Reflecting on my journey in tech

Photo by Pixabay

As another year approaches and we celebrate individuals who are underrepresented and otherwise marginalized in software development, I took the time to reflect on my journey.

Back in March 2019, almost 4 years ago, I talked about my experiences as an underrepresented person in the tech industry and I shared the choices that I had made.

My experiences have evolved since I last discussed it as that young woman on stage. I feel safer, more confident and more hopeful about the future after working with companies like Forem that value equality in the workplace and continuously try to move the goal posts.

However, I still continue to practice those choices that I made many years ago:

• To educate folks in the industry about the issues that we deal with as minorities.

• To urge the people that I meet to be active participants in the struggle.

• To mentor the next generation of leaders so that they are better equipped to deal with what’s thrown their way than I was, so that they may overcome these issues more easily and eventually eliminate them.

• To speak up about these issues and create an awareness.

• To surround myself with folks whom I can identify with and whom I can form a support system with.

• To no longer doubt myself.

I still practice these choices everyday and I want to be reminded about them often so that I continue playing my part in helping to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.