Reflecting on My 3 Foundational Pillars

I strongly believe that every experience we have up to our most current place in time shapes our identity. With that being said, as we go about living our lives it is not always obvious to see just how those compounding experiences shape us into who we are today. This is what makes all our journeys unique and worth reflecting on, because in our past often lies the tools and budding potential that influences the possibilities in our future.

With that said, I’d like to share three pillars of my journey that have shaped me as a person and become the foundations of my current work.

Technology

I’ve found in one way or another that I have always lived technology-adjacent. When I was a kid my family had a Super Nintendo in the house which I always loved playing Super Mario World on– this device was essentially my first step into computers before we got our first home computer in the house when I was around 6 years old. By age 10, our computer was connected to AOL dial-up, which then allowed me to explore the early internet more deeply– MIRC, Livejournal, AOL Games, Neopets, MySpace… you name it. For the first time my world expanded beyond my immediate home of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, and El Paso, TX and into the interconnected world of the web.

Due to this opportunity of early access to computers, I became proficient in typing and navigating the internet at a very young age.

From what I’ve described so far, one would think that I was on track for a technology-related degree; however, there weren’t any people in my family or immediate network of friends who held a position in tech– so the idea that the computer could become a tool to propel my career didn’t really click until after graduating college.

A slight detour– I’m a Social-Anthropologist by trade, having graduated from Lewis and Clark College with a Bachelor’s in East Asian Studies and a minor in Japanese. Following my passion for Japan and inter-cultural studies, I moved back to Tokyo after college and it was about one year later when I landed my first job as a Product Manager for a mobile gaming company called Cocone. This was my reintroduction to the idea that I could have a technology-driven career.

In between working at Cocone and my return to the United States in 2016 I held a couple jobs that were not necessarily reliant on strong technical knowledge such as English Teacher, Executive Assistant, and even working at a karaoke bar. What my time as a Product Manager taught me, however, is that I do have a large thirst for working in the technology space so when I moved back to the States I applied to a Digital Agency called ASA Digital to get me back into that space.

After a year at ASA Digital being a sort of Jack of all trades on projects that included mobile apps, web apps, websites, MR/ER/VR/AR, I knew that this was the right choice for me. Sometimes when you know you know, and when I moved on from ASA Digital to Automattic I was fully embracing my love for and need to have technology in my life.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusive, and Belonging

I haven’t always been aware of what the world now collectively calls DEIB, but since I was little I disliked the idea of injustice and lies. I have also faced adversity in the past due to who I am and what I look like, and it never sits right with me when others are in this kind of predicament as well. Due to this, DEIB practices deeply impacted my values and how I show up to work and with other people.

It wasn’t until around 2019 that I became more involved in the world of DEIB in an official capacity at Automattic or at the incluu, LLC (a woman-owned and operated consultancy specializing in DEIB-thoughtful product strategy and advisement), and this is when I further developed this lens by participating in webinars on various DEIB topics, taking on leadership roles in the space, and keeping my eyes open to not only injustices that are happening but how they are being responded to.

The principles behind DEIB affect everyone and every aspect of our daily lives in some capacity, and embracing this space more fully not only allowed me to better understand the many systemic practices at play that keep us all from moving forward positively, but it also opened my mind to the real needs of people all over the world. 

Everyone deserves to live in a world or operate in a space with dignity and mutual respect.

Community Building

While I can understand the intent around the phrase “don’t mix friend groups”, I was never the type to follow this social role wholeheartedly. There are many times in our lives when we are put in situations where we interact with people we wouldn’t necessarily have engaged with such as school projects, clubs, sports, work, etc., and while it’s not all the time, sometimes a positive reaction can occur and we can meet someone new and interesting through these random groupings.

I’m not quick to make friends, but when I do create a strong friendship it is because we share values and experiences which serve as the foundation for our relationship despite any other differences. Maybe it’s because of my (still ongoing) gaming days, but I tend to visualize people in the world as a character with a rich background story and something only they can bring to the table.

It has always brought me joy to bring people together and see how these chain reactions occur.

It could be that by some happenstance one of the friends is recruiting, they share a similar hobby, or come from a similar background. Facilitating safe spaces where folks can develop a sense of community has always been a passion of mine.

I have had the pleasure of building community in the WordPress community through various outlets like BlackPress, with the Training Team, and even in Automattic’s Black employee resource group Cocoamattic.

The Outcome

Early last year I applied for the Community Education Manager with a basic idea based off of the job description of what I would be doing– fast forwarding to today I have found that the three pillars shared above gave me the tools I need to perform in this role successfully.

As a Community Education Manager I work to break down perceived barriers for folks who want to contribute to the Make WordPress Training Team’s goals, and work as a close partner with the Training Team Representatives and members to empower them to excel in their leadership, goals, and strategy. I also help shepherd the Faculty Program, and therefore work to enable these folks to fully own and participate in their roles.

When working with our contributors, I focus on building relationships, encouraging engagement, and enabling contributions.

We have contributors from all over the world, so I also take care to be mindful of any language or cultural differences that may be at play and lean in with curiosity to better understand each community’s unique needs.

When working with our Team Reps, I similarly focus on building relationships, and work with them (not for them) to create an environment where the goals of the team can be realized. 

Lastly, I work with our Faculty Program Members by building relationships and connecting them with work related to their role, and with contributors who can benefit from their expertise and mentorship.

Can you see how my pillars are directly impacting and influencing the work I currently do?

Exploring Your Own Foundational Pillars

There are probably many articles with thought-provoking exercises that can lead you in your own self-reflection, so I’ll leave you all with just a some questions from me that have worked to get me started:

• What have you been given positive feedback on lately?
• What actions/things bring you the most joy in life?
• What actions/things make you feel motivated?
• When was the last time you found yourself “in the zone”?

As you go through the questions for yourself don’t discredit or try to change your initial thoughts.

Using these as a starting point, even if what comes up doesn’t immediately surface something that could be a pillar, you’ll surely learn or get to acknowledge something about yourself that shapes your character and how you present in the world.

Take your time with it– the way we walk through life is a long-term journey which is constantly being updated by new experiences along the way.