You’ve been managing content in WordPress, maybe you’ve dabbled with modifying a file, but you’re not sure where to go from here (other than total failure). In this session we’ll cover how to transition from dabbler to budding developer, learning opportunities around the web, and issues that can impact your learning, ranging from impostor syndrome to gender and generalism to non-computer science educational backgrounds.

1. Leveling Up: From Bashful
Beginner to WordPress Warrior
Courtney OCallaghan @courtneydawn
Beth Soderberg @bethsoderberg
All resources at the end of the presentation

2. COURTNEY & BETH
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES
Hello Drupal DC, still feeling the WP love ...

3. WHY ARE WE HERE?

4. Courtney’s Story.

5. Beth’s Story.

6. AND WE KNOW HOW TO SHARE!
Disclaimer: we wrote down all of the things …

7. WHY ARE YOU HERE?

8. You are new to WordPress.

9. You want to be a developer, but you
don’t know how to get there.

10. You are the only “insert minority group
here.”

11. You are afraid everyone thinks you
can’t do this.

12. YOU think you can’t do this.

13. There are too many places to begin.

14. You majored in creative writing of
poetry.

15. WHY HAVEN’T YOU LEFT YET?

16. This is NOT a suggestion.

17. Seriously.

18. Someone like ME can’t do THAT.

19. Someone like ME can’t do THAT.
I SUCK.

20. Someone like ME can’t do THAT.
I SUCK.
I am a fraud.
One day … someone will find me out.

21. YOU ARE AWESOME!

22. Someone like ME can’t do THAT.
YOUR FRIENDS THINK
YOU ARE AWESOME!

23. Did I mention I don’t look like anyone
here?

24. Maybe I don’t belong here.

25. You are NOT imagining things.
In 2005, women made up 24% of computer science
students. By 2010, that figure had dropped to 19%,
according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
A 2012 report from Creative Skillset found that only
29% of the interactive media industry in the UK is
female, and the majority hold positions in art and
design and communications rather than
engineering.
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/women-in-tech-
female-representation

26. So What! You BELONG here.

27. I know I am a White/Asian Male.

28. I know I am a White/Asian Male.
How do I promote diversity?

29. Be AARON JORBIN!

30. I didn’t study Computer Science.

31. I didn’t study Computer Science.
Women’s Studies
Poetry Psychology

32. I didn’t study Computer Science.
WE DIDN’T EITHER!
Women’s Studies
Writing Poetry Psychology

33. I might break things.

34. I might break things.
You WILL break things.

35. I might break things.
You WILL break things.
It is FUN!

36. I might break things.
You WILL break things.
It is FUN!
The key to the kingdom: always
back it up.

37. WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

38. Look closely at the present you are
constructing. It should look like the
future you are dreaming.
-Alice Walker

39. HOW ARE YOU GETTING THERE?

40. Ask for directions.

41. It doesn’t always have to be BOB
Courtney - 2001 Beth - 2011

42. Ask your computer.

43. WHAT ARE YOU BRINGING?

44. WHO ELSE IS GOING?

45. Advanced Travel Tips

46. The End

47. RESOURCES - IMPOSTER SYNDROME
Worksheet: Understanding Imposter Syndrome
https://github.com/hypatia/virtuoso/blob/master/Part_1_worksheet.en.md
Video: Overcoming Impostor Syndrome by Ada Initiative
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZg9rax-ky4
Wiki: Geek Feminism
http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Impostor_syndrome
Quote
“Unlike learning other skills where one can expect to be reasonably competent
after sufficient practice, programming largely consists of constantly failing, trying
some things, failing some more, and trying more things until it works. One of the
biggest differences between experienced and novice programmers is that
experienced programmers know more things to try. “
https://medium.com/@aliciatweet/overcoming-impostor-syndrome-
bdae04e46ec5

48. RESOURCES – BEING A “UNICORN”
Comic: “whenever someone says women can’t program I grow more powerful”
http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2516#comic
Specialty Groups (incomplete)
Women who Code - https://www.womenwhocode.com
Black Girls Code - http://www.blackgirlscode.com
Allstar Code (young men of color) - http://www.allstarcode.org/
Lesbians who Code - http://lesbianswhotech.org/
MotherCoders - http://www.mothercoders.org/
Girl Develop It - http://www.girldevelopit.com/
Girls who Code - http://girlswhocode.com/
Ladies who Code - http://www.ladieswhocode.com/
FemTechNet - http://femtechnet.newschool.edu/
DC FemTech - http://dcfemtech.github.io/
Ada Initiative (women & allies in Open Source) - http://adainitiative.org/
Tech Lady Mafia - http://techladymafia.com/
Ada’s List - http://adaslist.co/

49. RESOURCES – RECOGNIZING PRIVLEDGE
Article: Programmer privilege as an Asian male
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2014/01/programmer
_privilege_as_an_asian_male_computer_science_major_everyone_gave.2.ht
ml
Wiki: micro inequities vs micro affirmation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microinequity
Allies: Workshop Resources (see end of page)
http://adainitiative.org/what-we-do/workshops-and-training/

50. RESOURCES – WP COMMUNITY
WordCamps
Congratulations! You are already here. Go to sessions that you think will challenge you, but likely
won’t be too far above your head. Ask questions! Absorb as much information as you can.
http://central.wordcamp.org/
Local Meetup
There are tons of local meetup groups where developers, designers, and bloggers of all skill levels
gather to learn more about WordPress AND get to know each other. If there isn’t a meetup near
you, you can start one yourself!
http://wordpress.meetup.com/
WordPress Forums
The forums are great places to ask questions or to search for questions similar to the one you
have. Forum people are usually very nice.
http://wordpress.org/support/
IRC
I know, you’re thinking “IRC, what is that!?!?” IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat and it’s really just
an earlier version of AIM, Google Chat, etc. The WordPress IRC channels are a great way to get
help quickly and also a place to hang out and get to know the community. This is also an
acceptable place to lurk.
http://codex.wordpress.org/IRC

51. RESOURCES – LEARNING
The Codex
This is the official documentation for WordPress.
http://codex.wordpress.org/Getting_Started_with_WordPress
WordPress TV
This is a collection of videos at all levels from past WordCamps.
http://wordpress.tv/
WordPress Blogosphere Favorites
tuts+ - http://code.tutsplus.com/categories/wordpress
WP Tavern - http://wptavern.com
WP Beginner - http://www.wpbeginner.com/
Take a Course
Code Academy - http://www.codecademy.com
Coursera - https://www.coursera.org
Stanford University Online - https://class.stanford.edu/
MIT OpenCourseWare - http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm
CreativeLive - https://www.creativelive.com/

52. QUOTES WE LIKE
“Writing code for a living isn't like being a Navy SEAL sharpshooter. Programming is seriously not
that demanding, so you shouldn't need to be a tough-as-nails superhero to enter this profession.”
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2014/01/programmer_privilege_as_an_as
ian_male_computer_science_major_everyone_gave.2.html
“technical entitlement: It discourages diversity.”
https://medium.com/tales-from-the-front/on-technical-entitlement-cc9ed433ec3c
“Getting into IT without a degree isn't necessarily common or uncommon. It's a thing that
happens, the way that life happens.”
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/do-programmers-still-need-a-computer-science-degree-to-
land-a-great-job/
“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to
look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
“Leaders don’t create more followers, they create more leaders.”
Tom Peters
“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”
Bill Gates