Cohort Stories: Meet Amy
Boston: vol. 8, no. 3 — guest post by Amy Boateng
My journey into Hack.Diversity is actually a milestone that is still being written. Back in February of 2023, I was laid off from my job after three years. This was surprising because I had just graduated from one of our programs for marketing development and received a promotion with a raise. With my previous job, I was a financial resource for my family members both here and at home in Ghana. Knowing this, it was crucial that I found a job and got back on my feet. I applied to many places but just kept getting rejected, application after application, not able to land an interview. This took a toll on my mental health because I know I am a capable, motivated team player. Hack.Diversity has been my first “yes” in a sea full of disappointment. I am so excited to showcase my abilities and dive deeper into Data Analytics!
Truthfully, I didn’t start becoming interested in technology until I got my full-time job at an old technology company. At the beginning of my career, when I thought of technology, I only thought of computers and tablets and how I could stream on a few devices at once. I never really stopped to think about the processes behind it or what it took to make my devices work. Once I started working in technology, I started to see it differently. I once took a tour through a production factory and having things broken down and explained to me turned on a switch of interest that I didn’t think existed. I became interested in how technology works behind the scenes. I wanted to understand on a deeper level but never had the opportunity to explore.
My main motivation is being my parents’ greatest dream.
My parents traveled from Ghana to the States in 1994 with practically nothing to their name — leaving their families and what they knew behind, to create a better future for the family they were going to build. When I was younger, my mom got in a terrible car accident which left her handicapped and unable to work for three years while my dad was stuck in Ghana. From having to nurse her back to health from the age of 12 to watching her fight her way back to be a single mom of three on one and a half legs was truly inspiring. It pushes me to want to be my absolute best for her hard work. Knowing that my parents went through all of that for me is why I must succeed.
Engage with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, our website — and support our work!
