The Lightning Round With StevieSats: 2022 Noonies Nominee Interview - Internet Heroes

Hi there, Hackers!

I’m Stevie and I’m a crypto editor and co-founder of Womxn In Crypto, an educational community that’s obsessed with Bitcoin and blockchain tech.

First off, I’d like to express my gratitude to the staff, and all other beautiful humans of HackerNoon for nominating me for a 2022 Noonies award! Y’all are the realest.

I’ve been nominated for the following categories and if you think my writing offers good value, please take some time to check out these award pages and vote for me:

1. CRYPTOGRAPHY: https://www.noonies.tech/2022/web3/2022-hackernoon-contributor-of-the-year-cryptography

2. ENCRYPTION: https://www.noonies.tech/2022/programming/2022-hackernoon-contributor-of-the-year-encryption

3. WOMEN IN TECH: https://www.noonies.tech/2022/internet-heroes/2022-hackernoon-contributor-of-the-year-women-in-tech

   
   

As a writer in the tech industry, I believe that Bitcoin is the most exciting technology of the present because of its potential to change our relationships with money by revolutionizing our global financial system. The lightning network is nothing short of incredible.

My journey in the tech industry began with some computer science courses and years later, I rekindled this appreciation and interest through classes on cryptography, blockchain tech, and cryptocurrency. After working in traditional finance as a copywriter and editor for several years, I was SO ready to learn about newer innovations that could shape the way we earn, save, learn, and connect with one another — for the better.

1. What do you currently do and what’s your favorite part about it?

I’m an editor at a leading financial firm where I build content and curriculums — working with UX and creative teams to help teach others about cryptocurrency (especially, but not limited to, Bitcoin). Outside of my day job, I work as a freelancer. I write about fascinating and foundational findings on crypto and tech.

Of course, HackerNoon has been the best launching pad for all of this. Last year, my colleague Maria and I also started a newsletter community for women in the tech space — but more on this later.

2. How did you get started with your Tech Career?

In college, I studied mostly biology and English, but I decided to take a class in computer science (databases) after a friend suggested it. For some odd reason, I fell in love with it; I thought SQL was so cool, and I wished I had started up sooner towards a degree in this field. Though I didn’t end up switching majors, I had a feeling this would come back around at some point…

About a decade later, I started taking a class in cryptography through Stanford, online. I had found that same excitement again, only with a different subject matter. It was challenging and interesting to learn about the underpinnings of encryption and blockchain tech — and it sent me spinning down the proverbial rabbit hole, laptop in hand.

3. If Utopia were a color what color do you think it’d be and why?

Leave it to HackerNoon to ask the BeSt QuEsTiOnS! I am picturing a puffy sky with lots of soft pink and electric purples and blues…mirroring pools of water and mountains down below. But I feel like there’d also be a hint of darkness seeping through all that whimsy, right? So maybe pops of fiery red in the corners…red plants and flowers with slick, black stems. Like sharp, twisted rosebuds poking out from the rocky pink and grey earth.

Then there would be dark caverns that you could slip into full of bramble and exotic florals, filling the interior with their dark vines and soft petals. And silver and gold robots crawling around everywhere…tiny ones that could jump up and fit in your hand.

I know you just wanted us to say a color, but I don’t think Utopia would be only one hue.

4. If everything about HackerNoon changed drastically, what is one detail you’d like to keep exactly the same?  OR What’s your favorite thing to do with HackerNoon and why?

I’m going to answer both:

1. The people, obviously. All the editors/writers/folks I’ve spoken with that make up the HackerNoon community are so refreshingly awesome. It wouldn’t be the same place without everybody.

2. My favorite things are to check stats (I’m not obsessed with myself; I just like data. And this feature really stands apart from any other platform I’ve ever used!) Also, I love to browse other writers’ social links. Lastly, and I think this is my most favorite of all — I reallyyy enjoy listening to stories using all different voices via the audio feature. HackerNoon has a narrator for every flavor of storytelling…it’s lovely.

5. Tell us more about the things you write/make/manage/build!

Womxn In Crypto is a community my colleague, Maria, and I started together — a newsletter experience built for empowering moments of crypto connection. We met in an online class and hit it off right away. We decided to start writing on the topics we were learning about, our experiences in Bitcoin, and how cryptocurrency has impacted our world.

We’ve interviewed all different women on their experiences in the industry — from Bitcoin-native NFT curation to blockchain-based start-ups and cold storage. So, in addition to writing explainers on foundational subjects, we were able to expand this project into a true community where all women can feel welcome as they explore the world of crypto together. This was our original intent, so it’s exciting to see it come to fruition.

We’re working on a long-term educational project and still keep in touch with ideas, career opportunities, and stories from our industry experience.

Since starting to write for HackerNoon, I also began branching out into a few other outlets and mediums, including a YouTube channel on books (plus some crypto), a few podcast episodes, and a poetry collection. Once you put your work out there, you just can’t help but continue to create and share. It’s been awesome.

6. What’s your favorite thing about the internet?

I am a '90s child, so of course, my favorite things about the internet had to do with its early days — dialup, AOL Instant Messenger (away messages, profile curation, and the Britney Spears chatroom), as well as classic games within this nascent space. Neopets was definitely a hidden favorite of mine (shhh).

People often compare present-day crypto adoption to the early days of the internet. I hope this to be true, and either way, it feels just as fun being part of these passionate communities as it did hanging out with my friends in online guilds and chatrooms back then.

Now that I’m an adult, the only difference is that it feels like more is at stake. I spend all of my time pouring my heart into this field of work because it’s something that has so much promise…because I believe it’s something that will change our communities through the way we relate to power structures and one another.

The internet in the ‘90s allowed for creative freedom and intellectual expansion, similar to crypto. Except back then, I was just a young consumer. With crypto and Web3, I’m part of the communities that are shaping it.

7. It’s an apocalypse of ‘walking dead’ proportions and you can only own a singular piece of technology, what would it be?

A portable grill?

8. What is your least favorite thing about the internet?

I have a love/hate relationship with trolls. They’re the best of times and the worst of times. Sometimes they make me cry; sometimes I am one.

9. If you were given $10 million to invest in something today what would you invest in and why?

Bitcoin…you can’t put a price on sovereignty, but $10 mill is enough to get the engines started.

10. What’s something you’re currently learning or excited to learn?

I want to take more coding classes, starting probably with Python. I also grew up playing piano but haven’t touched the instrument in over a decade…so I’d love to relearn the keys.

11. Would you rather travel 10 years into the past or 10 years into the future? Give reasons for your answer.

10 years into the past — because I don’t wanna skip to the good part.

About HackerNoon’s 2022 Noonie Awards

The annual Noonies Awards celebrate the best and brightest of the tech industry, bringing together all who make the Internet and the world of tech what it is today. Please be sure to check out our award categories, nominate, and vote for the people and companies who you think are making the biggest impact on the tech industry today.

The 2022 Noonies are sponsored by: BingX and .TechDomains. Many thanks to these sponsors for helping us celebrate the accomplishments of all our nominees.