Racing Towards My Superpowers

O4U has connected me to an incredible diversity of perspectives. I've met people from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and just about every state in the US – people my age who share my experiences and passions, but each with unique insights into the worlds of tech and creativity. Reflecting on my time with O4U, three key takeaways stand out: the power of culture, what skills truly matter, and how to actually follow your dreams into the world.

Culture: The Foundation of Everything

"Culture eats strategy for lunch." I remember this quote from a marketing panel at my first O4U conference, and it’s a reminder that the most brilliant strategy won't matter if the culture isn't there to support it and put it into context. It's not a given that individual experience and culture will be represented in professional or extracurricular life. Nevertheless, what Cindi Love, the founder of O4U, says is that “nothing happens without people.” It's individuals – like me, and like you reading this – who can create and change a community. It’s realistic, not ambitious, to know that you can build positive change and community wherever you go in the world.

The Skills That Actually Matter

Getting to where you want to be in the world – this is something many of my peers (myself included) worry about regularly. We focus on having the right "skills" for our resumes: programming languages, communication abilities, methodologies, etc. However, especially in the age of AI, the skills that matter aren't the ones you can list in bullet points – they’re much deeper than that. It's knowing how to think and use technology to solve problems. It's adaptability, storytelling, logic, attention to detail, working well with different types of thinkers, and grit. Many of these skills come down to a refusal to be a wallflower, maintaining intense curiosity about being the best person you can for your communities. Then, there's the skill of creativity – my favorite. Creativity is an economic multiplier. It connects things that don't belong together. That's what ~innovation~ actually is.

Following Your Dreams: There's Love in Discomfort

Knowing what matters is one thing. Actually going after it? That's where O4U pushes you the most. Allen Shaw mentioned how "there's love in discomfort." Pursuing careers that celebrate every part of your interests and life may require some risk, which is often uncomfortable. If you're like me, you'll be nervous about your experience, your background, and where you're starting from. More often than not, though, it's worth it. I’ve started to think of a career as a lifelong brand campaign. You build a reputation, work by work, and eventually, you’re known for something. The question is then: what do you want that to be? We only get about 116 waking hours a week, and even less for deep thought. I want to spend my hours racing towards my superpowers: my love of technology, my creativity, and creating cohesion between teams and products that empower people to achieve their aspirations.

Gratitude + Looking Forward

O4U is entirely volunteer-led, which still amazes me. I owe so much to the organizers, sponsors, and volunteers who built this community and made these connections possible. Huge thanks especially to my mentors at Digital this year, Melanie Nelson and Sam Xu, my ambassador mentor Jimmy Wolfe, and my Spring/now life-long mentor Sam Cahoon, who each have helped me think about carving out space for myself post-grad and pushed me to really examine how my values connect to where I want to go.

I'm optimistic about what's ahead – for what the people I met at O4U will go out and change in their own ways. I'm also hoping to lift more people as I climb towards my aspirations. Always feel free to reach out!