I was lucky. Half black kid from Texas in a single parent household. Those read like the statistics of a “troubled youth”. A combination of my curiosity, my desire to learn, and my drive to do better helped get me where I was today. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the fact that I received a lot of help along the way. No one is an island and everyone grows when they have support. Many people do not get the opportunity to receive the support and the help that they need. Just being in the wrong zip code can shut down your opportunities. I am committing to help the next generation of diverse tech talent through various DEI efforts. If you need a speaker, donation, fundraiser, or shout out, reach out to me at dei (at) jasonsmith.io