Participant story: Precious (she/they)
“As a queer Black woman breaking into this industry that is dominated by mostly hetero white men, I want to show others who look like me that this is possible.”
1) Tell us a little about your life.
I was born and raised in Dover, Delaware, by a single mother of four. After graduating from high school, I entered university in Washington, DC, becoming the first generation to enter college in my family. After jumping from major to major in college, I decided to leave school and began working in the hospitality industry. In 2015, I moved to Oakland, California, where I was introduced to the tech industry.
2) What made you decide to pursue a software engineering career and apply for Techtonica?
When I moved to California, I was immediately intrigued by the tech industry. I met a few people who were working in tech, and I’d seen firsthand how it changed their lives. They were fulfilled by being a part of something bigger than themselves, and I wanted that for myself. After self-learning for a few years, off and on, I learned about Techtonica and decided to apply.
3) What are you most excited to learn while at Techtonica?
I’m most excited to learn how to learn better and more efficiently. I’m also excited to expand my knowledge of software engineering and dive deep into building web applications. However, getting this golden opportunity to learn how to learn effectively at the same time is a dream for me.
4) What do you want to contribute to or change about the tech industry?
I want to be an example in multiple ways in this industry. As a queer Black woman breaking into this industry that is dominated by mostly hetero white men, I want to show others who look like me that this is possible. I want to communicate that being and thriving in this industry is possible without burning yourself out. I also want to let others know that it’s okay to take time for yourself. It’s a common belief that once you break into the industry that you have to bend over backwards and prove yourself. I guess I want to bring a little self-care to the industry.
5) What’s your dream project?
My dream project would be in the realm of helping people to heal mental trauma. Using traditional medicines for mental health is making a lot of headway right now, and it’d be a dream to contribute to those efforts.
