A Letter From Me to You!

Dear Empowered Women,

I am writing you today to remind you of your beauty and strength. I’m writing to empower and encourage you to stay on course. Some days you may feel defeated, but I promise you it is only a test.  It is your test and it’s up to you whether you pass. You are stronger than you think. You are resilient,  incomparable and whole. You are not broken and please never allow others to put that stigma in your mind or on your heart. You will go as far in this life as you allow yourself and what has been decreed for you. You will not grow within the confines of your comfort zone. In order to love others, you must first love yourself in your entirety! You must believe that as long as you give from yourself selflessly,  you will always be abundantly rich. Rich not in regards to money or anything tangible, but in mind, body and spirit. I implore you to remind yourself everyday that you are worthy of all the good that will come to you and that you are an empowered woman!

With much love,

Gabriel

Year of the Woman!

Ladies, this will be our year. It will be a year of growth and prosperity.  A year of getting out of our own way and vanquishing the naysayers. We will be empowered, inspired and motivated to not only uplift ourselves, but other women as well. We will fearlessly set goals and exceed our own expectations. We will return to school, get promoted, raise our children all while being our best possible selves. We will be advocates for our own health and well being. We will be abundant in our mind, body, and spirit.  This will be our year to seize every opportunity that serves us best. This is our year of possibilities. This is the year of the woman!

Day 10: The Year Ahead…

In 2017, I’ve learned more about myself than any other year that has preceded. I’ve won and also failed at some endeavors, but I believe that’s apart of personal and professional growth. One lesson learned is that I am more productive when I don’t bite off more than I can chew. I always have a million ideas running through my head and want to dive in full throttle to accomplish them all, but I realized its counterproductive to try and be a jack of all trades. Not every idea needs to turn into a business venture or career goal. So, for 2018 I plan to continue being guided by the incomparable Halimah DeOliveira who is a transformational coach for women. She helps me put my vision into clear focus which tends to be a challenge for me at times. I’ve also listed out some attainable goals that I plan to accomplish by the end of next year like learning how to code, earning my masters degree in Information Systems, and being more involved with women in tech. Although, the image of being a Superwoman is appealing, the reality is as adults we have so much on our plates already the mere thought of adding more is sometimes overwhelming.

With 2018 only a few days away, I encourage myself and all of you reading this to reflect on your past successes and areas of improvement to ensure 2018 is your best year yet!

Day 9: Technically She Can!

Our only limits are those we place on ourselves and those we allow to be placed on us by others. I wrote this quote one day in deep reflection about my life–specifically my career. I believe in the power of positive affirmations and that whatever we feed ourselves daily within our minds, is what we become. I tell myself that I will learn and master coding. That I will learn and master HTML and CSS so I can first build my own website and then help others to build theirs. I tell myself I am a Clinical Systems Analyst working in a prominent hospital helping end users and my team. I tell myself that I will graduate with my masters degree in IT and empower women to enter and remain in STEM careers.  These are my affirmations. They are what keeps me motivated and encouraged to continue treading this path I’m on.

Technically She Can! is a support group I’ve recently created to encourage women in tech. With all the disheartening news we read about how women are being discriminated against, harassed and sometimes forced out of their tech roles, it prompted me to begin this initiative.  I believe coding should be instituted in all schools regardless of the zip code or economic status of the children. I believe girls and women should be encouraged to learn and thrive in STEM fields. I believe there needs to be a stronger support and mentorship/sponsorship system in place for women because technically women can do anything we set our minds to if we earnestly believe in the possibilities for our lives!

My next posts will be about my journey of building my first website for myself using a text editor. I look forward to the end result and getting your feedback!

Day 8: Game Changer!

I believe everything happens for a divine purpose and that we never meet people or arrive anywhere in our lives without a reason; regardless if we understand it at the time or not. What I know for sure is that if you don’t believe in yourself, no one will. I also know that moving out of your own way opens up doors that you never realized existed. Being on this new journey of transitioning into tech is not only rewarding, but exhilarating. I’m meeting people who are game changers, innovators and willing to have candid conversations with me about their own career experiences. I had the pleasure of sitting down over a cup of chai with the incomparable Liz Brown–Co-Founder of Webjunto. They are a Philly based startup who specializes in web design and mobile app development. Whats unique about Webjunto is that they are “walking the walk.” They’re a company that truly epitomizes a diverse, transparent and inclusive work culture; while giving their team members and the communities they serve opportunities to excel in the world of technology. It’s important to me and I’m sure to others that companies both large and small are comitted to increasing the number of women and minority women in tech professions. It will never be acceptable to hire women or minorities merely to fill some arbitrary quota. Companies have to genuinely want to invest time and money in not only recruitment, but in retention efforts alike.

Webjunto offers a cool, professional and accommodating workspace along with Hunter–a pleasant pup who welcomes you at the front door… tail wagging and all. It’s refreshing to meet women..especially minority women who are not only thriving entrepreneurs, but whose investing in the next generation of game-changers! Thank you Liz, team and of course, Hunter for welcoming me into your world!😊

About

Day 7: Onward and Upward!

I never realized all the beauty that goes on behind the scenes of building websites. Writing code is like creating a sonnet–building every word, every line to express a thought, an idea, an expression of life. I started building a website today on Code Academy. Its an interactive and cool course that teaches you the fundamentals of coding. Once you master the basics, you’re able to build upon your knowledge and skills to create a masterpiece. It’s amazing to be building a site from scratch with no prior background or experience in coding. I believe 2018 will be an epic year of growth and prosperity.  Im taking small steps everyday towards a bigger goal.

I had the pleasure of going to my first Girl Develop It Code and Coffee meeting this past week. It was inspiring to be around other women who are beginners like myself and others who are immersed in their tech careers. My future as a technologist gets brighter everyday. I’ve applied to two schools in my hometown of Philadelphia. Praying I get accepted into their masters degree program for Computer Science. I wholeheartedly believe there are no limits for our lives except those we place on ourselves and those we allow others to place on us. Onward and upward!

http://www.codeacademy.com

http://www.girldevelopit.com

 

8 Second Thoughts: What’s Next for Generation X?

Do you feel the Generation X gets a fair deal in the workplace? How can they make themselves stand out and shine next to their millennial counterparts?

Lets talk!

8 Second Thoughts is a platform of short but sweet conversations between you and I every Wednesday on different topics. Lets stay engaged!

Day 6: “My Why”

Throughout my career and life, I learned you have to have a why; otherwise there’s no point! There’s no gratification in setting out on a path arbitrarily without purpose or reason. I decided whatever career path I chose it would not only have to resignate with my values and who I am, but it would have to serve others as well. In those regards, becoming a Software Engineer is the best choice.
As an aspiring Engineer, I had to figure out my why and for me, it couldn’t be solely about the benefits we all hear and read about. It’s not about the fancy job title, cushy salary or any other tangible perks. It’s more so about working with a team that’s helping to create, develop and revoluntionize the way technology is accessed and used for the greater good. Whether we realize it or not, tech is apart of almost every fabric of our lives and it’s changing at a rapid pace unheard of just a few years back. From electric cars, to self driving trucks, to advanced ways medicine is improving the quality of our lives, technology is at the heart of what we do and love. I’m only at the beginning of this journey, but I look forward to all the possibilities tech has in store…

Day 5: First Line of Code

I know in order to succeed at any goal,  you have to put forth consistent effort. There is so much to learn in the tech field.  I’m also learning how rewarding it is to visualize the fruit of my labor. I started an intro to HTML course through Khan Academy and it’s proving to be most helpful. I like their step by step and interactive approach to teaching this class. This is like learning a foreign language, but in the end, I’m sure the results will yield much benefit!

I think once I understand the concepts of coding, it will become easier day by day. I’m a visual learner so watching someone do the steps and then by me taking notes and practicing it on my own, seems to be the best way for me to grasp this new language. I’m debating if I want to go back to college and get my masters degree in Information Systems or continue on this path. If you’re an Engineer,  do you mind sharing your beginning experiences and ways you learned to master coding? Thanks! 😊

https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming/html-css/intro-to-html/p/challenge-write-a-poem

8 Second Thoughts: To Be or Not To Be?

At what point in a person’s life do you feel they are prepared to be a mentor? Should you be a mentee first? I believe in the power of mentorship and if at all possible anyone who is capable should take on this responsibility and pay it forward.

Let’s talk!

8 Second Thoughts is a platform of short but sweet conversations between you and I every Wednesday on various topics. Lets stay engaged!