The first step to closing the gender gap in the tech industry is helping girls get there!
I’m Evelyn Fallah. I’m a grade 9 student and I live in Toronto, Ontario. I’m definitely a huge geek and proud of it! I spend my time playing video games and enjoying Science Fiction/Fantasy/Dystopian media and of course, programming. I’ve been programming and using other technological tools for pretty much as long as I can remember.
I’ve actually been in all-girls schools for most of my life, from grade 3 to my current grade. As a bit more about where I’m coming from, I’ve been incredibly privileged to, therefore, be sheltered from the gender gap in the safe, supportive environments that come along with that. I’ve been able to learn everything, including computer science, in this female-centered environment. When I found Hackergal, I was very excited that this was their mission too — to hold events such as Hackathons and workshops full of other girls my age with similar interests. It was great that this was a way to hone my skills in the wonderful environment that I was used to experiencing. When I went to these events, I saw them full of women leaders with experience in these events who, when speaking to them, were just as excited as me by the female environment when they themselves may not have had the opportunity to learn in such a great space. Hearing their stories was truly inspiring and part of the reason that I went to every single Hackergal event I could attend.
Hackergal’s environment as well as the mentors and peers I met there are why I’m ecstatic to be a part of the Hackergal Ambassador Program and to be able to help bring this environment that I take for granted to other students. Even if I can’t share my experience of having to battle the gender gap in classes, if I can help make a difference in bringing computer science to girls in the safe environment I have grown to take advantage of, that’s more than enough for me. What I’ve learned from those female leaders who have inspired me to become a leader myself is that the first step in closing the gender gap in the tech industry, where they often worked when I met them, is not only to show girls that all of us can do it but to help them get there in an encouraging environment. In turn, when students build their skills together, they also have the confidence to take on a male-dominated field and prove what we know to be true — they deserve to be there!
