40for40: 2023 Year in Review
If you know me at all, you're well aware that I love planning. Growing up, my father often recited the saying, "When you fail to plan, you plan to fail." And so I grew up learning to appreciate and eventually loving the process of planning.
For me, there's something magical about watching your plans come to fruition. Simultaneously, there is something incredibly powerful about visualizing your plans and witnessing your visions come to life. When you put your plans and intentions on paper or a vision board, they become tangible reminders of what you're working towards. This year, as I turned the page into my fourth decade, I decided to take planning to a new level. #LevelUp
So I went all in and created a list of 40 experiences, achievements, and goals I wanted to conquer before I took my last breath aka my bucket list. But then, a light bulb went off… I thought, why not celebrate the journey and not just the destination? Additionally, I am an ever-evolving being. My bucket list today definitely won’t be my bucket list 10 years from now. I decided to make my list more immediate, and more present while leaving room for iteration. So, I transformed my list into a roadmap for the year, a compass guiding me through 40 adventures, milestones, and moments of growth for me to accomplish before midnight on December 31st.
From Prayers to Programming: My Path of Faith, Learning, and Tech Empowerment (continued)
Growing up, with Jamaican parents my childhood was filled with the wisdom of Jamaican proverbs. A proverb I fondly remember my grandmother reciting:'Hog always ask mumma, "Mumma, mek yuh mout so long?" Mumma seh, "Ayy...pickeney, yuh a come, yuh wi see..."' My grandmother was conveying the idea that as young people, we often question or pushback on things we don’t fully understand, and while adults may not always have the answers, wisdom, and understanding will come with age and experience.
The transition from my 20s to my 30s was filled with paradigm-shifting moments. It was a decade rich with lessons on life, career, love, friendships, faith, and spirituality that ultimately propelled me into a new phase of adulthood. I could write an entire book about my 30s alone, and maybe I will one day.
From Prayers to Programming: My Path of Faith, Learning, and Tech Empowerment
As a child, I prayed a lot. My grandmother, a devoted Christian, instilled in me the importance of faith and routine. One of my earliest memories is our bedtime ritual. After dinner, my sister and I would wash up, brush our teeth, slip into our nighties, and then kneel by our grandmother's bedside to recite 'The Lord's Prayer.' After reciting 'Our Father,' our grandmother would guide us into a moment of gratitude. It was a time to reflect, to give thanks, and to acknowledge the blessings of the day. Then, only after our thank-yous, could we make a prayer request. Some days my request was for the Lord to grow my hair all the way down to my back like the girls at my school; other days, it was for the Lord to help my grandmother and mom make enough money to get the gas company to turn the heat back on. And often, I'd whisper a wish for a big house, one where I could have a room of my very own.
It’s My 5th Googleversary
Five years ago, I joined Google. I left my job as an IT Director to join a team within Google Diversity looking to create and launch an initiative that would cultivate the next generation of Black and Latinx tech leaders. Our initial goal for this program now called #CodeNext was to build with communities of color, provide unparalleled access to tech and the Googleverse, and expand the tech social capital of youth. As of today, we've reached over 5000 students of color in Oakland, CA, and NYC, and this year our inaugural pilot cohort is graduating high school and heading off to college. Plus, over 90% of these incredible kiddos are majoring in computer science or a STEM-related field.