This "presented by" post is one in our five-part Girls Who Code Run the World series - spotlighting young women who are helping redefine the way we think about women as builders.
This summer Cambio partnered with Girls Who Code, an innovative organization actively increasing the number of girls exposed to careers in the technology fields. Five graduates of the program are interning at Cambio, and they helped us relaunch the site - building new features and putting their stamp on the content - creating a destination that not only entertains but also empowers young women. We're thrilled to introduce you to these remarkable girls.
Natasha Drive, 17, from The Bronx, New York, is a senior at St. Jean Baptiste High Scool. She thinks all girls should be introduced to coding, but on the lighter side she still loves sharing funny and inspirational memes with her friends. For her Girls Who Code final project, she worked with fellow Cambio intern Nikki Allen on an app that helps people learn sign language. Here, she talks about her experience interning at Cambio and creating a product that she and her friends will be able to share.
Cambio: Why did you join Girls Who Code (GWC)?
Natasha: I joined GWC, because my guidance counselor had introduced us to the club and she said it was a great opportunity for the summer.
Cambio: Is it challenging for girls to get into coding?
Natasha: I think coding could be challenging, but I think that all girls should definitely be introduced to it and learn about what it takes to make a website or application so that they can go behind the scenes and see if it's something that they'd like to do.
Cambio: Can you tell us about your final project at GWC?
Natasha: I was actually partners with Nikki Allen (fellow Cambio Intern). We made an app that enables you to learn sign language.
Cambio: What was the hardest thing to build on the app?
Natasha: The hardest thing was probably getting JavaScript incorporated and making it flow easily and a good user experience, but it worked out in the end and we were able to do it all.
Natasha: Actually making the Celebspiration meme generator and seeing how it turned out.
Cambio: Do you share memes with your friends all the time?
Natasha: I do, I actually really love memes. I enjoy how funny they can be or inspirational. With this product, I can create and share memes, and my friends can make their own and spread the word.
Cambio: What do you hope to achieve by the end of this program at Cambio?
Natasha: I hope to achieve better skills at coding so that I'll be more confident at doing it on my own at home and teaching other people, as well.
Cambio: Which woman inspires you the most and why?
Natasha: I'd have to say Sonia Sotomayor (Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States), because she does come from The Bronx and she worked her way up. I think that's so inspiring. Her story is very relatable.
Cambio: What empowers you?
Natasha: I would have to say support from family and friends. That's very empowering, because having their faith and knowing they believe in you and that you're capable of doing something, I think that that's very empowering.
Cambio: What do you think that girls want to read about on a site like Cambio?
Natasha: I think girls do want to read about celebrity gossip and what's going on in that world - because, you know, like reality television, that's what we see a lot of. But I also think that they'd be interested in learning about what other girls are doing and what they could be capable of doing as well if they saw it.
Cambio: Who's your favorite celebrity?
Natasha: My favorite celebrity right now is Ariana Grande . I just think that she's really cute and she always uses Twitter, and I'm an avid Twitter user. She always connects with her fans - she does following sprees and she's very real, and I can relate to her a lot.
Cambio: What does #BUILTBYGIRLS mean to you?
Natasha: It's like a movement - we're capable of creating anything if we put our mind to it, whether it be a website or some recipe that a girl has worked on. Whatever the case, it's just empowering in a sense and inspirational that other girls can see what they're capable of as well.
(See Natasha's articles on the Cambio Col[lab].)
via Source
