Today we’d like to introduce you to Devina Dhawan
Hi Devina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story begins in India – this is where my entire family is from as far back as it goes (I did a 23&Me). My parents both grew up in the ghettos of Delhi, where their entire focus was education and creating something for themselves and their families. I grew up with a dad in the army, who took us on adventures all over India, and then settled us in Delhi where we stayed with my grandparents.
In 2000, when I was 8 years old, my parents took me out of school and told me we were going to America. I knew nothing about America except that it was ‘very clean’ and that my parents would find good opportunities there. This is chapter 2 to my story – my parents landing at the foot of a great mountain “The American Dream”
The years of us living in America were tumultuous for my parents because they were creating a brand new life out of thin air, all on their own, with 2 little kids. I feel extremely grateful because I remember them struggling, enduring poverty, working extremely hard, getting taken advantage of, and growing up the ranks. This all has continued to inspire me and all the choices I make in my life.
The largest theme in my life has definitely been education. My dad enforced a technical education for me and my brother, requiring us to have strong technical degrees that would get us stable and lucrative jobs. Thats perhaps the 4th chapter of my story – “0’s & 1’s”, receiving a Computer Science education from University of Illinois in Chicago from 2010 – 2014. This changed the entire trajectory of my life. Not only was I in a difficult program – but I was 1 of 3 women in that program. Being part of such a minority led me to start the first Girls Who Code chapter in Chicago. The mission of Girls Who Code is to provide a technical education for middle school & high school girls so that they feel comfortable enough to pursue technology as a path. This was revolutionary, and this program continues to education 60 girls per year in computer science. There are 58 chapters of Girls Who Code in Chicagoland.
After graduation in 2014, I became a Security Engineer, diving deeper into computer science and becoming an ethical hacker. The decade that followed would be a career trajectory not many anticipated from me. Let’s call this chapter, “Boss Bitch”. I continued teaching classes for Girls Who Code for 7 years, and then started my own non-profit teaching adult women & GNC (Gender Non-Conforming) folks how to code. I spoke at over 15 different conferences, creating a solid path for women in my industry. I worked at 6 companies, going from Security Engineer -> Staff Security Engineer (4 career jumps) in under 7 years. I even became an artist, participating in over 17 exhibitions from 2015 onward.
My story is bright and colorful with humble beginnings. Not many people expect Indian girls to become successful engineers, speakers, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, tattoo collectors, and artists. I am here to prove to girls that they can do anything they enjoy, they don’t need permission from anyone.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My life has been difficult and easy in a few aspects.
Easy because one thing was very clear to me – I am me. I never compared myself to anyones accomplishments or anyones aesthetic. I always knew I was a little different and that sat great with me. Easy because my parents, no matter how conservative, always listened to me and compromised with me on my lifestyle and what was considered “approved behavior”. Easy because, I have always had the greatest group of friends a person could ask for. Endlessly supportive, caring, generous people who stood by me no matter what was going on in my life. Lastly, I have a never ending supply of creativity and passion. I am constantly thinking about companies I could start, paintings I could work on, pets I can adopt, and ways I can support and uplift my community. Coupled with the will to actually accomplish these tasks, I have found the last decade of my life to be extremely fulfilling.
Of course, the road has been bumpy. America has an extremely low number of women who work in technology. My career has been an uphill battle, constantly fighting for complicated projects and promotions. I always worked during weekends and vacations because I never wanted anyone to feel like I wasn’t doing enough. I have had to fight with my culture and community to marry who I love, have children when I wish, and buy a home all on my own. Navigating mental health issues has also been a challenge in my life. My family has a history of mental health issues, and I spent over 3 years of my life addressing my own issues through therapy. I think dealing with your mental health, and communication in your relationships is extremely important. I have really avoided throwing things under the rug in order to maintain a peaceful mental state and healthy relationships.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
During my 6th year teaching at Girls Who Code, a mom of 3 students approached me. She told me that she occasionally saw my lectures on Cyber Security and became extremely interested in the topic. She told me she had become so interested in fact, that she decided to get a Masters degree in Cyber Security. I still remember that entire conversation, I hugged her, told her I would be happy to support her, and then ran to the bathroom to cry my eyes out. I cried for 3 minutes, thinking about how I just changed the entire trajectory of this woman’s life, and how inspired her daughters will be because of her mom’s bold step. The year that followed, I would help her with her homework, and advise her on roles in the industry. This is the story that inspired me to start Devi-Labs.
I started Devi-Labs in the middle of the pandemic in 2021. After such a global catastrophe, I wanted adult women & GNC to have a place to learn and grow – in person. I wanted people to find hope to create change in their lives and in their communities through technology. We offer low-cost programming classes, in-person, for 5 weeks during the weekends. This allows women & GNC who are interested in technology to gain introductory knowledge to computer science & AI. Folks use this education in many ways – they get promoted within their own companies, strive to attend bootcamps to break into technology, or even start working in internships right away. We have taught 6 classes thus far, and from that, 4 women have started careers in technology. This solves one of the largest pipeline problems in my industry. Adult women are educated, hard working, and strong willed. If they are interested in a career and they have the support, they will achieve their goals.
Devi-Labs is a novel concept. We bring technology classes to local community centers where women & gnc already visit and feel comfortable. We have partnerships with YWCA, Pilsen Arts & Community House, and the Chicago Parks District. We teach coding in English, Spanish, and Hindi today. We strive to teach in many languages in the years to come. This is a huge gap in technology classes today. There is a huge learning curve when it comes to learning how to code, first you MUST know English, no matter where you are around the globe. This is a huge market in our opinion, and we cannot wait to teach folks so they can work as soon as possible. We are also planning online classes so more folks feel comfortable getting a technical education.
I am extremely proud of my students. Every student that comes into class not having any idea what a for-loop is and goes home to do their homework. Juggling their busy home chores, children’s care, full-time jobs, relationships – they still make time to draw images with text. I am honored to be part of my students path in a technical education, and I strive to support them throughout their careers.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Strong Sense of Self.
Though I often have anxiety about my life and my future, I have an extremely strong sense of self. I know what I want, what I deserve, and what will make me happy. I don’t compare my happiness to others and I strive to be true to myself no matter what. I know who I am – I am not defined by my work, my accomplishments, my conditions, and what others think about me. I may have doubts on occasion, but I never allow my doubts to decide my choices.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://DeviLabs.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devi.labs/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@devi-labs2469
Image Credits
Tamara Hijazi
Devina Dhawan