PRIDE SPOTLIGHT: Carlos Bravo talks about intersectionality as a gay Latino immigrant and what Pride means to him

Southern Company fosters a workplace where all employees are valued, respected and heard

 

Carlos Bravo believes Pride month is a celebration of inclusivity and freedom of expression.

Carlos is a process analytics manager at Southern Company Gas and is originally from Venezuela. He moved to the United States at the age of 25.

Carlos started his career with Southern Company Gas in 2005 as a bilingual customer service representative and has held other positions within the company such as quality assurance specialist and business analyst before his current role. At Gas, Carlos is an active member of Spectrum, a LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG), where he previously served as vice-chair.

“For me, Pride means being proud of who you are. It is about not worrying what others think of you,” Carlos said. “I feel proud to work at Southern company Gas, where diversity, equity, and inclusion is one of our most significant values and where I can be my authentic self when I come to work every day,” Carlos said.

Carlos said his intersectionality as a gay Latino immigrant, has led to both positive and negative social, personal and professional experiences. 

“On one side, I can be the voice for multiple communities and speak for their causes to promote transformative change. On the other hand, I can face various intersecting forms of structural discrimination. However, I embrace my intersectionality and try to remain focused on the great opportunities derived from it,” Carlos said.

Outside of work, he enjoys dining with friends and family, being outdoors and traveling. He lives in Atlanta with his partner, Leo, near the Atlanta BeltLine, where he enjoys running, biking and walking his dog, Joy.

At Southern Company, we are looking to improve relations between all members of the communities where we live and work. One way we are doing that is by creating a workplace where all employees are valued, respected and heard. In our Move to Equity, we have increased our efforts to recruit and develop diverse talent. In 2021, underrepresented groups made up 58% of new hires.

This year, Southern Company has earned a 100% rating on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index. This is the sixth consecutive year we have been named one of the best places to work for LGBTQ+ equality by the HRC.