Introducing G|Code’s Change Makers: Camille Minns

In October 2020, the G|Code team launched the second cohort of Intro to G|Code, a 10 week program designed for young female and non binary folks of color to uncover interest and aptitude in tech within a supportive, inclusive, and safe environment. The Intro to G|Code Change Makers have shown us their grit, scrappiness, and creativity, as well as their commitment to community and personal growth. We are beyond proud of our Change Makers who will graduate in just a few days, and are thrilled to celebrate their achievements and share some of their stories.

Today, we celebrate Camille Minns! Camille calls Nassau, Bahamas home and currently lives in Boston, MA. We have loved her dedication to the G|Code community and her excitement about the tech field. Read more about her journey below.

Why did you join G|Code?

I joined G|Code because I was inspired by Bridgette Wallace and her mission. As a young, Black woman interested in urban planning, I was fascinated that she found a way to merge these two seemingly distant fields that I always loved but never knew how to combine. I joined because I saw it as an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up to finally get serious about learning to code in an environment that was almost perfect for me. I stayed in G|Code because of the community of women that I met every Sunday in these Zoom meetings, because of the opportunities for growth, and because I saw myself persevering and getting better each week.

What is a favorite moment or memory from G|Code?

I’ve enjoyed so much of this program, especially the little moments of seeing my personal and group projects come together, but I loved seeing some of our G|Code community transfer over into the #100Devs program, an opportunity shared by another G|Coder. It felt great that this community of that I started off learning these skills with where still there as we tried to advance our skills together.

What have you learned about yourself or about coding? How has participating in G|Code impacted how you see yourself and/or your future?

Through G|Code, especially at a time where there was growing doubt about my future and imposter syndrome, I re-learned what it meant to truly chart my own course. I made a pivot into a field that was completely different from the one I’m currently in and learned what it felt like to start learning something from scratch. It’s easy to be good at things you’ve always been good at and enjoy and stay on that path. In joining G|Code, I know what is to make the leap of doing something new, enjoying it even in the moments I’m not good at it, and to see myself get better at it. I never imagined that I would be looking at a future where I could potentially be a software engineer, but I’m doing that now, and I’m hoping to merge my interests of sustainability and climate resilience with these newfound skills.

G|Code is a visionary non-profit striving to empower Boston’s young women of color by providing them with housing, technical training, leadership development, internship placements, and a resilient and compassionate community to learn from and grow alongside. Many thanks to Bridgette Wallace, Rizel Bobb-Semple, Bailey Siber, and the rest of the G|Code team and volunteers for making the Intro to G|Code program a success!