Becoming A Software Developer in Generation ‘Z’
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Was the most frequent question for every single child in America. At the time, I honestly didn’t really know because I had so much talent and I had a whole life before college ahead of me. From taking dance lessons of all kinds, to fashion design, to singing and learning how to play classical and jazz music on the piano also not to mention writing poetry on the side. My mother knew that she had a special African American female child that one day she is going to make an impact into the world and inside our family. You see, I grew up with a family who loves hard even through the tough times and through the pleasant moments. When we all come together, it’s like a warm blanket wrapped around you in the brittle cold winter in front of the fireplace. The soul and talent is so strong that it will be passed heavily down from generation to generation! From making songs and playing classical music into now looking behind the wonders of the background in computers for the first time, not knowing that it will be my future!
It all started when my mother put me into a Summer coding program in my elementary school, where we would create mini fun games. I fell in love with programming and I was in the 7th grade. After the program, I made sure that I wanted to do more computer programming as a hobby because at the time I was really into music and I wanted to do both. I would join coding programs on the weekends and in the summer because I really wanted to invest my time in something so oblivious to me before. Now realizing that this is the future from years and decades to come, I want to create something bigger and to show people my age and the people that are younger than me, that technology is the future.
By the time I was in high school I still kept the interest in programming and music. I still participated in coding programs however not as much as I did because I became older and I was getting ready for the college life and right into adulthood. In high school, you might as well call me the “Nerd” or the “Geek” because I didn’t pay much attention to most events that happened in or outside of school. For example, House Parties, Football and Basketball games, Dances etc. I was mostly interested in getting my education and succeeding my goals that I want to achieve. Not to mention, I had to intake a lot of responsibilities since there was one less parent in the house. I really wanted to focus on my decision on what my career will be for the rest of my life. Music or Programming?
The thing was with music, every time I sat on the piano, as I read the music notes on the pages and my fingers grasp on the black and white keys, I felt connected with my inner self and I would play my feelings away. All the stress and anxiety would all trickle down like rain fall and would turn into beautiful melody to where it would touch other people around me. Every night I dreamed of me walking onto the glissing wooded stage, it was so shiny that when you looked down you could see the reflection of the bright stage lights beaming on you and you could see your own reflection. Then when you look at the audience, it’s pitched black and you can just hear them applauding for you. As you look over you see the black shiny grand piano with the shinny black and white keys and you sit down on the firm comfy piano bench with the correct posture. Before you start playing your ears goes deaf and you take in a deep breath and you start to feel connected with the piano keys and you start to play your heart out . I had a little more than 10 years experience in music and I didn’t want to give that up. That was my dream.
The reason why I didn’t choose music is because in reality music changes all the time and music is always going to be trending. However, most importantly I wanted to do something different, not a lot of girls that looked like me did. Coding is one of them. I want to show girls of all ages, colored or not colored that they can do it too! I chose coding because I genuinely love to do it. I want to show women there is no such thing as a “Only men thing” Women can do it too, at the end of the day beside gender we are both human beings. Now I know coding can be really difficult and takes a lot of confidence and a lot of learning. However it’s worth a try. This is my story of becoming a young Software Developer.
