Chamber of Commerce Northern California, Annual Aloha Gala, San Francisco

Southwest Airlines supports the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce Northern California as they award Hawaii Chef Alan Wong as the 2013 recipient of the Kulia I Ka Nu'u Award at the 11^th Annual Five Star Aloha Gala. The Kulia I Ka Nu'u Award recognizes trailblazers, leaders, and innovators who have spread the Aloha Spirit beyond the Islands' borders.

May | Southwest Airlines' Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration, Dallas

Southwest Airlines will host an Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebration for its Employees at the Company's headquarters in Dallas. The celebration, hosted by the Southwest Airlines Diversity Council, will also feature an Indian dance performance.

June | National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development: Annual Convention, Washington, D.C.

Southwest Airlines provides travel to the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development annual convention bringing together more than 250 staff and community leaders from Asian American and Pacific Islander-serving organizations across the country, making it one of the largest gatherings of community-based practitioners, policy makers, legislative representatives, corporations, and foundations working with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities nationwide.

June | Mixer with Mo`Olelo's Production of "Extraordinary Chambers," San Diego

Southwest Airlines' community partners, Asian Business Association of San Diego and Japanese American Citizen's League with the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce host an evening of Mo`Olelo's "Extraordinary Chambers." "Extraordinary Chambers" is the story of an American couple who travel to Cambodia for an innocent business trip, but become personally entangled with Khmer Rouge victims and survivors.

July | Organization of Chinese Americans National, National Convention, Washington, D.C.

Southwest Airlines will join the Organization of Chinese Americans National as they celebrate 40 years of advocacy and empowerment in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

August | Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute, Youth Leadership Academy, Cupertino, Calif.

Southwest proudly supports the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute's Youth Leadership Academy. This college-level class explores Asian American and Pacific Islander experiences, community, civic engagement, and leadership. The curriculum includes guest speakers, community tours, city-hall visits, a public-policy project, and an alumni-organized graduation.

August | Southwest Airlines' Fourth Annual Award-Winning Diversity Summit, Dallas

Southwest Airlines will bring together executives from North Texas Fortune 500 companies to join the conversation during its fourth annual award-winning Diversity Summit to focus on diversity and inclusion initiatives, foster new opportunities, and explore best practices.

October | Diversity Leadership Alliance Conference, Phoenix

Southwest provides travel for Human Resource professionals, diversity officers, community and business leaders, students, and teachers from the Phoenix community to learn about diversity and inclusion, managing and mentoring diverse workforces, and implementing effective strategies.

Since Southwest's beginnings more than 41 years ago, the LUV airline has always approached business differently—instituting the ten-minute turn, democratizing the skies with affordable air travel, delivering Legendary Customer Service—the list goes on and on. One thing that has remained constant since Southwest took to the skies four decades ago is doing the right thing, and it always comes From the Heart. To learn more about how Southwest Airlines supports the Asian American & Pacific Islander community, visit www.southwest.com.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 42^nd year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded, and including wholly-owned subsidiary, AirTran Airways, operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world to serve 97 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and six near-international countries. Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for its triple bottom line approach that takes into account the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities it serves, and its commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2011 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at southwest.com/citizenship.

www.southwest.com

SOURCE Southwest Airlines