![]() From my perspective, the way to achieve this was to go to college, but first, I had to figure out how I could go to college for free. Rizel at her kindergarten graduation The Allure of MoneyĪmong a myriad of other obstacles, I dreamed of getting a fancy job to finally achieve a financially stable (or even wealthy) lifestyle. As a kid, I felt guilty and trapped by a stigma that I had no control over. Without knowing my secret, my classmates often made jokes about people who crossed the border and deportation. I was undocumented because after coming here on a visa, my parents inadvertently overstayed their time, which meant I couldn't get a job, get a car, travel, or get federal financial aid.īack in the early 2000s, people weren't as progressive or aware of the implications of living in America as an undocumented immigrant. My biggest insecurity was my immigration status. Other times, we faced eviction from apartments we rented on our own. Sometimes, my immediate family shared a room in a home that belonged to an extended family member. Most of my childhood was spent living in homeless shelters, public housing, and attics. My economic disadvantages were more evident in my living situations. In general, I have a very strong support system composed of my family, friends, and church members. I never really went to bed hungry (not sure how my mom did it, but I was always full), and my parents (especially my mom) were always invested in my education. I understand that poor is a relative term, and I acknowledge that I had some privileges (everyone does). Fortunately, tech reignited my love for constant learning and provided me with the opportunity to empower others. The ugly reality is many individuals who share similar identities also got into tech for the money. I'm choosing to be this honest because I represent so many marginalized identities. The promise of a financially stable life is what initially attracted me. The idea of looking at a black computer screen with green letters for long periods didn’t seem enticing. Prior to that, when I thought of software engineers or anyone in the tech industry, I thought of television characters like Wade from Kim Possible. I felt like I was in an unspoken competition with my friends to have the most aesthetic profile, but I didn't know that was coding). (In 2006, at age 11, I frequently and fervently edited the HTML on my MySpace page. ![]() Unlike many of today’s software engineers, I didn’t know what programming was until I reached my early 20s. I’ll cut to the chase - my origin story begins with money: the lack of money, the allure of money, and the pursuit of money. ![]()
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