It’s hard to walk away from a conference like WSC2015 without being inspired: From the women with whom I attended, to the draining work I put in to writing, speaking and coding, inspiration was everywhere.
Of course, it’s easy to walk away with a notebook full of notes and a swag bag and file it all away.
Luckily, I can’t fathom forgetting any of it.
More women than ever are joining tech, yet we often only see men, even at the lowest levels. Imposter syndrome and downplaying our accomplishments is common to many women, so we rarely step up. Yet, our voices need to be heard more than ever, to inspire and lead today’s girls to be tomorrow’s tech leaders.
One of the biggest takeaways I had from the conference, is that no matter how basic one’s knowledge, there’s always someone looking to learn it. To make it easier for that person than we had it, to break down barriers and demystify tech is an important mission: We all have something to share.
It doesn’t only benefit others: I know I’ve become a better teacher over the years, running classes and workshops. And when one of my students can keep their website in great shape and get excited about it, I know I’ve made a difference.
But beyond that, I’ve shared something I’ve mastered, and am building my own reputation and expertise. On my worst days at work, it’s what keeps me going for more great ones.
For me, this means applying to more WordPress WordCamps to speak, and so far I’ve been accepted to Denver. I’m reviewing other conferences to see where I might fit, and I’ve been blogging more frequently across several outlets. I’ve also joined an open source nonprofit to help rebrand their efforts, pro bono.
Where has your inspiration taken you since WSC2015?
Leave a Reply