Alumni Award Winner Khalia Braswell Makes Her Own Path with INTech Camp
I am a woman succeeding in a field overwhelmingly dominated by men. But growing up, I never knew that what I loved lacked representation of people who looked like me. Why? Because of my NAF experience.
My career in tech began my freshman year at Philip O. Berry Academy of Technology in Charlotte, North Carolina.
There were a lot of women in my high school computer classes – both my teachers and my classmates. So honestly, I had no idea that there are so few women in STEM until I got into college. But by then, it was too late. I was hooked.
In fact, I was hooked on programming from my very first course. We got to do a little bit of everything. I thought it was so cool that I could program something, then show the final product to someone who could use my work. The first thing I ever built was a notepad. When I brought it home to show my mom, she was so excited! She was the first person who saw real value in something I built.
NAF didn’t just offer me great classes and teachers. NAF gave me the opportunity to have real work experience in high school. I also had the chance to network with business partners and meet members of the NAF board. People like Ursula Burns, who many of you heard speak yesterday. Meeting her at the NAF Benefit was life-changing for me. There I was, a kid at a fancy party talking to a woman of color at the top of a male dominated industry. NAF gave me the chance to rub elbows with a legend.
By the time I graduated, I had the feeling, “Man, maybe there is something different about me.” And I was right. But a NAF student who takes advantage of all that is offered can be different, too. And that difference will serve you well in everything you pursue.
This difference allowed me to start college at North Carolina State with extra confidence and experience.
If someone told me 10 years ago that I’d be working for Apple someday, I would have thought they were crazy. But I did! Working there was an exciting experience – I was exposed to super smart people, and I felt like an example of what can happen when you network and dream big. However, I decided that to make the most of my passions, I had to leave Apple and in the spirit of Steve Jobs, I had to do something different.
See, the whole time I was working at Apple, I was building INTech Camp for Girls in my spare time. INTech is a non-profit whose mission is to inform and inspire girls to innovate in the technology industry. I knew I finally had to see what would happen if I gave it my all. So, in January, I left California, moved back to Charlotte, and started working on INTech full time.
There are a lot of sacrifices that came with making INTech a reality, but the reward I’m getting is huge because every day, I work on something that care deeply about.
If I can be a living example of the benefits that come with taking control of your career and doing what you love, then I have made a difference. If I can convince others to pursue their interests even if they run against the tide, then I have made a difference. If I can encourage girls to jump into tech with both feet, work hard and win big, then I have made a difference.
Today, who I am and what I do can be traced in no small measure back to the opportunities given to me by NAF and strong women who encouraged me growing up.
So, to all you NAF students, I hope that you graduate high school different. Grab every chance you have to get different experiences, meet different people and most importantly, make a difference.
Leave here committed to give your all to your passions and see what greatness comes out of that! To NAF, thank you for all you have given me and for this incredible honor. Thank you especially, to the teachers who make all the difference.
I am deeply touched to be recognized for the work I am doing, and I promise, I am not done yet!
