What’s impossible for you?

This week's Interview is with Kaya Thomas.

What’s impossible for you?

What have you ruled out for yourself? 

A past version of you has decided, possibly with the assistance of some quote unquote helpful others, that this couldn’t be your thing. This isn’t something someone like you could do, would do, should do.

I went to a coding class back in high school - so, the 1980s. We were given the simplest of tasks. Write a bit of code that, as I remember it, meant that you’d create the prompt “what’s my name?” and you could then write, say, “Michael”, and it would say, “welcome, Michael.”

I didn’t get it. The math whizzes either side of me took about a nanosecond to figure it out. But my logic loop just wasn’t looping. Or wasn’t logical. Or … all of the above.

“What’s my name?”

“I’m not sure, but it’s not Mr. Coder.”

I’ve got other stories, other moments of elimination.

Woodworking, and the existential crisis of trying to make a wooden pencil box.

An organizing logistics incident in my first job. And if I poke around, there’s more.

So I’ve just assumed some things aren’t for me, and they haven’t been for twenty or forty or five years.

But I wonder now what might be on the other side of “this isn’t for me”. “This isn’t me.”

I wonder what wouldn’t happen if I sprayed some WD-40 on my settings, and moved some dias back from “no” to “maybe” or to a “not yet, but later”.

Daunting is OK. Daunting is not a reason to say no.

But there’s more to it than just “do you think you can do it?” More on this at the end of the show.

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📕 My Guest: Kaya Thomas

Kaya Thomas is an app builder and creator of the We Read Too app, a mobile directory of children and young adult books written by authors of color. With a background in working with well-known companies like Slack and Calm, Kaya's career has been a journey of blending her expertise in coding with her passion for promoting diversity in literature. Though the book is closing on the We Read Too app, her work has touched thousands of young lives.

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🎧 Obsessed (in a good way): A Conversation with Kaya Thomas

Kaya reads two pages from Octavia Butler’s essay, Positive Obsession.

In our conversation, we discuss:

• Embracing Unfamiliar Challenges

Kaya shares her journey of entering the coding world through a course titled "Programming Through Interactive Art," highlighting coding not just as a technical skill but as a medium of creativity and expression. This approach redefines programming as an artistic and imaginative endeavor, breaking away from the stereotype of it being solely logic-driven.

• Creation of "We Read Too"

The origins of Kaya’s app "We Read Too," born from a personal desire to find books written by authors of color during her high school years. This venture highlights how personal experiences and frustrations can catalyze innovative solutions that address broader cultural and diversity gaps.

• Redefining Stereotypes in STEM

By discussing her love for both books and coding, Kaya challenges the conventional dichotomy that often places coders and readers at opposite ends of the spectrum. Her insights encourage a reevaluation of the skills and passions that define professionals in STEM, advocating for a more inclusive understanding of technological roles.

• The Role of Mentorship in Tech

The role mentorship and a supportive community have played in Kaya’s career, particularly as a minority in tech. The importance of mentorship in providing guidance, opening doors, and building confidence among underrepresented groups in the field.

• Positive Obsession and Overcoming Doubt

Inspired by Octavia Butler's essay, the concept of "positive obsession," a driving force that compels one to pursue their passions despite doubts and fears. This idea resonates deeply with Kaya’s own experiences, highlighting the strength found in passionate commitment to one's goals and projects.

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Read the Interview

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