The Freedom of gaining a Digital Voice

8/24/2015

Recently, I have taken interest in learning how to code............. Why?

Because Coding is AWESOME!

So awesome, that it allows one a greater depth of freedom, and I LOVE FREEDOM!!
Can you tell that I'm pumped up to acquire this new skill? :-) Good.

The most important tool that we have is our story. There is power in telling our truths, because it creates connection. Your voice matters. In fact, it matters so much that our founding fathers wrote extensive provisions to protect it in our Constitution of the U.S. In fact our entire government structure runs on the voice ( vote) of those who make themselves loud enough. Think about it, our very first amendment protects our freedom of speech.
Why? Because it is the source of our power.
Yes!
We should not be afraid to speak, even if it makes others uncomfortable, because as a human and an American, we have those rights.

It is unconstitutional to have our voices suppressed, but it keeps happening. Don't believe me?
Look at the charges justified by the Patriot Act and brought to the family of Michael Brown, and the countless other families who have lost loved ones due to excessive police force. But yet, the KKK and Westboro Baptist Church are allowed to make direct hate filled threats, under the guise of the freedom of speech.

Voting Rights Act Timeline:

I have always said that I love the ideals , principles, and values by which the United States was founded. I do not love the inequality as to how these freedoms and rights have been historically applied. It wasn't until 1787 that black and poor people voices were recognized under the 3/5 compromise. Many interpreted this act to mean that one male black or poor person 's voice was the equivalent to three-fifths of that of a wealthy white male . It was not until August, 18, 1920 that wealthy white women's voices were acknowledged through voting. 50 years ago, in 1965, a black person's voice, and story was finally counted as of equal importance to their fellow Americans. However there still exists great barriers to even being qualified to vote. 1965 is also when our country began a rapid stride toward progress and equality through beginning to break down the socio-economic and political barriers that were the foundation pillars of oppression.

Our power is in our ability to not only tell our stories, but to be heard. The great equalizer and amplifier is the tool of technology. Today we are equipped with tools that our ancestors would have killed for. Imagine what more Fredrick Douglas, Marcus Garvey, Sojourner Truth, Malcolm X, or Martin Luther King, Jr would have done if they had the organizational tool of Black Twitter, or were able to amplify their voice through the internet.

We have a responsibility, in the name of freedom, equality , and accountability to become educated about both histories, ( Our personal stories, and the greater communities in which we live) to learn what is missing. Then we must amplify our voices. We must speak, un-apologetically. It is not only your constitutional right, but your responsibility as a citizen .

Now do you understand why I am so excited to learn how to code?
To sum it up.... .FREEDOM!
I will no longer have to ask for permission, or wait to have someone else speak for me.
Through coding, we can create anything that we want.

So go ahead and learn C#, Jquery, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Node,js, Ruby on Rails and all of the other freedom codes ( like my nickname for these languages? )

Oh, and guess what?

I'm not the only one who has figured out that technology is the next tool to be used in our arsenal of progress and civil liberties. ..........................................................................

....... So have most code schools.
A friend from General Assembly- a startup code school- sent me a list of scholarships for those who have been historically under served.
Yes, Military Veterans, are included too!
Check out these opportunities and grab you a slice from the freedom pie. :-)
Ok, I'm done lol.
But really , check it out.
and Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

GeneralAssembly- National

List of Coding Bootcamp Scholarships:

Code For Progress - DC Region