10 Stories from Grace Hopper
in alphabetical order:
1. Abby Maldonado
“I love my job because I get to connect amazing underrepresented minority and female talent to opportunities in a field that desperately needs their perspective. Tech is about the future, and when it doesn’t incorporate these populations and their perspectives as part of that future, it does itself a disservice.”
2. Ayana Burkins
“I took an introductory course my freshman year just out of curiosity. I had never considered CS as a major before, which is probably strange because my dad is a software engineer. He didn’t really encourage me to go into the field because he has dealt with racism at his company and didn’t want me to experience that too.
But I took this class and really enjoyed it. When I realized that I wasn’t all that passionate about civil engineering, I decided to get back into coding. I expect to have to navigate through the same issues my father has — and more — but I think it’s always worth fighting for the things you love to do. Plus, it makes the path easier for those that come after.
Where I go to school, like in many places, the Computer Science program is pretty small and homogeneous. There are only a few other black students, and even fewer women. I guess I suffer a bit from imposter syndrome. So I was really excited to come to Grace Hopper and see so many black women and other women of color doing great things.
It made me feel like I have a place after all, and that there is a community out there that shares my struggles and experiences as a woman of color in the tech world.”
3. Cynthia Lee
“When I was a kid I loved detective books. I was fascinated by people whose intelligence was like a superpower, who could solve puzzles and have control in situations where others felt helpless. When I first started exploring and programming on a UNIX system, it made me feel like a detective. I loved seeing what I could do and where I could go, from my computer to other computers, and constantly solving puzzles along the way. I still feel that way every time I log in.
My first Grace Hopper was 10 years ago, and it was an incredible experience to be in the plenary session room with 1200 computer scientists, almost all of them women. It was so different from my daily experience. At the startup where I had worked, I was the only female engineer. Around the same time, as a graduate student, I gave a presentation at a leading research conference in my area and from the podium I could see not one woman in the room (which was unusual because there would usually be at least one to three others).
Then and now, Grace Hopper is a time when women can let go of the constant low-level background stress of that experience and have a great time. That’s why we always end with a dance party.”
4. Dipti Bele
“Growing up I was always drawn to computers, whether it was software or hardware. My brother and I would fight over who gets more time with our first computer. Oh boy! I remember my teachers would ask me questions on how to do things related to computers, and I would be so proud when I was the only person to know to how do it — and the best part was that it was so effortless on my end. I would solve complex issues, and with each new problem I’d learn something new.
Yes, I’m passionate about CS!
This was my first time at Grace Hopper. I felt at home. I’d known 12,000 people had registered, but I realized the magnitude of that number only after seeing women all around me. I was blown away!
This conference made me grow up too. After interacting with some of the new graduates looking for internships, I am ready to take on a mentorship role. Sometimes all we need is a little guidance.”
5. Enrica Montilla Beltran
6. Jola Bolaji
“This year, I’m here from the University of Michigan School of Information about to complete my Master’s of Science in Information with a specialization in Human-Computer Interaction, and I’m one of around ten Black women in about 300 students. And Grace Hopper is sold out at 12,000 women in technology. I’m filled with joy at the sight of all of us in this convention center.
It might be a bit of an odd or unconventional inspiration, but every woman here since I walked in the doors has inspired me with their sense of fashion. The students, company representatives, speakers, volunteers, everyone! I’ve always struggled in school and the workplace about proving myself as a woman in tech when I wear flowery skirts, sundresses and wedges. Seeing every woman here so confident in her own style: leather jackets, dyed hair, pencil skirts, slacks, khakis — has really been an inspiration to me.”
7. Katja Lotz
“I’ve always been into math and physics so it wasn’t a big leap for me to study engineering physics at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. I had only done very little coding before that, but was thrilled to learn more.
The technical domain is really interesting to me, but I find that the bigger problems we face at work are more often related to us humans trying to interact with each other than the technology itself.
Since a few years, I’m lucky to work as an agile coach with the primary goal to help individuals, teams and organizations to continuously develop and grow.”
8. Omosola Odetunde
“This Grace Hopper, I was a presenter. I’ve been attending Grace Hopper for the past four years, and this year I told myself it was time to not just attend but to speak. There’s information that I know and that I can help others by sharing.
I gave myself a goal of applying, and my panel got accepted, which I was thrilled about. Even if I didn’t present, I would have attended anyways. I really enjoy going to Grace Hopper. I get something different and fun from it each year since there are such a wide range of events and something for everyone from the first year CS student to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
This past conference, I was most inspired by my friends. I had so much fun catching up with them and running into them at events, getting to hear about all of their passions, their ambitions, their hopes. I have a lot of highly driven, highly talented, highly caring friends who are trying to do big things, so getting the chance to hear about all of their aims for the next few years and what they accomplished since I saw them last was amazing.”
9. Patricia Perozo & 10. Estefania Ortiz
Patricia: “I’ve always wanted to work on issues of social justice and inequality. Meeting amazing women combining their tech background with their passion for social justice at my first Grace Hopper gave me the inspiration I needed to keep at it and gave me a vision for the work that I could be doing in the future.”
Estefania: “I got inspiration for my career from the amazing women here. I don’t know what I would do without such a supportive community.”
