Engineering Manager Dee Tuck on Paying off Student Loans, Old Kanye & Dinner With Oprah

Tell us about your personal passions!

I’m incredibly passionate about increasing diversity in tech and making sure minorities are equipped with the proper skills to excel in the space. Over the last ten years, I’ve only had the privilege of working with a handful of minorities. Diversity and inclusivity in tech is a problem, and we can no longer blame it on the hiring pipeline. We have to be intentional and create a space that works for everyone.

What’s one childhood lesson that you still carry with you to this day?

Growing up, I was fascinated with the television show and character Punky Brewster. The character inspired my style and attitude as a child. Punky’s clothes were colorful and never matched. Differences make us unique, special, and fresh. The lesson that I still carry with me today is that uniqueness is what makes us dope. Dare to be different.

Tell us about where you grew up and what makes it unique.

I grew up in Cincinnati, OH. Jerry Springer was once the Mayor of Cincinnati. Before my time, but definitely a fun fact.

What are you most proud of in your life/career?

The proudest moment in my life was the day I graduated from the distinguished HBCU, Tuskegee University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science. My parents dropped me off at college in 2003 with forty bucks, no financial aid, and zero scholarships. I’m forever proud to have graduated from college and now living my dream as an Engineer. (I’m also extremely proud to have paid all those student loans back)

What’s your favorite hype song and why?

“Champion” by Old Kanye

“Champion” gets me so hyped because the song is motivational.

“For me, giving up is way harder than trying”

You get to have dinner with one famous person. Who do you choose and what would you ask them?

Dinner with Oprah would be life-changing. I’d ask her, “Can you walk me through your greatest failure?”

Success is built on a series of failures. I’m more interested in the story than the glory.

Originally posted here