As a part of our club’s and organization’s mission of highlighting diverse and knowledgeable voices we asked Alrica Antoine, a student from Saint Lucia, some questions about her experiences as a woman in STEM. Alrica is a member of the SOWcoders organization and currently has her own chapter in Saint-Lucia, where she works to teach others coding skills. We decided to interview her as there are so many pieces of a mission, and hearing each voice leads to new perspectives.
First we asked her to say a few words about herself:
“I am a fifth former at the Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School…Some of my hobbies include reading novels, babysitting, writing, coding, and also investing time into my clubs/committees.”
When then were intrigued as to why she’s interested in coding:
“At first I just wanted to learn something new, however when I started I realized that coding takes skill and I liked that.”
We then wondered if, as a woman in STEM, if she had ever faced obstacles and how that affects her:
“I haven’t come across any challenges as a woman in tech because everyone that’s aware of this interest of mine is very supportive. There was one instance where I had to face an internal conflict between what society would think about my choice of career and what I wanted as an individual, a woman rather. However, my family and friends were there to support my choice. I believe that as I grow in the career there will be many more challenges like male superiority and unacceptance of society, because tech is a male dominated career. But overall I believe that I will overcome these challenges because of the unconditional support from my family and friends.”
We also asked Alrica what differences she had seen in STEM around the world, and how her culture has affected her as a woman coder:
“I haven’t noticed any differences in STEM around the world. Although I have realized that in different countries the male superiority is stronger than in my country. My culture has affected me as a woman in tech because in my country tech is a male dominated career and there were challenges that I faced because of this.”
We then implored what she wants to do with coding in the future:
“I do not wish to make a career out of coding because I’m currently studying something different. My dreams and aspirations for coding in the future is to continue teaching and spreading the mission of Society of Women Coders around the world.”
Finally, we ended with how joining the Society of Women coders has changed her life and her perspective on STEM:
“Being apart of Society of Women Coders has made me more of a feminist and it has also given me an alternative career choice. But most importantly it has given me the privilege to meet and work with a set of amazing and determined girls around the world.”
We are so thankful that Alrica was able to tell us about her unique experiences with SOWCoders and STEM in general. We are always open to sharing these unique perspectives and experiences, if you are interested in sharing please email SOWCodersUSChapter@gmail.com . Again, thank you so much to Alrica for answering our questions!
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