Celebrating Women’s Equality Day

August 26, 2020

By Rohan Kumar, CVP, Azure Data

Today is Women’s Equality Day, commemorating the ratification of the 19th amendment to the United States constitution. When the amendment became law in 1920, white women across the country finally gained the right to vote after many hard-fought years of discrimination, obstacles, and protests. The amendment was a vital step in the right direction toward achieving equality and in joining other countries who had already adopted this cornerstone of democracy. However, a century later, we still see that many women in the US, particularly women of color, and around the world endure many forms of inequality.

At this 100-year milestone, it’s a perfect day to recommit ourselves as advocates for inclusion, equality, and opportunity.

Education as a key to opportunity

Growing up, my mother often shared her belief that education is one of the most important keys to success. Many years later, I have the honor of leading Microsoft’s Azure Data team. That could not have happened, though, without exposure to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education at an early age. Those studies paved my path to college, and ultimately, to my career in computer science and engineering.

Today, as a father of two daughters, this day has a special significance to me. I want my children to grow up in a world where they are empowered to help shape the future of the world – regardless of their gender or heritage. And, like so many other parents, my wife and I also want to give our children the best head start in life that we can, starting with an educational foundation to help them realize their dreams.

At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. I’m proud of many initiatives the company is taking toward this goal – including opening educational doors and fostering a diverse STEM pipeline into colleges and universities. We want to help young women enhance their skills, discover a passion for technology, and envision a future filled with possibility. We believe this starts with generating excitement for tech as early as possible through a range of initiatives and partnerships:

• Our partnerships with Girls Who Code and Black Girls Code fund hands-on technology workshops for middle and high school girls.
• The Digigirlz program, now in its 20th year, offers middle and high school students opportunities to learn about careers in technology, connect with Microsoft employees, and participate in technology workshops that include hands-on computer experience. So far, the program has impacted 65,000 girls in 92 countries.
• Our ten-year-old Technology Education and Literacy in Schools (TEALS) program helps high schools build and grow sustainable computer science programs.
• We partner with the National Center for Women in Information Technology to produce Technolochicas, to raise awareness among young Latinas and their families about opportunities and careers in technology.

We believe Microsoft’s company culture is another vital factor in empowering women in business. We expect each of us – no matter what level or function – to play an active role in creating an inclusive environment where people of varying backgrounds can thrive. We see our culture as a foundational strength of our company. Different perspectives help spark the thinking that leads to discoveries, experiences, and opportunities for everyone.

For those women already established in their career path, we actively support other initiatives too:

• Microsoft’s corporate venture fund, M12, joined forces with EQT VENTURES and SVB FINANCIAL GROUP to launch the Female Founders Competition, a global startup contest to identify top female talent and accelerate access to capital for women entrepreneurs.
• We established the Cloud Accelerator Lab, which is an immersive six-month program to assist women-led companies in starting, building, and scaling their B2B solutions using cloud computing with Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Microsoft distribution channels.

Continuing the journey

Women’s Equality Day reminds us of our past, current, and future efforts to strive for equal rights and equal opportunities. We still have a lot of work to do if we want to embrace the sentiment of “Equality Day” and build upon the meaning behind its moniker.

I’m passionate about giving people the opportunity for professional growth. It’s also my deep-rooted belief that people from diverse backgrounds and life experiences make outstanding leaders when given a chance. I’m proud of Microsoft’s global efforts to help close the gender gap and embrace the incredible value that comes with a fully inclusive workplace.

Please join me today as an advocate for equality for women.