“Whenever I feel incapable of doing something, I find that I’m underestimating my true abilities. I go after my high-flying dreams anyways and have always proved my doubts to be wrong.”

Shubha Jagannatha

Technical Director

Pixar Animation Studios

“The miracle is you.”

Trinity Hardy

MPSA Student

Texas A&M The Bush School of Government & Public Service

“No matter how much you may doubt yourself, you are deserving of all of your success. Remember to be confident instead of letting fear or doubt keep you from reaching your dreams.”

Michelle Tran

Systems Engineer

The Boeing Company

“Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful, and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams. There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”

Nivedita Rajasekaran

Production Partner Manager

Xbox Gaming Partnership & Business Development

Accessibility Advocate

Microsoft

“For Students and Young Professional:
Challenge yourself to brace the path less traveled, there are very few at the end with many rewards in abundance.

For Companies:
Representation Matters, You can’t be what you can’t see. Encourage inclusivity on a global level, resources builds global solutions.”

Fanta Kamara

Senior Vice President, Bank of America

MCF STEAM Academy for Girls

“Start with yourself, focus on yourself, and believe in yourself – everything else will follow.”

Gynethia Sung

Growth Hacker

Product Marketing

Spellbrush

Marisa Hamamoto

Founder, CEO, Artistic Director

Infinite Flow Dance

“There is a proverb in Japanese that says “When the nail sticks up, it gets hammered down” （出る釘は打たれる。）But when the nail sticks up so high, it can’t get hammered down, so unapologetically stand out. Trust that you are trailblazing a path for others to follow.”

“You are strong, passionate, and determined. Even if you don’t see women in tech around you, they’re out there! Search for a female mentor, grow your skills, and achieve your goals. You belong in tech, and you can make a change!”

Leslie Koszyk

Associate Technical Recruiter, Campus

The Walt Disney Company

“It’s dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them. So throw away your baggage and go forward. There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet, trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair. That’s why you must walk so lightly. Lightly my darling…” Aldous Huxley, Island”

Olivia Murray

Marketing and Recruitment Lead

Marketing Strategist

Girls Who Code

“Be kind, be passionate, be persistent, and remember to pay it forward. Never live down to other’s expectations, you are completely capable of giving yourself everything you dreamed of. And when you make mistakes don’t be beat yourself up. Your failures don’t define you- YOU do so strive to make choices that future you will thank you for. Remember that diamonds aren’t made overnight! Your journey will be worth it and the best version of yourself is out there waiting for you.”

Angelie Orbeta

3D Animator

Asians in Animation

“Always see rejection as a learning process to make you more resilient and as an opportunity to get better :))”

Jane Jingyu Zhang

Visual Development

Prop Design

Background Painting

Asians in Animation

“You can follow your dreams. They will not always be clear, nor will they be effortless. But they are yours, and they are worth pursuing because they are yours. Remember that life is about the journey, not the destination. Some of the best moments happen when you’re exploring and learning.”

Dulce Valdivieso

3D Artist

Modeling & Surfacing

Freelancer

Fatimah Hussain

Serial Entrepreneur

Content Creator

TikTok

“Two things contributed to > 90% of my success: 1) networking, 2) try early, fail early, succeed early. And a side note: either you work towards your dreams or you end up working toward someone else’s.”

Karen Ngo

Career Enthusiast #kkarenism

Communications Manager @ Microsoft, KKARENISM

“It’s not about who you know, it’s about who knows YOU. Building your personal brand is critical to finding new opportunities and having opportunities find you.”

Shyvee Shi

Product

Microsoft

“If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”