Inclusion is Innovation

Stories behind the innovation

Uncovering courageously
Senior Technical Specialist Brent Nix once felt obligated to navigate unsafe workspaces. However, a pivotal incident at a previous company gave him the courage to uncover and ultimately find a space and voice at Microsoft where he no longer felt the need to hide his true self.
Featured Artist: Lynne Hardy

Innovating beyond the mind’s eye
Emmanuelle Rodrigues Nunes has an invisible disability that prevents her from visualizing things in her mind. Now she proves that she can do anything that anybody else can, working passionately to spread awareness of aphantasia.
Featured Artist: Dana Kearly

Embrace your identity, embrace life
Kimberly Marreros Chuco discusses embracing one’s unique identity and learning from challenges, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and accepting mistakes as part of growth, inspired by her experiences moving from an Andean mining town.
Featured Artist: Tai Silva

Showing up, authentically
Senior Program Manager Morty Scanlon, often felt unsafe bringing his identity to the forefront. Now, at Microsoft, he’s been given the welcoming and supportive environment that he’s needed to thrive in the workplace. Discover his story of authenticity and advocacy.
Featured Artist: Avalon Nuovo

This is my sazón
Ivelisse Capellan Heyer is a user experience designer who uses patience and her family to combat her own self-doubt.
Featured Artist: Sol Cotti

Everything has a solution
Jose Hernandez is a data scientist who uses the lessons instilled by his parents to find solutions to the challenges around him.
Featured Artist: Sebastian Curi

Master of messiness
As a mom and a tech leader, Elaine Chang has learned to embrace the chaos and put her “octopus mind” to work in service of innovation, at work and at home.
Featured Artist: Niege Borges

What leaders look like
Shrivaths Iyengar worried that coworkers would be reluctant to follow a leader who had disabilities. Instead, he discovered that his experiences made him a stronger, more empathetic manager.
Featured Artist: Ananya Rao-Middleton

Experiencing both sides
As a child, Ana Sofia Gonzalez crossed between Juárez, Mexico , and El Paso, Texas, every day to go to school. Learning how to live, communicate, and connect in both cultures has made her a better designer, mentor, and innovator.
Featured Artist: Dai Ruiz
Real progress requires real work
Innovation demands intention.
Innovation thrives on insight.
Innovation requires introspection.
Innovation calls for investment.
