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I didn’t follow the usual path into tech.

I grew up in Sudan. Learned to memorize scripture before I ever touched a keyboard. Came to the US, made it into Georgia Tech, and almost fell apart trying to stay there.

This piece isn’t a teardown of academia or a playbook for job hunting. It’s a reflection. On what it means to move through systems that weren’t built for you, and how easy it is to get overlooked when your story doesn’t fit the frame.

It’s also about building. Not just code, but clarity. Not just skill, but self-definition.

If you’ve ever felt like the best parts of you didn’t show up on paper, or got filtered out before they were seen, this might resonate.