![Cover image for [Keynote] Coding's a Drag](https://community.codenewbie.org/images/bT6V-NunUO25ki7VE9W3A3CCMSYW_fMoW97zy4pOInY/rs:fill:1000:420/g:sm/mb:500000/ar:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9jb21t/dW5pdHkuY29kZW5l/d2JpZS5vcmcvcmVt/b3RlaW1hZ2VzL3Vw/bG9hZHMvYXJ0aWNs/ZXMvNDVkd3U4ZHFi/YmU3bWtoeWVlc3gu/cG5n)
About This Keynote
In this keynote for CodeLand 2021, I tell the story of my journey as a coder and drag performer who is committed to making everyone feel that they belong in the tech industry. My goal with this talk is to reach early-career developers who might be doubting their own abilities and validity in this field. You can learn to code, become a software developer, and have a great time doing it!
Takeaways
- Combining your passion with code
- A beginner friendly data structures lesson
- One developer's path to success as an engineer and finding community in the tech space
Slides
🌈 After I present, please leave your thoughts, comments, and questions about my keynote in the comments below!
About Anna Lytical
Anna Lytical is a Developer Experience Engineer at Google and a coding drag performer who creates fun and educational coding content to engage a early-career developer audience on TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and beyond.
This keynote will be presented as part of CodeLand 2021 on September 23. After the talk is streamed as part of the conference, it will be added to this post as a recorded video along with the slides.
Top comments (41)
Anna,
Thank you very much for your presentation. It was entertaining and and informative. Most of all, very inspiring.
I know that your stated target audience are the young LGBTQ+ budding Computer Scientists and Software Developers. However, this “old dog” is quite inspired and appreciative of your presentation.
This “old dog” has lived so far back into the closet and had not lived a full life as a person or as a Software Developer. it’s only been recently that I am taking a peek through the closet door cracks.
I have left the industry for sometime now and is currently working in retail. I am looking into going back in the software development industry and had been taking online courses — Udacity and Udemy.
My presence in CodeLand is also part of that effort. I had to request personal days off just to be fully present in all the presentations today and tomorrow.
I just wish that I had the mentorship and supportive environment you had.
Here’s to wishing me the best “luck” in my effort to get back on the saddle.
Thanks again, Anna/George.
Good luck George!!! Thank you for sharing your story and for getting back into things!! You'll do amazing 💜
Ohh, ohh. Anna Lytical. I was addressing you as Anna/George in the thank you line.
My name is Loreto. No worries. I can truly see how my message can be confusing. Funny. 😊
Hi Anna! I'm an aspiring developer who's LGBTQ. I'm wondering if you know of any explicitly queer online developer communities, initiatives, or open source projects?
Hi Jos! I don't have any that I know of unfortunately 🥺 I think there are a variety of organizations that do like LGBTQ+ tech meetups but I find the majority of those to be completely untechnical (which is great to increase the community, but I've found them to almost be less helpful for myself because then I'm like am I the only queer coder here??) Perhaps it will be something in my future to put together 👀 💜💜💜
Bummer, thanks for the response though! Might be worthwhile to try and cultivate some sort of community like that myself. Even if it's just a discord or slack channel?
@whatnotery you might find some connections from these sites ..
outintech.com/
lgbtstem.wordpress.com/
OMG I am so excited for this talk! Anna Lytical is a freaking brilliant Drag Queen name!!!
This is one of the best explinations of coding concepts I've seen. This presentation is fire.
So glad you loved it!!!! I always bring the 🔥💜🔥
That "impossible" dress was so freaking cool! I'm glad that folks are out there making the impossible happen. 🙌
All in all, this is just such a fun, awesome talk. Thanks so much, Anna!
Glad you had fun! 💜💜💜
Nothing is impossible! For me it has always been about whether the effort is worth the outcome. :D
this talk is so exciting, fun, & colorful! brilliant. I'm living for this 🦄 😄
💜💜💜
I couldn't have been more excited until the keynote speaker came on in drag! I had not looked ahead at the speakers and this was the greatest surprise to me
Just being my glamorous self 💁♀️👸💜
This feels like a fun chat with a friend, not a stuffy slideshow 👏
A stuffy slideshow??? I would NEVER 💜
I love the parallels you are drawing between coding and drag, brilliant!
Thank you for your keynote, Anna!
I grew up at a time and place where programmers (potential mentors) where few and far between.
Finding coding opportunities were tough outside of college, so I felt like I had to go into a CS program. Still having a friendly community was very difficult to find and maintain connections to.
It's so great to know that there are more welcoming communities out there now.
👏'ing for you too!
The tech landscape is always evolving, just like the world, so I think there amount of communities and support is only increasing which is wonderful 💜💜