{"id":654,"date":"2023-09-15T03:47:03","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T03:47:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.microsoft.com\/inclusionisinnovation\/?post_type=features&p=654"},"modified":"2025-02-10T18:41:45","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T18:41:45","slug":"my-true-self-my-way","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/news.microsoft.com\/codeofus\/features\/my-true-self-my-way\/","title":{"rendered":"My true self, my way"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Principal Service Engineering Manager Telmo learned the strength of embracing differences early in life. Today, they\u2019re empowering engineers to bring their diverse backgrounds, cultural values, and ideas into the workplace.<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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Growing up in Rio, Brazil, my family had our struggles. We were a family of seven\u2014my five brothers and sister, our mom, and me\u2014in a small two-bedroom apartment owned by the railroad where my mom worked. We lost our mom when I was 4 years old, and since my biological father wasn\u2019t in the picture, I ended up being raised by my older brother. He\u2019s 16 years older than I am, so it\u2019s an interesting dynamic that has impacted my entire life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our meals sometimes consisted of just bread and sugar, instilling in me the drive to earn money from a young age. At 6 years old, I ran errands for neighbors, charging 25 cents to bring their milk and bread in the morning. At 12, I was selling toys to my friends. At 13, I learned how to do henna tattoos and started charging for it. I knew I wanted to own my own house, have a family, be able to provide, and not always have to think about where our food was coming from. It was a hard childhood, but it was also a happy childhood.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We lived across the street from a favela where houses were often made from cardboard and wood. It was completely normal for me to go across the street and play soccer. I never felt like \u201cthey\u2019re different\u201d; they were just my friends. I think this experience laid the foundation for me in terms of just respecting people no matter their race, gender, age, or socioeconomic background.  <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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