I'm Stephanie, a self-taught, career-changing web developer. No, it is not lost on me that neither of those phrases illicit overwhelming confidence from hiring managers. I'm also over 40 and Hispanic and although I understand all of these to be enormous strengths, in the world of opportunity they are typically viewed as...well, otherwise. Enter Outreachy.

Outreachy

In mid-February, just as I was clicking the link to the Linux Foundation's training site the corner of my eye caught the words "women" and "internship" - I hit the back key, added the blog post to the other 30+ read-later tabs only to return to it within seconds because my curiosity could not be contained. I was elated by what I had just found. Outreachy is a program that organizes hundreds of paid internships annually for people just like me!

If you think you're under-qualified, you're most likely not and they offer a great range projects, there is something for everybody and the best is yet to come. The organizations they pair with are dedicated to offering quality and meaningful learning experiences.

Public Lab

Public Lab is one such organization - and might I just say, "Wow!" - I've worn many hats in my day and have been involved with a multitude of organizations and Public Lab is hands down one of the most impressive communities to be involved in.

Public Lab pursues environmental justice through community science and open technology. They are welcoming and inclusive and their onboarding is seamless. Check out their First-Time and Contributing sections on github. It's a very simple process for both the technical and non-technical teams.

Even if you're not an intern or have no interest in ever becoming an intern, contributing to Open Source Software can be one of the most rewarding and beneficial things you can do, both personally and professionally. Especially if you are a beginner and in need of experience.

Back to Me :)

I cannot be more grateful to these two organizations. Self-reliance and personal growth are two core values that I strive to foster daily and with all the negativity in this world I choose to have confidence in others and find myself actively seeking a feeling of community. Both, Outreachy and Public Lab champion these values. I am so fortunate to have found them. I once read that intention alone can create or disintegrate matter itself. Outreachy and Public Lab are proof.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or curiosities you may have about my journey.