Monica Oyugi - DjangoCon US 2024 Perspectives

Speaker 1: Hey everyone, I'm Kudzai and we're here at DjangoCon US 2024. We're interviewing a bunch of the conference attendees and I'm sitting here with Monica.

Speaker 2: Hi everyone. My name is Monica Oyugi from Nairobi, Kenya.

Speaker 1: Yeah, thanks. Yeah. So Monica, um, how are you finding JunkCon US?

Speaker 2: Honestly, um it's one of the best that I've ever had.

Speaker 1: Is this your first Django Con US?

Speaker 2: Yeah it is.

Speaker 1: Okay. And have you attended other Django Cons as well?

Speaker 2: Um no, this is my first actually Django Con conference.

Speaker 1: Oh nice, okay Uh, you were at PyCon US 2024, right?

Speaker 2: Yes.

Speaker 1: How would you describe the experience of a DjangoCon US versus PyCon US?

Speaker 2: Okay, in my opinion, I feel like Pecon was allowed. I mean I never I never had time to do anything apart from attending all the sessions A jungle coin, I'm an I'm an organizer and also got to attend some of the sessions, have time to like sit and do some of the few things or do a review of what I've learned from the talks I feel like PyCon was a lot and then PyCon was how many days? More more than seven days? Yeah, it was like

Speaker 1: pretty long, yeah.

Speaker 2: Well PyCon was a lot. But I love the experience I'm getting here as well.

Speaker 1: Yeah, I s I think I agree with you. PyCon is definitely a lot. like a lot more people is very hectic, very big, very busy. Exactly. Uh whereas Django Con has been more you know it feels more cozy.

Speaker 2: Yeah, you're like, okay, I'm at DjangoCoin.

Speaker 1: Yeah Yeah.

Speaker 2: Yeah.

Speaker 1: No, that's awesome. What um so you've attended some talks, what have uh has there uh been a talk that you've really enjoyed so far?

Speaker 2: One of the best cause as a Q engineer, uh learning the E2 E to E testing cause it's more of QA. He was telling us about the lessons he's learned and some of the tools he's using for quality assurance So it was one of my best and yeah, there are more but that was the main one that I really wanted to attend.

Speaker 1: Yeah.

Speaker 2: Yeah.

Speaker 1: So I saw you were also part of the Yes Black Python Just Leadership Summit Um what were some of the lessons that you gained from being part of that?

Speaker 2: That was my first ever international panel and I'm so glad I had it. Because Wait, I was the only black woman in that panel. So I when I posted that picture, my mom was like, wow Monica, you're making it. So the fact like I've I've just made it. Yeah of course I'm making it before we become the president, still doing this.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2: So I think one of the best lessons that I learned is how we, as the way Jay says, we're trying to embrace the black people into the world that everyone exists.

Speaker 1: Yeah.

Speaker 2: And that makes me feel so happy that the space where blacks are hard and we're doing our things within our community.

Speaker 1: Yes, so awesome. Yeah. And um so I'm also like you I'm from Africa, from Zimbabwe, from Kenya. Uh and I feel like at this conference there's been a lot of things I've learned that I'm gonna take back with me uh when I go back home, both for Django Con and with Black Pack and Devs. Yeah. Is there anything um Whether as an organizer or an attendee that you've experienced that you say, you know what, when I go back into my community, I want to try bring these tools into it

Speaker 2: Uh first of all I would say I think I've even mentioned this to a couple of people that I've met. So when I got in, I got in quite late, like three months or four months before the conference. Uh when I got into the first call I've I organized like four tech communities, but I've never had a format as to how we do our meetings. So I got in, I saw a template is being sent earlier and I'm like, okay, wait. When we get into the call, the call takes fifteen minutes.

Speaker 1: Right.

Speaker 2: Fifteen minutes. We take two hours. Because I have to talk as a chair. Yeah. She has to talk. She has to talk and like no Monica you have But honestly, Jungle Con you're doing an amazing job and I am so grateful I got to be in this team. Because now we have minutes. Everybody knows their role. If you miss a meeting, you're able to refer to the minute end.

Speaker 1: Yeah

Speaker 2: I don't know. I'm just happy and it's organized. Yeah.

Speaker 1: I hear you with that man. And uh let's switch gears. Uh so obviously we're in Durham. Um how are you finding Durham as a place? So last year, Jancon 's gonna be Durham I guess for a while, yeah.

Speaker 2: Yeah.

Speaker 1: Have you found the city? Have you found you know the people and activities so far

Speaker 2: I think I love the CD. It's warm. Yeah. I carried heavy clothes but yeah, I'm just gonna go back home with them. Yeah. But I'm happy I w what I thought is not what expect. It makes me so happy. And then Yeah, yesterday, the day before yesterday we trade the Topian restaurant. At least we get to eat some African food, which made me so happy. I felt like I miss home. Yeah, I mean it's pretty cool.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. I feel like, you know, Durham is uh just like the conference itself, very cozy. Very warm. It's been white. Yeah. I can't imagine Jango Khan in another city now. So whatever city's coming up next, I think they've got big shoes to fill.

Speaker 2: Like this.

Speaker 1: So Monica, you're also a community leader back home, uh as you mentioned earlier. Um you are an organizer for PyCon Kenya, right?

Speaker 2: Yeah.

Speaker 1: Can you tell us a bit more about that?

Speaker 2: Uh well you might know about PyCon, one of the best and larger community in the web technology, maybe. Yeah, it is. according to in in my opinion for the ones that have been able to attend. I don't see the other one of the best. And uh I was a co organizer before the organizer stepped down And when he was stepping out, it's like Monica, please take it up because he believed in me. So we have monthly meetups and we have like the yearly now, the big conference that's happening. Unfortunately, we're not able to have that this year because we've been up and down trying to get the emails together and all the resources to make it perfect. But next year we're looking into February, March. It's gonna be good and great and everyone just look on our social media, follow me, you'll be able to get it.

Speaker 1: So uh Monica obviously a lot of people uh back home in Africa or even outside of Africa, you know, they look at this conference say they want to attend, they want to be a part of it.

Speaker 2: Yeah.

Speaker 1: Uh what advice would you have to give to those people who were looking at this conference and say, Yeah, I want to be a part of this? Um or I wonder can I be a part of this

Speaker 2: Okay, um what I do, I'll tell you what I do. Go out of your way and look for it, Django Con. Go look at the organizers If you feel like you see a face that you want to approach, go search them on the social media or reach out. Because somebody introduced me to Django Con. It's like, okay. We the person taught me how to fish, but I had to get it out of myself, the water, right? Yeah. Yeah. So just do your research. If you're really interested in something, do whatever it takes and never stop. Get into it. That's the only way you can get something and all these events are good. If you're a bedroom developer where you don't want to be seen and you need to attend these events, just attend. Come talk to people individually and if you're the other person like me

Speaker 2: You wanna like explore, talk to people, learn to know more. Please do it. It helps. People have gotten jobs from these conferences. Like right now, I've never had my resume being reviewed One on one. I just had that with Josh.

Speaker 1: Wow.

Speaker 2: And it felt me it made me feel so good.

Speaker 1: Yeah. And I guess my next session was going to be when they do get here What tips would you have for them to navigate, you know, being in a big conference like this and meeting, you know, getting over that s imposter syndrome or feeling of like, ah, do I belong in the space like this? Like what advice do you have for them to just give them a better conference experience?

Speaker 2: Okay, please always have your passport because you never know when this opportunity will come. When you have your passport, um Visas is very important as well because the US, I mean maybe for other countries. And get to know what the conference is all about. Don't just come for the fun. Come because you have a why What are you coming to do at the conference? Are you coming to learn? Are you coming to meet goodside because he's a cool kid? Yeah. So just I mean, know the reason why you want to come to a conference. And May all your dreams come true.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Um yeah, there you have it guys. This is Jancon US 2024. Some amazing, awesome people. They're just walking around this conference like Monica. Monica, thank you so much for sitting and doing this interview. And to everyone else, don't forget to like and subscribe the channel. And hopefully we'll see you here next year.

Speaker 2: Yeah, and thank you for having me.

Speaker 1: Yeah.