We Belong Here: Lessons from Unconventional Paths to Tech
We Belong Here: Lessons from Unconventional Paths to Tech
16. Bekah Hawrot Weigel: The Parallels Between Teaching English Literature & Code
Bekah Hawrot Weigel is a mom to four adorable young kids and has spent the past ten years of her life teaching literature, writing screenplays, pilots, a memoir. She started off studying English at university and then worked as a community organizer for an environmental nonprofit. She then got her masters in English and taught a variety of classes as an adjunct instructor. After having her fourth child, she faced a great deal of trauma when her two of her internal organs ruptured and left her to face a year of her life in which her body was in a state of recovery, leaving her unable to do the normal things she had before. Bekah shares how her mental health was impacted by that experience in that she had depression, panic attacks, and PTSD.
Despite everything that was on her plate at that time, her husband encouraged her to try and learn to code. She resisted at first but eventually gave in and dove into FreeCodeCamp’s JavaScript course. Learning that new skill allowed her to breathe, rest, escape and conquer those moments that had been so negatively shaping her past year. It felt incredibly empowering for her to be able to build and create something in front of her eyes and thus through Moms Can & Co, she received the @Facebook Breakthrough Scholarship a scholarship to attend the Flatiron School, from which she recently graduated!
Bekah has since found an incredibly supportive first role and she shares thoughtful advice and suggestions for those curious to enter the industry themselves.
Resources:
Find Bekah online:
BekahHW on Twitter & Instagram
BekahHW.github.io
We Belong Here Podcast:
Follow Lauren on Twitter @LoLoCoding
WeBelongPodcast.com website
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Spotify
