A few months ago, over lunch a friend mentioned: “I first came across your name from your writing [articles] but I had no clue that you had this experience and your story was so unique.” That comment was the catalyst for writing this post. In this post, I want to break down the components that led me to start writing and how traveling, entrepreneurship, product management, and diversity in tech has provided me with a satisfying career to date as well as rare experiences. These seemingly unrelated themes have been
It has been a rough couple weeks since the City of Los Angeles was rocked by the death of Nipsey Hussle. It hit me hard and I haven’t stopped thinking or talking about Nip since that Sunday. Since his passing, most media coverages eulogized him as an entertainer who just came off a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. It’s a meaningful milestone, but that description misses his most important contributions to the city. His music combined stories from the streets with thoughtful insights about personal and community wealth. But
As a native New Yorker, I’ve found the last four years in the San Francisco Bay Area to have been quite interesting. I’ve had the opportunity to learn about different cultures, try new food, and meet some amazing people. However, in some cases, my experiences have been worse than at home. I’ve also been called the N-word on the street. My partner and I have been called “pansies” on our way to dinner. And, because of my AfroLatinx features, I often have to explain to other Latinxs why I speak
Originally posted by Wogrammer, written and edited by Shruti Kumar Sundas Khalid had never considered attending college, let alone a profession in engineering. As a young woman coming from a conservative family in Faisalabad, Pakistan, she says receiving an education and building a career was unheard of. Shortly after finishing high school in Pakistan, Sundas got married and came to the United States in 2004 to live with her husband. After a six-year gap in her education, she decided to pick up where she left off and further her studies. Sundas
Still assuming you need a degree, have to spend $$$ on coding boot camps or need work experience to get in the game? Fake news! The industry standard model behind the ‘coding boot camp’ is changing. With so much untapped potential talent [and revenue streams] some boot camps realize that charging upfront is not optimal. Several companies are now experimenting with how to offer their courses for free or very cheap to prospective customers. Everybody is racking their heads over how to take a slice in the big higher education pie
It was summer 2009 and I was a fresh economics graduate from the London School of Economics working at the Financial Times as an editorial intern. My final degree score averaged 69, one mark shy of a distinction. But after all the trials and tribulations of a challenging undergraduate course I was ecstatic to have come out of it alive, let alone with a merit. As I stood in the offices of one of the most famous and respected newspapers in the world, all around me the foundations of capitalism
Frederik is a Senior Associate at Storm Ventures, previous CEO of Stanford Student Enterprises, and founder of BLCK VC. BLCK VC was formed to connect, engage, empower, and advance Black venture investors by providing a focused community built for and by Black venture investors. What got you interested in VC? I gained exposure to VC due to my prior role as CEO of Stanford Student Enterprises–a nonprofit at Stanford that had the mission of teaching Stanford students how to build and manage businesses. As part of SSE, we had a
Like most children, Asta Li grew up with ambitious and ever-changing career goals. One day, she would envision herself as an artist, or perhaps a designer. Another day, it seemed as though architecture was the perfect path to pursue her interest in art. As a first-generation American, she wanted to continue something that would guarantee financial security. Asta first began coding at the age of 13, when she took a C++ class at a local community college. She settled upon this course while looking to expand her skill set, as
Think about a time in your life when you felt most included. What was going on, and how did it feel? Now take a minute and think about a time in your life when you felt excluded. What was going on there, and how did that feel? Everyone wants to feel included. We all want to feel safe. We all want to have that power. Some of us have more power than others, but as individuals, we can take a number of thoughtful actions that add up to create a better, more inclusive
When Brittney Ball was pregnant and homeless in Washington DC, she never imagined she would be a successful software engineer, public speaker, and mentor just six short years later. But with hard work and determination, she has proven that your past doesn’t have to define your future. When Brittney found out she was expecting, she knew she had to get off the streets. The Salvation Army, Turning Point Center, opened their doors to provide transitional housing for Brittney and later her son, Liam. While there, she enrolled in Year Up,
