Gaming has always been a big passion for me. Whether it was playing games with my siblings, downloading and fixing mods to make my experiences filled with drama, or playing dress-up games on the computer, my world was always filled with games. Despite having a love for video games, I felt as though I could never fully indulge myself in the community. From the times when my brother absolutely refused to let me touch anything on his computer, so I "wouldn't mess up his games" or never see characters that represented me. I was always given the impression that gaming wasn't something people like me could do in the long term. Video games were a man's world. No matter how much passion I had or how much I knew about coding or technology, I would never get the same recognition or opportunities due to my identity. My future felt vague as the passion that I held for years felt farther and farther from my reach. I tried other passions. Throughout my life, I've always loved to create. Often I run into the issue of choosing between the Arts and STEM. Finding Coding and Design was like a lifeline for me. Coding and Design allowed me to combine my interest in tech and my need to create. For the first time, I felt I could take part in technology that reflected diverse perspectives. While I still have a long way to go, giving education and community to those with similar experiences is the main goal of my career. Having an education in Computer Science and Design would allow me to help create games and experiences that women and girls feel represented in. With my knowledge of coding, I want to help produce programs, games, and websites that help women and girls with everyday issues as well as give them a space where they feel they are included. Recent games like “South of Midnight”, a game set in a fictionalized American South, and “Infinity Nikki”, a game about fashion and adventure, that represent realistic female leads, have inspired my journey much more. The gaming industry has become so vast. With the availability of technology, more and more people have access to using their experiences to create. Being a part of the continuous changes in the gaming world ensures that everyone will eventually have equal and fair opportunity. Technology is not just about numbers and buttons. Technology, like any other medium, requires diversity and creativity to improve. Without the voices of many advancements are far and few between. The most important thing about advancing technology is making sure different experiences and ideas have the possibility of creation.

I never set out to be a coder at first. My siblings and I wanted to play the games we couldn't get. But as we sat together, examining code and digging through files, I began to see beyond the pixels: the effort and time creators poured into perfecting their work. What started as a way to fix our amateur mistakes turned into the key to unlocking my future aspirations in technology. Growing up within the gaming community, there weren't many spaces for girls like me. I often sat beside my older brother, watching him click away on his laptop, craving games that resonated with me." Please! Just one turn!" I exclaimed, stretching my tiny hands towards his keyboard, only for him to quickly snatch it away. "I don't want you to mess my game up" was the excuse I would hear time and time again. In a household where technology was seen as a man's game, I found myself struggling to carve a space for my interests. I tried other hobbies that I could: art, mathematics, chemistry, anything that I could get my hands on. From home to school, technology seemed like a field reserved for men. Once I was able to own and mod my games, I found that even then the games were designed with men in mind. From the character designs to the gameplay interactions, I never saw myself reflected within them. I was at a loss, how could I pave my way in a technology world dominated by men and create spaces for others like me? Though I was left in a confusing darkness, there was a light at the end of the pixelated tunnel. Finding UX design was a saving grace. It was the first time I could combine my logical and creative mind in a space that celebrated uniqueness and difference. For the first time, I felt I could take part in technology that truly reflected diverse perspectives, mine included. While I still have quite a way to go, I intend to help women and girls gain more access to games that represent them and enter the world of coding and design. The world of gaming is becoming brighter for women and girls. With the release of games like "Infinity Nikki" and others that consider women as an audience, many pathways for future female game designers have been set. These possibilities push me to keep fighting so others like me can have the opportunity to feel like they have a space in technology. Most importantly, as technology grows more advanced, I'm thrilled to be involved in creating new games and programs about women, for women. The gaming world is always expanding from big companies to small creators. I want to be a part of these changes. Ensuring that everyone has a chance to experience the joy of creating and giving to those who haven't had the choice. My journey into technology and game design has been shaped by my heartfelt discoveries and challenges that have driven me to find and create spaces for people like me. From my early childhood experiences to finding UX design, I've realized the power I have to make a difference and bring people together.