Microsoft's Hispanic & Latinx ERG Hosts an In-Person Cafecito Chat

"Over the last couple of weeks, I had the opportunity to reflect on the amazing things our HOLA ATL ERG has accomplished! I started Microsoft a little over a year ago and dove headfirst into our ERGs here at Microsoft to find community. My personal need to gravitate towards our Hispanic and LatinX ERG was because I wanted to feel more connected to part of my culture that I was never exposed to growing up. As someone who is multi-racial, I have had my own struggles of finding my own “identity”. Through serving as Co-Chair for HOLA ATL alongside Nicole I have had the personal goal of building a connected community for our chapter. We closed out an amazing month-long celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month through multiple events that spanned local community outreach in partnering with Latin American Association and Cross Keys High School to building relationship internally as a chapter! Through these events and getting the opportunity to engage with some of our members in-person and hearing their personal stories; I was left feeling more connected to my Hispanic culture more than ever before! My list of what I have been grateful for over the last couple of weeks:

1) Microsoft for doing more than just speaking the importance of DE&I but actively pouring into DE&I
2) Many thanks to HOLA ATL Exec Sponsor Terrell Cox and Leadership Team Maria Whitney and Elva Fernandez Sanchez who pours not just their time but heart into growing our chapter and our local community impact
3) All 158 and growing HOLA ATL members! We would not be where we are today without your support and vulnerability in sharing of yourself with each of our members and allies. I wish I can tag all of you, because I am so proud and grateful for each of you. But tagging a few here: Guilherme Matias Francisca Jairo Kory Trinidad Vega Marcus Nancy Tania Fred M.Martha
4) Tremendous gratitude to our ATL Site team and their partnership this year to truly bring our “connected community” vision to life. Keisha Navtej

One last special shout out to our amazing Latina panelist that came to speak at our first in-person Cafecito chat! Jaycee Holmes of Spelman College Innovation Lab and CODEHOUSE, Vanessa Ibarra of Mayor's Office of International & Immigrant Affairs , Janet E. Sevilla from Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Emel Mosley of iAmEnough. Each of your personal stories left our members energized to continue to seek partnerships in local community and to chase our “dream impact”

If you’re still reading, do not be fearful to dive head-first into DE&I at your company. Yes, it can feel intimidating but the reward you feel afterwards is well worth it!

#microsoft #microsoftatl #hispanicheritagemonth #diversityandinclusion #allyship"