Cohort Stories: Meet Zainab
vol. 5, no. 95 — guest post by Zainab Jalloh
My mother is my motivator. As a refugee, she came to the United States seeking asylum; leaving behind her family, her community and perhaps, hardest of all, her two small children — my brother and I. Her sacrifice became my foundation. Like her, I want to build a foundation for someone else, perhaps another refugee in a strange country, waking up at dawn to speak to her mother — who now lives far away — on the only phone in her community. At first, I did not know what I was going to do with the foundation I had been given, let alone build one for someone else, but I was persistent and determined. After researching many different careers and industries, then considering how to best align the resources and my placement within them to achieve my goals, I was able to narrow down my focus on a few potential industries and careers.
Early on, I wanted to be a lawyer because I admired the attorney who helped reunite my family. After getting my Bachelor’s degree, I became a paralegal to get insight into the legal field and to prepare for law school. As a paralegal, I used software like LawLogix, Box, and Diligent for case management, document preparation and much more. Witnessing the seamless penetration of technology in the legal industry sparked my interest in technology and its potential uses elsewhere.
I was hopeful and began to research how tech leaders, innovators and everyday-doers were using technology to simplify life and solve societal problems, especially in communities that propagate refugee crises. What I discovered about the revolutionary work being done within the industry gave me the courage I needed to move toward my purpose.
Instead of going to law school, I went to get my Master in Science in Information Technology.
What excites me most about joining Hack.Diversity is all the services that are provided to the Cohort participants. These include (i) the opportunity to intern with some of the best technology companies in the community, (ii) access to a vast, highly skilled network comprised of alumni and industry based mentors; and (iii) the ability to work with and learn from my peers, whose individual experiences and expertise will be indispensable. Simply put, Hack.Diversity will polish the skills and knowledge I have acquired as a student thereby helping me harness the untapped potential that technology has in securing a unified and self-possessed future for all of society.
I am also enthusiastic about becoming part of a community of skilled, resilient and highly motivated future innovators, individuals who are as invested in using technology to serve the global community — especially the segments that are often overlooked — as I am.
