Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wishes Happy Pride 2021, shares inspiring stories of employees

‘Pride’ started since Black and Latinx transgender community stood up against injustice at Stonewall, New York in 1969. On Wednesday, as the world celebrated inclusivity during the pride month of June marked by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Microsoft pledged to end systemic racism and be a driver of non-discrimination policies that bring equality at the workplace for the people of different sexual orientation from the LGBTQI+ communities. 

Taking to his official Twitter handle, the Washington-based tech giant Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella wished the pride month 2021 to the LBGTQI+ communities, as he celebrated the diversity among the Microsoft employees.  Last year, Microsoft created with and by employees from the LGBTQI+ communities, some of the “Pride products” centered on the intersectionality of the LGBTQI+ movement on a global scale to spread awareness. Expressing his firm’s longstanding support for LGBTQI+, Microsoft CEO shared the inspiring stories of the diverse group of employees at Microsoft. 

“This Pride, as we navigate multiple crises around the globe—the coronavirus pandemic, systemic racism, targeted violence, and more—we are focusing on the role we can all play to create collective change around the issues that LGBTQI+ people care about most, including those issues often not recognized as LGBTQI+ specific but that impact us all,” Microsoft said in a pride dedicated section of the website. 

[Credit: Microsoft]

Microsoft calls for 'justice and equity'

Microsoft highlighted some of the societal issues battled by the LGBTQI+ communities that are often seen as separate and unrelated, as it made calls to put an end to discrimination and promote justice and equity. In its theme this year, Microsoft encouraged “working together” to protect trans lives, create racial justice, mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and “making progress together.” 

“I moved to the US from China in my 20s and came out around the same time. I’ve always been Chinese but didn’t realize how Asian I was until coming to the US. And being an out gay man in some way felt liberating, but my overlapping identities opened my eyes to new layers of homophobia, racism, and anti-Asian hate I’d never known before. Today I see the unique power of my intersectionality to unlock allyship within, between, and across my communities,” said Microsoft employee Zach who identifies as a gay member of the LGBTQI+ community. 

[Credit: Microsoft]

Microsoft CEO shared inspiring stories of challenges overcome daily by the LGBTQI+ community such as Asian hate, racial discrimination basis colour of the skin, racism against the Queer Indigenous, nonbinary population, and persistent prejudice. The company urged to stake in building up communities, in order to create a better and safe world for everyone. 

“As a Latinx woman, a lesbian, and a gamer – I work on bringing equality and justice across many of my intersections and communities. It’s easy to get discouraged by the issues we face, but I believe in the power of small individual actions to bring collective change,” Microsoft employee Dani who identifies as a lesbian member of the community. 

“Many of the current debates swirling in our social spheres are about how we as LGBTQI+ people can live our lives. That’s why solidarity is so important: We’re only as protected and safe as the least protected and least safe in our communities. We must center on the intersections, recognize the contributions, and protect the humanity of all the many cultures and identities inside our LGBTQI+ community,” said a Microsoft employee Melissa who identifies as Queer. 

[Credit: Microsoft]