Hello Friends,
Boy, oh boy, it has been a heck of a year.
If you’ve been following my posts this year, then you already know that it has been one that has been a true test of strength physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Although it has not been the best, I’m still pushing and striving for more.
Instead of focusing on what hasn’t been going well, let me just share how things have been going lately. Well, I won a scholarship to a tech conference that occurred last week from October 1-4 in Orlando, Florida. You may have heard of it before, Grace Hopper Celebration. Not only did I win tickets to the event, I applied for another scholarship for travel and lodging to be paid for and was approved for it. Off to Florida I went.
Guess what happened on the second plane from Dallas to Florida? I made a friend and it has been a blast knowing her since. She’s one of those people that you meet and know that the friendship will be lasting, uplifting, supportive, and authentic. Yep, we hit it off immediately. She has a birthday celebration coming up in Miami that i wish I could attend but financially I am unable to. However, send up prayers and good vibes that she has an amazing birthday celebration at the end of this month.
The conference had over 25,000 people in attend to celebrate women in technology. And yes, I think it was far more in attendance than 25K. It was extra special to see the accomplishments of these many, many women in the areas of cybersecurity, finance, education, technical writing, fashion and more. I connected with women who work with Google, Amazon AWS, Bank of America, LexisNexis, Cisco, Deloitte, Wells Fargo, Adobe and RedHat, only to name a few of the most noted companies in technology.
And what surprised me the most is that some of these women I ended up meeting and exchanging contact info with were more geared toward friendship before even talking about tech… and this was outside of the conference which made it even better. Conversations over beer, food, and life brought us together and tech connections sealed the deal. I look forward to further growth in these areas.
The conference felt like a temporary escape for the hardship that I was/am experiencing in my hometown. It took my mind off of the storm that is present and fueled my hopes of where I am aiming. I imagined myself speaking to thousands of others in tech. People desiring to learn more to increase their skillset and insight to improve their lives, their products, and their impact on the world. I saw myself and my new friends creating applications and communities that breathe life into others that are experiencing hardship, yet pursuing their passions in positive ways that are far bigger than what they may see on a day to day level.
The hope, the gratitude, and the connections that I made have kept me even more fueled this past week. It was just what God had ordered and I’m grateful for the experience and the doors that are opening as a result of continued vision, intention, discipline, support, and community.
I’m excited for what else is in store. For November, I’ve set a goal to attend two conferences. Lodging and travel (flight) have to be secured. If you know of any sponsors that assist in the tech field or in philanthropic ways, please reach out to me. Also, I ask that you send up prayers that these doors will be opened and provisions will be provided. Great things in store. Great things in store. Great things in store.
It’s already October. Let us see what the next couple of months have in store. Are you ready? I am.
Virgobeautys World 