For me, hope for the future is built in moments of community—when people come together not just to work toward a goal, but to see and support each other. These moments stay with you, not always because they were loud or dramatic, but because they reflected something deeper: connection, care, and a shared belief in something better. I have found the most hope in the quiet strength of collaboration. Those honest conversations, collective wins, and the unexpected bonds formed along the way have shaped my sense of hope for the future, and one such community moment came during my freshman year of college as an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers. One of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had at Georgia Tech was helping organize the Black Women in STEAM Brunch, hosted by our chapter of NSBE. Before we were even assigned roles, the team—made up of ONLY young, female black students from different class years—had a deep bonding session. It was the first time I worked closely with a group of only women who shared not only my academic interests, but also the lived experience of navigating the granular Tech space and community as Black women. That initial conversation set the tone: this wasn’t just a team project, it was a space where we would directly support and learn from each other for the next three months. I joined the communications committee where I worked in a smaller group on the event flyer, T-shirt designs, and social media. While the work was mostly behind the scenes, we all understood the importance of how the event was presented. We were making graphics, however, we were mainly shaping how these hard-working women would feel when they walked into the event: seen, welcomed, and celebrated. The brunch brought together Georgia Tech alumnae, faculty, staff, and other Black women in tech to speak to students like me. They shared stories about being the only black woman in the room, navigating career changes, and building confidence in your career over time. They were honest, they were personal, they preached themes of resilience, and they were deeply encouraging to me. As a first-generation Nigerian-American woman in Tech, I have sometimes felt unsure of where I fit in. But being in that space with a community and support system gave me confidence and a sense of certain belonging. Through this early college experience, I learned how community creates space for personal growth and for the growth of others ready to follow in our footsteps. As I continue to navigate the tech world, I’m constantly reminded of the urgent need for diversity and inclusion. Black women make up only 3% of the computer science industry which is a statistic that’s more than just a number. Lack of representation affects who builds technology and who it serves. When tech is shaped by a narrow group, it often leaves entire communities out. That’s why spaces like the brunch matter: because they make room for voices that are too often overlooked. Being part of that team—and part of the community we built in our chapter of NSBE—gave me more than professional development: it gave me hope. Hope that tech can, one day, be more inclusive for black women. Hope that women like me can not only belong, but lead. And hope that every step us women take to lift each other up brings us all closer to the future we academically strive for.