Your Django Story: Meet Victoria Martínez de la Cruz

This is a post in our Your Django Story series where we highlight awesome ladies who work with Django. Read more about it here.

Victoria is a software engineer at Red Hat, former Outreachy/GSoC intern, OpenStack Zaqar and OpenStack Trove core developer, OPW/GSoC volunteer coordinator, FOSS passionate and tech in general enthusiast. She is eager to learn about new technologies, to contribute to different open-source projects and to get new people involved with open-source philosophy.

 

How did your story with code start?

I got involved with computing when I was quite young. When I was 13 years old, I heard about FOSS and I decided I wanted to learn about it, and someday, become a contributor. I started experimenting with GNU/Linux different distros and gaining insight about its internals: operative systems concepts, networking, using the shell and more. That made me learn about Bash, and start writing different small scripts with it.

 

What did you do before becoming a programmer?

I started programming very young… so its a tricky question! I have been always interested in computing, and before starting programming for real, I used to spend a lot of time experimenting with software and reading about tech stuff in forums.

 

What do you love the most about coding?

I love the fact that the main focus is in solving problems. Problems vary a lot. One day you can start working in the front end, making things usable for users to interact with, and another day you can find yourself working in the back end, putting your hands directly on the engine. You cannot ever get bored. Also, I cannot describe the happiness you feel when you see that a piece of software you developed is being used for many people and its making their lives easier.

 

Why Django?

I started working with Django thanks to the Outreachy internships and OpenStack. I worked on the Horizon project, the OpenStack dashboard, for my Outreachy experience in December-April 2013. My dear mentor, Julie Pichon, helped me with my first steps and she shared with me the love for Django.

 

What cool projects are you working on at the moment/planning on working on in the near future?

We recently set up a new LinuxChix chapter in my country, so we are planning a sprint for July/August to develop our website - using Django! <3. Apart from that, I’m working full time as a software engineer, so I actively contribute to several coding projects in OpenStack.

 

What are you the most proud of?

I’m proud of making a living of something I love. A lot of people told me, when I was just starting, that computer science was really hard, that it was a ‘men career’ and that I wasn’t going to make it. And now I’m a professional software developer ;)

 

What are you curious about?

Oh that’s hard to answer. I’m curious about everything, all the time. I always want to know how things work and why they work and how people think and why they do think like that.

 

What do you like doing in your free time? What’s your hobby?

If I say ‘programming’ then you will think I’m a bot, so… another interest of mine is reading. I like reading a lot. I love nature as well so, when I can, I take a weekend to go to a place nearby and enjoy being outdoors, with family or friends.

 

Do you have any advice/tips for programming beginners?

Sure thing. I have many in fact! First, don’t ever allow yourself to get frustrated. If something doesn’t work at first, take a moment to relax and try it again later. Look for answers in blogs or forums, ask people. You will be able to solve it, sooner or later. Ideas come alone, you cannot force them to appear. Second, don’t get married to technology. I hear many people saying ‘yes, I program in X language’. There is a lot to learn in this field and its good that you try new things, all the time. Third, and last, find a community to support you. Programming is awesome, but if you can do it with a team, its even better. Sharing is good, and you will notice that you learn faster and better with a community that supports you. I really care about my colleagues, without them I wouldn’t be as I am right now.

Thanks Victoria! :)

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