August is Happiness Happens Month, and we’re celebrating it by uplifting the joy, creativity, and innovation that flourish in a truly inclusive data community.

The Microsoft Data Platform DEI Group is now accepting session proposals for a special event dedicated to all things diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, neurodiversity, and belonging. We’re looking for speakers who want to share stories, strategies, lived experiences, and practical insights that help our community grow stronger — and happier — together.

We welcome sessions across personal, technical, cultural, and community-focused themes, including (but not limited to):

• Building inclusive, psychologically safe data teams
• Accessibility in data tools, dashboards, engineering, and documentation
• Neurodiversity in tech — strengths-based approaches, lived experiences, and supportive practices
• Representation and visibility across identities in the data community
• Allyship, mentorship, and sponsorship that actually works
• Navigating identity and authenticity in technical spaces
• Mental health, burnout prevention, and sustainable careers
• Global perspectives on equity in data and AI
• Stories of resilience, joy, and community impact

If your talk helps someone feel seen, supported, empowered, or inspired — it belongs here.

All experience levels are welcome. First-time speakers, seasoned presenters, and everyone in between are encouraged to submit.

Let’s celebrate the happiness that happens when every voice, every mind, and every story has a place.