Take the Lead Role — Every Single Time • M’benda N’dour

(Full Stack Software Developer || CA USA)

“I am a child of Senegalese immigrants and one of 18 children. My brother and I would do math problems or silly puzzles, so that’s where my love of STEM really came from. Solving math problems today brings me back to those fun childhood memories.

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Being the only Black woman in my entire computer science program — being one of only two or three women in general — made me feel like a zoo animal. Making sure I kept my eye on the prize and sticking up for myself, saying yes when I knew the answer — those things helped me get to my goals. I want to tell people to always speak with your chest, go into a room, and take the lead role — every single time.

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Beauty pageantry gives me a bigger platform, too, and it shows women that you can have it all. My career in STEM is my top priority because making sure I’m on top of it with my career will strengthen other parts of me. It strengthens my pageantry because my platform is getting more women into STEM. It trickles down into my personal life because I can bond with my nephew and my brother, who are learning to program. My ultimate goal is to help bring people into the position that I’m in. I am trying to start an organization to teach people how to code for free. A lot of times, it’s not about a lack of interest but a lack of resources. I would like to get women coding in underdeveloped countries.”

Check out M’benda’s website here: https://www.senegoddess.com/