This post is part of TSQL Tuesday, a monthly blog party. This month’s topic is “Folks Who Have Made a Difference”, by Ewald Cress. Here is my first TSQL Tuesday in a long time – way too long, actually.
Diversity is so important to me; tech community is a place for people to grow and there are plenty of good hearts in it. I want everyone to feel welcome, really.
The reason that I got into community was that I attended my first ever community event, SQLBits in Birmingham. I was nervous and ready to leave when this super friendly guy came up to me, explained he worked for Microsoft and he chatted away and basically he made me stay for the next session.
He sat with me through the lightning talks session and he made me feel welcome. He’d gathered up a few ‘strays’ like me and I had a really nice day; and it helped me to go back.
That gentleman was Andrew Fryer and I have never forgotten his kindness and he’s inspired me ever since. Andrew probably doesn’t even remember, and it may have been a little thing to him. But for me, it was huge and it helped change my life. If we can all do ‘small’ things like this, they add up, right?
If it wasn’t for Andrew saying hello that day, I would have left and never gone back to any events, probably. So I want to say Thank You to Andrew for reaching out that day, and for all of his support ever since.
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