Meet Leticia Walker - Hispanic Heritage Month 2024

As we celebrate the contributions and culture of the Hispanic and Latinx community this Hispanic Heritage Month, I recently had the wonderful opportunity to connect with Leticia Walker , an inspiring and dedicated professional on my team, in our Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs team here at Microsoft.

In addition to her role as Corporate Counsel supporting devices and experiences, Leticia is part of our department’s employee network group, HOLA CELA, and is an advocate for advancing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Below Leticia shares more on what Hispanic Heritage Month means to her, learnings from the Hispanic National Bar Association Annual Convention, and the impact HOLA CELA has made on her personally and professionally. Thank you, Leticia, for the inspiring work you’re doing at Microsoft and beyond!

Throughout the month, HOLA CELA has planned many exciting opportunities and events to get involved and I want to thank the members and leadership team for everything you do throughout the year to advance diversity and inclusion around the world: Alessandra Reyes, Andrea Yepez, Danila Toscano, Juan Lavista Ferres, Julian Diaz-Morales, Julieta Maibaum, Karen B. , Kathy Ambrose, Leigh Ann Lucero, Leticia Walker, Maria Barrios Fernandez, Maria Pilar Llorens, Marilia Dippe, Martha Bucaram, Melody Alvarado Latino, Pablo Tapia, Quisaira Whitney, Simon Ruan, Stephen Urena, Trina Saldana, and Victor Morales. In addition, I want to express my gratitude to colleagues across Microsoft who have shared their inspiring stories and experiences this month, which can be found here:aka.ms/InclusionIsInnovation/Hispanic

#HispanicHeritageMonth #InclusionisInnovation

HN

This September and October we’re celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Microsoft. Can you share what Hispanic Heritage Month means to you?

Leticia: During Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, I honor the legacy and sacrifice my family made to afford me the aspirational American dream. My family, like many immigrant families, came to the US in search of a better life for their children. The quest for a better life is the story of the immigrant experience which is perilous journey of resiliency, perseverance and hope/bravery in the wake of unprecedented obstacles. It speaks to the fortitude of our innate moral values of hard work, honesty, compassion, respect, dignity and honor. This month, I’d like to pay tribute to the many Hispanic/Latinx families, like mine, whose contributions make our nation great.

Earlier this month you attended the Hispanic National Bar Association Annual Convention. Can you talk about your experience at the convention and what you learned?

Leticia: As I reflect on my experience after the HNBA Annual Convention, I wish to highlight my participation in the Latina Leadership Academy. I was selected to participate in the Latina Leadership Academy, a day long leadership training and learned that although the pendulum of change is slow, it bends toward justice. Latinas now make up 3% of attorneys although we represent 9.4% of the nation’s population. We discussed how Latinas must overcome cultural obstacles, and the critical factors needed for success because there are still too few & far between. To bridge this gap in Latina's success within the legal profession it is more critical than ever to embrace AI technologies to advance efforts in the D&I space but most importantly understand that this is a calling to the future of our profession and the pendulum leans towards AI. To quote Law Technology Today “AI won’t replace lawyers, but lawyers who use AI will replace those who don’t.”

You are part of our department’s HOLA CELA employee network, which is dedicated to raising awareness of the barriers faced by Hispanics and Latinos/as in our communities and institutions and to highlighting heritage, culture, and success. As a former executive sponsor of the network, I’ve seen firsthand the inspiring work of this community. Can you discuss the impact HOLA CELA has made on you personally and professionally?

Leticia: Hispanics/Latinx are a tight-knit and welcoming community. We harness our communidad as a pillar to success. HOLA CELA is that to me—my familia. Since day one at Microsoft, I have benefited tremendously from my HOLA CELA mentors who invest in my success and immediately come to mind, Catherine Romero, Quisaira Whitney, Julieta Maibaum, Mick Konowal, Simon Ruan and many more not listed but present in my corazon. It is a place where I can continue to develop my abogada + leadership skills with utmost support while always reaching back to sustain the pipeline for other Hispanics/Latinx lawyers.

Is there anything you’d like to share about yourself with your CxP colleagues that they might not already know about you?

Leticia: I am a proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. A Mexican born, American molded Lawtina mothering two outstanding girls of color. Es mi responsabilidad to prepare my girls for the world while changing the world for my girls. Si Se Puede!

To my Windows team, muchas Gracias!

To our allies, muchas Gracias!

To the numerous mentors, colleagues, amiga/os, muchisimas Gracias.

To Microsoft, onward + upward! #CopilotyoureverydayAIcompanion