Let's take a trip down the road, back in the early '00s when I was just a school girl. My parents really invested in my education, sent me to a top school in my city, gave me all the privileges of a good education. Not coming from a wealthy family, this meant a lot. This meant that my parents sacrificed a LOT for this privilege of education. Things were different for girls back then in India. People from society, even some relatives advised and taunted my parents that they were wasting so much money educating a girl, because according to them, girls were just meant to be married off when they come of age and should only be limited to household work and were not meant for getting a higher education. I remember I was in tears when I overheard this conversation!
But, my parents did not budge, they never discriminated solely because I was a girl, they kept educating me from a good school to a good university, even though they had to sacrifice so much during this whole journey. I am so so grateful to have such wonderful and amazing parents. ❤️

So, why #shecoded you ask?

She coded for her parents, to honour all the sacrifices her parents made for her. She coded for a dream that ignited her heart as a kid. She coded to prove all those people wrong who doubted her. She coded to give her parents all the luxuries that they once sacrificed for her sake. She coded to make her parents proud who bought her, her first computer even though they couldn't afford it. Most importantly, she coded for that little girl, who cried thinking it was a curse to be born a girl. She coded to prove to her that she was and will always be enough to do anything she sets her heart to do!

I hope to see my community...

It breaks my heart that things still might be the same for many girls and they might not have had the same privileges that I got. Many women don't even consider a career in tech because somewhere while growing up someone said to them that they are not enough! I hope to see my community fight for women in tech. I hope to see my tech community be more accepting, kind and respectful. I hope to see my tech community take actions against people who are disrespectful and hostile against fellow humans.

Advice for #womenintech

It can be very difficult at times, it might even seem hopeless but don't give up! We need you in this field. We need you to continue fighting for equal rights for our younger generations of women to come. You are not alone in this fight! Keep learning and growing. 🤗

Last but not least I want to give a shoutout to some of my favourite women/people in tech, who have unknowingly helped me throughout and continue to inspire me everyday. @aprilwensel @sarah_edo @SaraSoueidan @NikkitaFTW @jensimmons @Una @LeaVerou @jina @manjula_dube @kvlly @venikunche @vaidehijoshi @AnjanaVakil @MinaMarkham @b0rk @rachelandrew @ladyleet ...The list is endless to be honest.