At 16, I thought hard work was everything.
40 years later, I know it takes more.
March 2026 marked 29 years at Microsoft. Grateful for the love and support from friends and loved ones around the world.
Looking back, I don’t just see milestones. I see lessons.
Hard work isn’t the differentiator. Courage is.
The courage to speak when it’s uncomfortable.
To stay when it’s hard. And to leave when it’s necessary.
I see what it meant to be a Black woman in tech. Often underestimated. Often the only one. Still, I learned to lead.
I see raising Rachel Fuqua and the pride of watching them build a life on their own terms.
I see my son, Allen Fuqua. His light. His impact. And a love that doesn’t end – even when life does.
Grief didn’t pass through me. It stayed. It reshaped me. And somehow, I kept going.
If I could talk to my 16-year-old self, I’d tell her this:
You won’t control everything. But you can control how you respond. Some things will break you. Some will rebuild you. And you will become stronger than you imagined.
After all these years, here’s what I know:
Life isn’t something you master.
It’s something you survive, shape, and keep showing up for.
And that is power.