A Developer’s Journey

“It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop.”
— Confucius

Welcome to the journey of my life in technology. Some may say it’s been too long for a dream—that it’s nothing more than that. But technology has been part of my life since third grade, when I was lucky to learn in the Math & Science Center in the basement of the East Cleveland Public Library in East Cleveland, OH.

There, we used Apple II computers—my first real glimpse of computing. I didn’t know it then, but the curiosity that started in that basement would trail me for years, waiting for me to notice.

When my family finally had a home computer, I wanted to write scripts and build things. Then life kept moving, and I started to believe this was something I could never truly achieve. It became a childhood dream I quietly tucked away.

Fast-forward to adulthood: I joined the U.S. Navy. While serving, I went deeper—binary concepts, advanced networking, the foundations behind the screens. But, as before, life was lifing, and a path into tech still didn’t feel clear.

During the pandemic I picked up JavaScript. I began to understand programming fundamentals and realized I’d been standing behind my own barrier to entry. Then I found community at Lambda School, where I learned HTML/CSS, JavaScript, React, and some backend with Node.js.

I thought it would lead straight to a tech job. It didn’t—but that wasn’t on the program. Many in my cohort (and alumni before us) landed great roles and are doing amazing work.

My story was different. Maybe because I was a single dad focused on providing. Maybe because I didn’t yet believe I belonged. Either way, I kept my day job and kept honing my skills—telling myself I’d keep going until I got better.

I went to work at Amazon, moved into leadership, and the money was good. But the stability became an anchor—steady and heavy—keeping me in a familiar, comfortable place when I knew there was more to explore.

The itch never stopped tugging. Through Amazon, I was accepted into a Java Developer Bootcamp run by Tech Elevator. We revisited HTML/CSS and went deep into Java, a backbone language for backend systems.

It was tough: I worked 45–60 hours a week, then sat through a five-hour class after a 12-hour shift. But I showed up. I learned. I grew.

Now I’m putting myself out there. I built this portfolio and a blog I’ll update at least twice a month—not just to show my technical growth, but my growth as a person.

So, welcome. Browse the projects, read the posts, and leave a note in the guestbook. This site is here to showcase my work, yes—but more than that, it’s here to show the power of perseverance.

Today, I’m not yet a working developer… but I will be soon. And that third-grader who once played on those Apple II computers will get to see where his curiosity led.

If you’re standing at the starting line, get moving—you can do it.

“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”
— Rumi