Nigerian woman-in-tech pursues MBA in cybersecurity while supporting inclusive spaces
We talk to technical writer and and DEI advocate Precious Onyewuchi about her career path, why she contributes to making spaces more inclusive and where she’s going from here.
Q: How did your journey into the tech world begin? Was there a specific moment when you realized that helping people was a passion you wanted to pursue?
Precious: I got into tech formally through school; I studied computer science at Uni. Informally, I was the child at home whom everyone gave their new devices to look through and figure out. They would say, “Give it to Precious, she’ll know what to do.” At the time, I knew I liked tech, but I didn’t realize it was a career path that could be pursued. Encouragement from a teacher in secondary school and a comment from an uncle made me consider the feasibility of it, and voilà! The rest is history in the making - - because I am not history, yet.
Precious Onyewuchi
Q: As someone actively involved in the CHAOSS project and the DEI workgroup, what aspects of technical writing sparked your interest and prompted a shift in your career focus?
Precious: I liked that you could introduce someone to a whole new experience through properly written content. Most of my career has been about creating content, writing documentation and educating folks. The highlight for me is usually when folks express relief, gratitude or that “Aha” moment because your work gave them clarity, helped them with an issue or gained the knowledge they’ve been searching for.
Also, due to my experience and knowledge from the CHAOSS and DEI workgroup, I am instinctively seeking to be inclusive with my content, and so creating stuff that folks from various demographics can use and learn from, is very important to me.
Q: Your role in the DEI workgroup is so impactful. How has this experience shaped your perspective on creating diverse and inclusive spaces, both within the tech community and beyond?
Precious: The first place I heard about DEI was in the CHAOSS community. Learning from, reviewing and helping to create metrics at my introduction to the community taught me how important factoring folks with various realities can drastically improve their quality of life, make them feel valued - and on a community scale, improve how they make contributions. This experience has helped me see the importance of meeting people where they are, regardless of where I find myself, and how the tiniest consideration of folks can make a vast positive difference in their lives and interactions.
Q: What new areas are you exploring in the tech space and why?
Precious: Security. I am currently pursuing an MBA in Cybersecurity at Nexford University. It is an online American university, so it gives me the flexibility of having access to a world-class curriculum from home while also juggling work. I have always wanted an MBA and a degree in cybersecurity, so finding a program that blends both of them was just a blessing.
I’m also currently building a podcast on open source education. As someone in the open source space, I realized that most of my work involves teaching people how to get involved with open source and contributing to open source. Still, there’s very little information on what exactly open source is and how it impacts our lives on a deep level. I am hoping to share this on my podcast and see how much I can learn during the process. It’s exciting!
“This experience has helped me see the importance of meeting people where they are, regardless of where I find myself, and how the tiniest consideration of folks can make a vast positive difference in their lives and interactions.”
Q: Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give to those interested in aligning their career goals with their passion to make a positive impact on communities?
Precious: It is an amazing thing to be in the position to give back and make an impact on people’s lives, but you also have to remember that most times you can only give as much as you have. Grow and make a positive impact on your community, but always remember to keep developing yourself.
Q: We’d love to hear more about where you’re from and how your home influences the way you show up and help others in tech today.
Precious: I am from Nigeria and I’m also my parent’s first daughter, so this makes me instinctively look out for other people. Adding to that, a huge part of where I am today is due to the support of others and having an active community that wants the best for me. I try my best to give people a semblance of that to the best of my ability and with what I currently have.
Q: We host a popular Book Club and our community is always looking for recommendations. What are you currently reading?
Precious: I am the kind of person who reads more than one book at a time. I am currently reading Proof of Stake by Vitalik Buterin, and Holier Than Thou by Jackie Hill Perry.