In this talk, I’ll share what it was like for me as a new JavaScript programmer from a minority background. We’ll then discuss some ideas for creating more welcoming environments.

I decided to teach myself programming while working on a startup. When I started out in the JavaScript world, I encountered a variety of challenges. I tried participating in various communities but felt out of place. It was difficult for me to ask questions and I rarely met anyone from a similar background. There were also many people I met along the way who helped me grow as a programmer. We’ll talk about the obstacles that I faced, how I overcame them, and offer suggestions for what we can do to lower the barriers to entry for others.