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Do the #Code4Good thing—make the world a better place

This post has been republished via RSS; it originally appeared at: Microsoft Tech Community - Latest Blogs - .

 

Michelle Sandford, Community Engagement PMM for emerging Developers at Microsoft, shares why she does the #Code4Good thing, and awesome ways you can use your tech skills to make the world a better place, too. 

 

I focus on supporting enablement, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. I like to teach people to code (usually women or children), because I want to bring a more even mix of people into the tech industry, and the best way to do that is to get involved and show them how much fun it is. I love giving my time to do this for my community because I am also learning while teaching. People ask me questions that I’ve never considered, and it makes me stop and think more deeply about what I do and how. That helps me grow, while I am enabling others to grow. But it isn’t just about me and how much I enjoy these experiences. I think each of us has a duty to give something back, to enable the next generation to do more and be more than we ever were.  

 

People often ask me how I choose what opportunities to get involved in. I say “It’s easy, think about what you care about, what excites you, what drives you, and align all your focus on those things.” But of course, it’s not always easy, especially if you have no idea about what opportunities are out there, what you can do, what you like doing, and what you stand for. You must try all the things. So, if you have time, say yes. Do the Thing (as Dona Sarkar says). After a while you will discover some of the things that inspire you and make you happy. 

 

So here are a few #Code4Good opportunities to consider: 

 

I recently participated in a session at Microsoft Ignite that talked about how you can make an impact through contribution to community. Check out the replay: https://myignite.microsoft.com/sessions/1dabe2de-d29d-4c7e-8cb4-bcc5516d92f2?source=/schedule 

Do you have favorite avenues to contribute to dev and broader communities? Please share #Code4Good opportunities you’ve been involved with in the blog comments section below! 

 

Michelle Sandford, Community Engagement PMM for emerging Developers at Microsoft, is a Tedx Speaker, Australian Computer Society WA Chairman, and was previously named one of MCV's 30 Most Influential Women in Games. She lives at the heart of the developer community and helps drive awareness and engagement as an AI influencer and chatbot builder. She is an advocate for STEM, the Games Industry, and Developers. For daily updates from Michelle follow @codess_aus on Twitter and Instagram, or follow her on LinkedIn. 

 

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