On this episode I speak with Gisele Karekezi, one of my long time friends and we discuss how she went from a bachelor's degree in Political Science and African Studies to the Technology world.

01:45 - Gisele's initial interest in science and how the Obama election influenced her views on politics and media representation

06:00 -  How she kinda fell into a hackathon to organizing the largest wearables and IoT (internet of things) hackathon.

10:45 - We talk about how you can be in the tech world, without being a software engineer, and how access to information is everything!

12:30 - The importance of having a digital footprint, owning your story, and reaching your audience digitally.

19:00 - How she transitioned from organizing a hackathon into doing it full-time, and how volunteering can help you build your brand and expand your network

23:00 - Your passport matters

[Luck is when Preparation Meets Opportunity]

26:00 - Working for early stage startups gives you agency and you can see how your decisions impact the organization directly

29:00 - What motivates and drives her, and how we can take it and try to apply it to an "African" context

35:00 - On the importance of having people say our last names and some of the challenges that Gisele has experienced in the space

Tune in next week for Part 2, where Gisele will continue speaking about why we need more Black people, especially Africans, in technology.

Follow Gisele on Instagram and Twitter: GiseleIKarekezi

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What did you think of the episode? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments, and if you liked it - share it with your friends :)

[In the meantime keep striving, keep thriving, and keep shining!]

Michaella