Week 1 Recap: My TechWomen 2024 Journey

Since touching down in Chicago for the TechWomen Program, it’s been an absolute whirlwind! Time is flying, and while we’re now kicking off Week 3, I want to take a moment to reflect on the past two weeks. Here’s a quick recap of what’s been happening so far—it's been an incredible journey of learning, growth, and connection.

1. Welcome Orientation at Chime

Our first day began with a warm welcome at Chime, a company that was really pushing boundaries in financial services. The energy in the room was contagious and set the perfect tone for what turned out to be an amazing few weeks. As Emerging Leaders (ELs), it was our first officail meeting and got to know each other. Chime’s VP said something that really stuck with me: "We will sleep when we are done." It was a bold reminder that we were there to make things happen—no shortcuts, no excuses. Meeting the other phenomenal women in the program, each with their own unique stories, was both humbling and empowering. From the very start, the sense of community and shared purpose was unmistakable.

After Chime, we had the chance to visit M-Hub, an innovation center that completely blew me away. What I loved about M-Hub was how accessible it was. Even if you didn’t have all the technical skills, they provided the tools, resources, and connections to subcontract other innovators. It was a space where anyone with a passion for creating could thrive, and that’s exactly the kind of energy I wanted to carry with me throughout the journey.

2. Discovering Connections - Inclusion and Positionality Workshop

One of the most thought-provoking sessions of the week was the "Inclusion and Positionality" workshop. It encouraged us to reflect on our personal identities, how they shaped our experiences, and how we interacted with others. The discussion on positionality made me realize how important it was to understand where I stood in various contexts—whether personal, professional, or cultural—and how this awareness could foster more inclusive and effective leadership. It was a deep dive into empathy, self-awareness, and recognizing the interconnectedness of our identities with those around us.

3. Leadership Workshop

This session was an absolute game-changer for me. The key takeaway? The path to true success lies in understanding and applying your greatest strengths in everyday life. We all have weaknesses, but instead of focusing on fixing them, it’s about managing them while maximizing our natural talents. This deeply resonated with me because I’ve always believed in building on my strengths rather than getting bogged down by my weaknesses. It’s easy to get sidetracked by what you're not good at, but this workshop reinforced that success comes when we lean into what makes us unique and powerful. It was a timely reminder to embrace my passion for data science and leadership and to focus on leveraging these strengths to create lasting impact.

4. Ideation Workshop

This session pushed us to elevate our thinking and tap into new levels of creativity. It emphasized expanding the way we approached problem-solving and innovation. We explored different levels of listening—not just hearing words, but truly understanding and processing them to generate meaningful ideas. For me, this was especially eye-opening. As a data scientist, I tend to focus on concrete, tangible information. This workshop reminded me that the best solutions sometimes come from deeper, more empathetic listening. It’s not just about the data we collect, but how we interpret and ideate around it that drives true innovation.

5. Speed Mentoring on Impact Project

As a country team, we are supposed to be working on a project that we can implement when we return to our country. We were assigned respective team mentors for this project, but this particular event meant going to multiple mentors and other ELs from other countries for them to weigh in on the project. The Speed Mentoring session was intense, fast-paced, and packed with wisdom! We had the opportunity to discuss our Impact Projects with seasoned mentors and receive feedback on how to refine and scale our initiatives. As a team passionate about driving social impact—especially through tech initiatives like AI-driven solutions for substance abuse this session gave us fresh perspectives and actionable advice. The rapid-fire format forced our team to be concise and for me, sharpened my ability to communicate my vision effectively. The mentors and fellow ELs offered practical suggestions and strategies that I was eager to incorporate into my projects.

In just one week, TechWomen had already challenged me in ways I hadn’t anticipated and opened my mind to new possibilities. The range of experiences, from leadership and ideation workshops to professional mentorship, was intense yet invigorating. I learned to trust my strengths more deeply and to stay open to growth in areas I hadn’t considered before.