Hispanic Heritage Month: How I'm celebrating and my commitments to the community

Welcome to National Hispanic Heritage month! Each year in the U.S., from September 15th to October 15th, we celebrate the customs, cultures, contributions, legacies, and achievements of the Hispanic and Latinx community.?

Microsoft's theme for the month is "avanzando" (advancing) -- advancing as a diverse and intersectional community. When we elevate the community, we elevate every individual. We’ve seen great growth in the number of Hispanic and Latinx employees at the company, but there’s always more to do, and we still have a long way to go.

Nielsen reports that Hispanic/Latinx people will be the primary contributors to the total U.S. population growth for the next 40 years, comprising 53 percent of the growth in the next five years. At Microsoft, we know we cannot drive empathy-based innovation without these voices being heard and represented as we create, develop, and communicate new products and services that shape the future and empower everyone and every business.

After working with this amazing community for years at my previous company, I recently joined HOLA, the Hispanic and Latinx community group at Microsoft, as executive sponsor for the Marketing and Consumer Business chapter. So, this year's celebration is even more personal to me! My commitment to the community is to use my voice and role to help foster a diverse and inclusive culture where members of this community are encouraged to join, belong, and thrive. While I have not walked in the shoes of this community, I am a dedicated ally and look forward to what we will accomplish together! I take my role as sponsor and ally seriously. I also want to give a special shoutout to Evelyn Padrino from our Azure Marketing team, who is by my side as co-sponsor for the Marketing and Consumer Business HOLA community. Thank you, Evelyn, for your encouragement and support!

When I joined HOLA, the group gave me the most thoughtful gift -- a Latin American Street Food cookbook. My husband, kids, and I are looking forward to trying the delicious new recipes, particularly the tacos with pork carnitas. My family and I love entertaining, and this recipe is an easy crowd pleaser for a few, or the whole neighborhood. My seven-year-old son is a huge fan of corn, so he will especially love the corn on the cob with cream and cheese recipe. And you cannot go wrong with churros, particularly when they are coupled with chocolate -- another one of our family favorites!

In addition to the authentic cuisines, what I love most about the Hispanic and Latinx culture is the deep commitment they have to their family, spiritual, and religious values. My family and I share these values, and I have loved encouraging my young kids to embrace and appreciate the legacy and contributions Hispanic and Latinx people have made to our country and the world.

As we embark on this year's observation, I want to thank each member of this incredible community for the influence they have had on life inside and outside of Microsoft. Together, we will realize a future much brighter than we ever could apart.

To that end, Microsoft has a drumbeat of activities lined up this month to provide many ways in which employees can celebrate and learn more about this rich heritage. Join me in learning more this Hispanic Heritage Month as Microsoft employees from the community share their stories.