Participant story: Adaora (she/her)

“I would also love to show the young ladies in my family that this could be a valid route for them as well.”

1) Tell us a little about your life.
I’m a Nigerian immigrant who grew up in Dallas. My curiosity in coding was sparked when my best friend and I broke our MySpace pages and eventually got them back up, customized and glittery. I have since worked in eCommerce, Social Media and Digital Marketing. But, I am ready to change things up after some time in South Korea really helped me discover my love and curiosity for coding all over again!

2) What made you decide to apply for Techtonica?
Techtonica really stuck out in my research phase of figuring out which program I should go with. The morals and voice of the company resonated with me and as an added bonus I appreciated how well-thought-out and organized everything appeared to be. There weren’t inconsistencies in the messaging versus the image, so I believe Techtonica not only walks the walk, but talks the talk. Those factors along with the real-world approach pulled me in. I also really appreciate the mentor aspect and the fact that Techtonica seems to genuinely care about the applicants.

3) What are you most excited to learn while at Techtonica?
I am most excited to come out of this a confident and collaborative coder. I’ve had a love for coding since I was 12 that I have simply lacked the confidence to pursue. Now that I’m ready to step into my purpose and really make positive changes in my life, I’m so excited to see the results of the labor to come.

4) What do you want to contribute to or change about the tech industry?
I would genuinely love to increase the normalcy of seeing people of color not only in management roles, but also woven into the fabric of coding. When gathering resources for a project, if pictures are required, I want it to be normal to showcase different faces. Representation really does go a long way for everyone, whether they acknowledge that or not. I would also love to show the young ladies in my family that this could be a valid route for them as well.

5) What’s your dream project?
As of now, my dream project would be one that connects small fashion designers or business owners to the resources they need in one spot. Instead of having to comb through the busy “streets” of Google, the app would allow them to have the required resources all in one place — simple clothing design templates, manufacturing companies, start-up tips, suppliers, the works. I think that would be pretty awesome and very helpful.