Throughout October, employees at Microsoft UK marked Black History Month (BHM) with a series of events designed to celebrate, educate, and inspire. The theme was ‘Standing Firm in Power and Pride’.
The month’s theme informed various sessions, from a panel discussion on neurodiversity, to a marketplace fair showcasing Black-owned businesses. There was also a talk about 1963 Bristol Bus Boycott delivered by BBC broadcaster Primrose Granville, plus a first-ever charity tennis tournament for DKMS, a blood cancer charity.
Embrace, Microsoft’s 600-strong employee community dedicated to celebrating, supporting and advancing ethnicity, hosted a vibrant closing celebration that brought employees together in person and online.
“We want to create environments where we can come together, connect, and stand firm in power and pride“
Jeramie Sutton, Embrace Co-chair
“Our mission is to foster inclusion and excellence to empower and enable Black under-represented talent, driving the next digital revolution,” BHM organisers Dedun Oyenuga and Anjola Adebowale told the audience.
During the celebration there were moments of reflection, inspiration, and connection, highlighting the achievements, stories, and voices that shaped the month’s activities.
“This is important,” said Embrace Co-Chair, Jeramie Sutton. “And not just today, not just in our celebration for Black History Month. We want to create environments where we can come together, connect, and stand firm in power and pride.”
And Amber Joyce, the other Embrace Co-Chair, said: “No matter the challenges we’ve had and the challenges we’re facing, we stand firm and proud as Embrace. We have our mission to succeed, progress, inspire, celebrate and educate on ethnicity at Microsoft.”
‘Two powerhouses’
Two of the UK’s most influential Black leaders, Pam Maynard, Chief AI Transformation Officer for Microsoft Customers & Partners, and Jacky Wright, former Microsoft Chief Digital Officer and now senior partner at McKinsey, spoke eloquently about their experiences as Black female leaders in male-dominated sectors.
Moderator Zephaniah Chukwudum, Microsoft’s Director of Local & Devolved Government and Transport, described his interviewees as “two powerhouses” from the world of technology.
“Pamela Maynard is at the centre of AI transformation across the globe, not just at Microsoft but across customers worldwide. She’s been CEO of one of Microsoft’s biggest partners and features in Vogue magazine and the UK Power List,” he said.
“Jacky Wright is a global leader, ex-Microsoft Chief Digital Officer, senior partner at McKinsey, and a former Power List Number One,” he added.
“No one else in the room knows as much about your subject, or your particular area, as you do. Use that as a strength“
Pamela Maynard, Chief AI Transformation Officer, Microsoft Customers & Partners
When asked to reflect on the BHM theme, Maynard said: “As I think about standing firm in power and pride, it resonates both professionally and personally. I didn’t see myself as somebody who had power, often turning up as the only person that looked like me in the room. As I’ve gone through my journey, I’ve realised that my difference is my power.”
For Jacky Wright, the theme suggested “mental willpower and mental fortitude, which evolves as you grow. There’s the power of community, and the power of differences.
“Everybody must recognise the individuality and the power you bring, wherever you are. I am who I am. I am different. I’m proud of who I am, my history, my background, and who I represent.”
Power of belief
Both leaders shared what it was like often being the only Black woman in the room and how they dealt with such situations.
“My mental model is simple,” said Wright. “I enter rooms with my elevator pitch. In the first two minutes I let clients know who I am and why I’m in the room. That is my coping mechanism.”
Maynard encouraged the audience to believe in their own abilities.
“No one else in the room knows as much about your subject, or your particular area, as you do. Use that as a strength,” she advised.
On the topic of allyship and sustaining progress, Maynard reminded the audience that being members of a community came with a responsibility to “maintain that connection”, as “it’s the power of the collective voice that we really need to drive forward.”
Jacky Wright agreed on the importance of communities and mutual support, saying: “The notion that we have communities where we can discuss, keep telling our stories, maintain cultural pride, and pull people up is really important.
“Never underestimate the power of what you can do, even if it’s calling someone and saying, ‘How was your day?’.”
As the celebrations closed, the message was clear: standing firm in power and pride is not just for October, but for every day. BHM 2025 at Microsoft UK had showcased the power of community, the significance of representation, and the impact of collective action.