Help Me Attend GitHub Universe 2026
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$70 raised of
2 donations
GitHub Universe 2026 is a public conference I discovered online—open to anyone who wants to attend. I want to be there as part of my journey toward becoming a software architect. My path here is unconventional: I'm second-generation formerly incarcerated, and I'm over six years into recovery from drug addiction, homelessness, and American Evangelicalism. Today, I write about faith, justice, and society, and I've been teaching myself software design and web development to strengthen that advocacy work, as seen in my projects at badfaithprosecution.wiki and grownfromconcrete.org.
My goal is to use software to directly help poor and working people, which is exactly why I'm working to become a software architect after more than three years focused on computer science, math, and tech. I believe technology can be a powerful tool for justice and empowerment, and I want to use my skills to make a real difference for those who need it most.
Attending GitHub Universe would help me deepen my technical skills, learn about AI and modern development, and connect with the developer community. The funds would cover the conference pass (about $1,099 early bird), round-trip airfare to San Francisco, local transportation, lodging, and meals.
In addition to attending the conference, I need a Mac Studio (M4 Max, 36GB memory, 2TB storage, about $3,299) to run and host AI models locally for my software and advocacy work. This computer would empower me to build and host AI tools that power my faith and justice projects, making my work more secure, efficient, and impactful.
These are concrete steps toward my dream: to build a Transitional Living Worker Cooperative that is owned by its workers and by graduates of a transitional living program as they reenter society. The cooperative would be open to anyone who wants to advance the interests of poor and working people, with no employees—only co-owners—and profits shared equally. I believe this model can help break cycles of poverty and create lasting change.
If my journey resonates with you, I’d be grateful for your support. Any donation, big or small, brings me closer to attending GitHub Universe 2026 and investing in my growth as a developer and advocate. If you can’t give, sharing this fundraiser with your network would mean the world to me. Thank you for being part of this journey!
My goal is to use software to directly help poor and working people, which is exactly why I'm working to become a software architect after more than three years focused on computer science, math, and tech. I believe technology can be a powerful tool for justice and empowerment, and I want to use my skills to make a real difference for those who need it most.
Attending GitHub Universe would help me deepen my technical skills, learn about AI and modern development, and connect with the developer community. The funds would cover the conference pass (about $1,099 early bird), round-trip airfare to San Francisco, local transportation, lodging, and meals.
In addition to attending the conference, I need a Mac Studio (M4 Max, 36GB memory, 2TB storage, about $3,299) to run and host AI models locally for my software and advocacy work. This computer would empower me to build and host AI tools that power my faith and justice projects, making my work more secure, efficient, and impactful.
These are concrete steps toward my dream: to build a Transitional Living Worker Cooperative that is owned by its workers and by graduates of a transitional living program as they reenter society. The cooperative would be open to anyone who wants to advance the interests of poor and working people, with no employees—only co-owners—and profits shared equally. I believe this model can help break cycles of poverty and create lasting change.
If my journey resonates with you, I’d be grateful for your support. Any donation, big or small, brings me closer to attending GitHub Universe 2026 and investing in my growth as a developer and advocate. If you can’t give, sharing this fundraiser with your network would mean the world to me. Thank you for being part of this journey!
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