I'm nowhere near new to coding. I started coding over 25 years ago and my first GitHub repo was created in 2013. I've had a lifelong love of tech and creative work, yet coding never has been my number one priority.

Nevertheless, I coded.

• Through two pregnancies and full-time single parenting, nevertheless, I coded.
• When my contributions to coding projects were completely discarded in favor of overbearing male teammates, nevertheless, I coded.
• When founding a bootstrapped business with few material resources, nevertheless, I coded.
• After every job rejection I received with the claim of "not enough experience", nevertheless, I coded.

I do this shit for fun, y'all. It's not a higher calling for me, it's a fun, problem-solving game, it's a creative outlet, it's a means to an end.

Knowing how to code happens to make some people pretty good money. Making good money now can change lives for the better and positively impact future generations. This is why I care. The potential for upward mobility is too great. I want to succeed so I can reach back and uplift my community.

I code partly because I love to do it, but partly because I am setting an example. I will never say, "If I can, you can." But if I can as a Black, low-income, disabled, single mom, at least we'll all have watched an interesting story unfold.

"Made it" hasn't happened yet, but nevertheless, I code.