Xbox Honors Hispanic Heritage Month
My family was located in the Eastern side of Cuba. I grew to be a young man in the small village by the coast. My childhood was simple and fulfilling. I made jewelry out of old buttons and took care of my cactus collections. I attended the University of Havana, but it wasn’t until I moved to the U.S. and started my career in the tech industry as a web producer in Miami, Florida in the late 90s that I realized I had become part of a larger and more diverse community.
At the time, my role was to produce original content for Latin America. I also had the responsibility of building digital experiences for the Hispanic population in America. Through these relationships, and many others, my circle expanded and included people with diverse backgrounds and cultures. After five years, Microsoft hired me to lead MSN Latino. This Spanish-language version of MSN was launched in Redmond, Washington. I felt a sense of belonging and was able see the differences between the East and West Coast Hispanic population. My accent has changed over time. My vocabulary changed. Even though there were differences in my vocabulary, I began to appreciate the commonalities between Hispanics: their shared values and work ethic, traditions, and sense of responsibility. Today I am not just a Cuban American, but a Latina American.
My role as Director of Programming in the Latin American Region at Xbox was to begin 2012 My group was responsible for publishing and curating local content to our Xbox fans. My first console was the Xbox One. It was a thrilling experience to travel across Latin America and directly connect with gamers just after the console’s release. As the General Manager of Customer Experience for Microsoft Gaming, I currently lead a multi-disciplinary team. Next year, I’ll celebrate 20 years with Microsoft.
My proudest accomplishment is to have represented Latinas in leadership. As a female-born foreigner, it was not easy to navigate a male-dominated field. Microsoft however has provided me with the opportunity of working alongside leaders who appreciate my perspective and recognize my potential. I am proud to be a part of Xbox’s evolution from being a console-centric business to a player-centric business which has allowed us to bring the joy and community of gaming to many more players and communities around the world outside of the traditional console markets. I’m also proud of that little girl, exploring the warm shore in Cuba, who dared to dream big dreams.
It is an honor to be a part of Hispanic Heritage Month at Xbox. This time of year is all about celebrating America’s rich cultural heritage as Hispanic or Latino Americans. Our identities have changed to encompass the identity of our country of origin as well as those of Latin American cultures. We are interwoven in an intricate tapestry. It’s about raising awareness and recognizing the positive impact our community has made You can find more information hereThis country’s development and success is our responsibility. It’s about empowering content creators to encourage authentic representation by including Hispanic contributors in their teams and getting feedback from the community early in the process. Lastly, it’s a great opportunity to show the world how proud we are to be part of this amazing community.
Below are some ways Team Xbox will support Hispanic/Latino communities, and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
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Gaming and Impact with Microsoft Rewards
Microsoft Rewards American members can support Hispanic communities in America by earning or donating reward points. Below are the organizations that will be displayed on your console.
- Hispanic Heritage Foundation – HHF’s mission focuses on education, workforce, identity, and social impact through the lens of leadership and culture.
- Gaming with Latinx – connects Latinos across the gaming industry, promotes cultural appreciation and representation in games/game-related content, and provides a platform for the Hispanic community to elevate each other and themselves.
- Care – works around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice in 100 countries including Latin America and the Caribbean.
Xbox users can get Microsoft Rewards points by playing and purchasing Xbox games. You can redeem points for real rewards. Register today to get involved Give with Xbox
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Xbox Ambassadors feature stories about Hispanic representation in gaming
For Hispanic Heritage Month, the Xbox Ambassadors team asked Hispanic and Latino Ambassadors about the importance of seeing themselves represented in games and how it impacts their own experience as members of the gaming community.
We are sharing their stories.
Albert X (He/Him)
Puerto Rican
Hispanic characters are a significant part of my gaming career. Kait Diaz and Dominic Santiago from Gears will be forever in my memory. Recently, it was an honor to see Mexico on the cover of Gears. Forza Horizon 5. I also enjoyed it. Far Cry 6Soundtrack featuring many Puerto Rican artists. The lead character sings the songs as he drives his car.
I founded Xbox Live Puerto Rico in 2010. Twelve years later, we’re still strong thanks to a fantastic team of Xbox Ambassadors administrators who provide great assistance, information and coverage for our community. We are currently working to include Puerto Rico in the Xbox Rewards Program, so that our members have access to their perks and points.
Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory Students and Local Influencers present Storytelling Series
Students from across the United States are being partnered by US Xbox Marketing Team Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory Los Angeles, to produce a series videos celebrating Hispanic/Latino culture, art, fashion, community and esports. Athletes from BHAC will be involved in storytelling and production of local creatives, such as Chef Wes Avila, President of Gamers of Color Club, Nyah Serano, artist/muralist, Downtown Daniel, Francisco Reyes, Jr, Fashion/Graphic Designer, and Francisco Reyes, Jr. The videos will go live in October.
Microsoft has curated games for Hispanic communities and Latino communities
Games provide a unique form of storytelling and it’s powerful to see and celebrate the contributions, achievements, and experiences that the Hispanic and Latino communities bring to gaming. Members of the Hispanic/Latino community in tech can now tell their stories via games. We will highlight the voices that bring a rich and vibrant history to life through authentic storytelling and inspired creativity.
For Hispanic Heritage Month, we want to highlight Hispanic and Latino creators, lead characters, and games inspired by the culture and locations of the Hispanic and Latino communities around the world. The collection can be accessed on Xbox, Windows Mobile and Cloud all year. This is part of our ongoing effort to build more inclusive gaming environments and raise content that resonates within communities, while also increasing awareness about their unique perspectives, artistry, and abilities.
Here are some highlights Get the complete Game Pass selection on Xbox And Get the complete Game Pass collection for Windows include:
Moonglow Bay(Available in conjunction with the Game Pass – Moonglow Bay is beautifully art directed by Lu Nascimento, the co-founder of indie studio Bunnyhug Games, who identifies as a queer Brazilian. The cute game lets you play as a fisherman, and discover a poignant story set in a LGBTQIA+ town.
Grim Fandango: Remastered(Available in conjunction with the Game Pass – Inspired by the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos and Aztec folklore, this story centers around protagonist Manny Calavera’s adventures in the Land of the Dead. This adventure game also features voice talent and dialogue input from Latino actors, Tony Plana and Maria Canals-Barrera.
Spacelines from the Far Out (Available with Xbox Game Pass) – Showcased at the 2021 Latinx Games Festival, Spacelines from the Far Out is a creative co-op game about managing airlines in space. This game was developed by Coffeenauts, an up-and-coming game design studio in Brazil driven by a passion for creating captivating games and a love of caffeine.
Dandy Ace (Available with Xbox Game Pass) – From Brazilian developer Mad Mimic, comes the tale of a flamboyant magician named Dandy Ace in a fast-paced roguelike adventure. Dandy Ace makes use of his magic cards to escape from prison within the cursed mirror.
The Walking Dead: A New FrontierAvailable with Xbox Game Pass or Rated M – Face the apocalypse as Javier “Javi” García, a former baseball player on a mission to find his Cuban-American family. Decide how the story should play out in this narrative adventure as Javi teams up with Clementine in an attempt to survive long enough to rescue their respective families.
You can view this collection at the Microsoft Store in Xbox or the Microsoft Store Windows USA. Visitors can find this collection at any time by searching within the Stores for “Hispanic,” “Latino,” and related terms.
Avatar, Profile and Gamerpics Items Now Available
In partnership with Hispanic and Latino communities at Xbox, we’re introducing a new gamerpic, profile themes, and avatar items! On console, the gamerpic as well as profile themes will be accessible. Find your avatar products here.
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LatinExplorers: Hispanic Heritage Journey
Hispanic Heritage Foundation and Minecraft Education have teamed up to create a unique Minecraft education experience that will inspire, equip and empower students to be changemakers. LatinExplorers: The Hispanic Heritage Journey builds actionable leadership skills and social emotional skill with the guidance of real-life Hispanic leaders. It will include three compelling narratives on climate, care and creativity. The future digital economy will allow young learners to explore ways they can connect their personal passions with career opportunities and work opportunities. Available in 29 languages, this content can be accessed now Minecraft Education EditionBedrock and the Minecraft Marketplace.
Incorporate Celebratory Photos and Liveries Forza Horizon 5
Do you enjoy snapping in-game photos? Are you a creative person who likes to create unique livery designs for virtual cars? Forza welcomes your contributions that honor the Mexican environment and culture. You can use these weekly livery and photo contests to spark your creativity.
Sept. 9 – Nature
Sept. 16 – Architecture
Sept. 23 – Art & Textiles
Sept. 30 – Horizon Stories
We’ll feature our favorite community creations on the official Forza Horizon accounts, and award in-game items to the winners of each Weekly contestAll participants are eligible to submit creations. Here’s more information on how to participate.
TUNE IN
Xbox Plays Honors Hispanic Communities
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Xbox Plays will be dedicating much of our livestreaming content in September and October to Hispanic Communities, featuring streamers/content creators! Follow us at the Xbox Twitch Channel and don’t miss any of the action!
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