Wannabe Speakers Program

Mi camino comenzó con un inocente mensaje de WhatsApp de un ex colega con el que había compartido alguna pequeña charla. "¿Qué te parece unirte al programa de Wannabe Speaker en Codemotion?". Sin pensarlo mucho, un poco como Neo con la píldora roja, dije que sí. Dios mío, se trataba de un gran evento y estaría sola en el escenario, pero, al fin y al cabo, ¿qué tan diferente podría ser? "My sweet summer child", dirían en Westeros. Con ese sí, conocí a Emanuele Bartolesi, mi mentor designado y "ángel de la guarda" durante los dos meses siguientes.

Entre llamadas de Zoom, grupos de Telegram y 1:1 al límite de la psicoterapia, me llené de Tips & Tricks sobre public speaking. "¿Pero de verdad no quieres que te cuente qué quiero poner en las diapositivas?" Solo después entendí que Emanuele buscaba que hablara de cualquier cosa, pero que lo hiciera bien. Podría haber hablado sobre la migración de las luciérnagas o sobre técnicas de origami (bueno, tal vez no en Codemotion), lo importante era hacerlo bien.

El día del evento pensaba que estaba lista. Luego, cuando entré en el Superstudio de via Tortona, entendí que no era así. Llegué temprano para recoger el distintivo, y la multitud aún no había llegado. Tal vez fue el tamaño de los espacios, las luces estroboscópicas, las miles de auriculares futuristas en cada silla; en fin, me di cuenta de que era un evento de altísimo nivel. ¿Y estaría a la altura?

Probablemente no, si no fuera por el programa Wannabe Speaker. Es un poco como lanzarse, superar tus límites, pero con una red de seguridad. Y esa red son las caras amigas de tu mentor y de quienes compartieron ese camino contigo. Saber que, incluso si se cae el Wi-Fi, si la app de preguntas se bloquea justo cuando te están haciendo una, o si el puntero láser que llevaste no funciona en la pantalla demasiado brillante, no importa. Aun así, puedes lograrlo.

Claro, hay otros caminos: puedes improvisarte como ponente, pero debes estar preparado para aprender a ciegas y, a veces, incluso recibir golpes, sesión tras sesión. Pero créanme, si les escriben por WhatsApp preguntándoles si quieren participar en el Wannabe Speaker, no lo piensen demasiado: píldora roja y adelante.

Mentor: Emanuele Bartolesi - Codemotion Ambassador

Mentee:  Laura Villa

¿Quién eres y a qué te dedicas?

Soy Marta y trabajo como analista funcional, pero en mi tiempo libre aún desarrollo un poco.

¿Cómo conociste a tu mentora y qué hiciste durante la mentoría?

Mi mentora, Serena, hace muchísimas cosas, entre ellas es parte de la comunidad de SheTech, y nos conocimos gracias a esto. Después de conocernos en video, me escuchó, me acompañó e incentivó en la elaboración de una idea y la preparación de un breve relato que pudiera expresarla.

¿Cuáles eran tus expectativas?

Esperaba dar un salto en la oscuridad, porque hablar en un gran encuentro de carácter principalmente técnico me intimidaba. En cambio, el programa de mentoría me hizo sentir siempre segura y pude expresarme, apreciando aún más el contexto.

¿De qué tema hablaste durante tu charla?

Durante la charla hablé de "código amable", es decir, la forma de hacer coding y en general producir entregables técnicos que respeten a uno mismo y a los demás: no solo legibilidad, sino también cuidado, ironía, y belleza en el producto.

¿Cómo te sentiste cuando subiste al escenario?

Al subir al escenario estaba un poco preocupada, pero luego recordé las palabras de Serena: ¡Ve y rómpela! ¡Diviértete! Y debo decir que realmente me divertí.

¿Qué impacto tuvo esta iniciativa en tu crecimiento? ¿Es una experiencia que recomendarías? ¿Si es así, por qué?

Participar en Codemotion con un rol activo tuvo un impacto positivo en mi crecimiento personal porque me permitió dar un paso más hacia la autoconfianza. Recomiendo a cualquiera que intente presentar una charla, pero sobre todo lo recomiendo a todas: en el mundo tech nos necesitan, hay espacio para nosotras y debemos ser las primeras en creerlo.

¿Qué recomendarías para vivir al máximo y sacar el mayor provecho de esta experiencia?

Para aprovechar al máximo esta experiencia, recomiendo utilizar todo lo que la convención y su excelente organización ponen a disposición; instalaciones como la sala para los ponentes, los auriculares para escuchar mejor tu voz durante el discurso y los gadgets que estimulan el sentido de pertenencia realmente impulsan las ganas de hacerlo bien y hacen que el contexto se sienta como un entorno protegido y hogareño, el lugar donde quieres hablar.

Mentor: Serena Sensini - Codemotion Ambassador

Mentee:  Marta Scandellari

Hey folks! 👋🏼 Welcome to all tech and software development enthusiasts!

I'm Davide, Software Engineer @ Klarna, and I'm one of the 120 speakers who had the opportunity to step on stage to share their experience at Codemotion Milan 2023.
If you don't know what Codemotion is (that's a shame, you should!), it's the biggest tech conference in Italy 🇮🇹🤌🏼 and one of the biggest tech conferences in Europe. They organize a lot of events and webinars about a lot of topics: accessibility, AI, programming languages and much more.

My journey began when I received a message from my dear friend Emanuele on Telegram asking if I'd like to join Codemotion's WannaBe Speaker program and deliver a public session for the very first time in my life. Just to add a bit of context, Emanuele is a Codemotion ambassador, Microsoft MVP, GitHub Star and lastly GitHub Star of the Year (2023). He's always been my inspiration since day 0 when I started working in the IT world (I met him as a colleague in my first job experience) and he has always encouraged and motivated me to do my best to shine.

The mentorship with Emanuele was an intense and educational journey. He did something around 120 sessions in public and many more online, so I was sure that thanks to his incredible experience he would have advised me in the best way possible.
For these and many other reasons, his proposal to guide and mentor me through the world of public speaking was the spark that immediately ignited my determination and convinced me that I would make it, so I accepted!

Through Meet calls, Telegram groups, and individual sessions, Emanuele shared many essential but extremely helpful tips and strategies to face the stage with confidence.
He didn't just prepare me for the event; he aimed to bring out a unique communication style, valid for this session and for any other session I will do in the future.

Initially, I had many expectations and fears. It was my very first time at an event of this entity and at the same time, I had never spoken on a stage before so I was completely unaware of what I was going towards: it was a leap of faith. About 2400 people were attending the event, so I knew that I would have had to be well prepared on my topic and that my public speaking skills would have been put to a real test.
However, Codemotion's WannaBe Speaker program exceeded all my predictions: the event wasn't just a place to talk about technology and meet new cool people; it was a unique opportunity to grow as an individual.
Reality surpassed expectations, transforming the event into a springboard for my personal and professional growth.

The content of my session was about the View Transitions API, a new browser API still partially in beta and available just for Chromium browsers (as of today 😃).
I tried to convey my passion and knowledge on the subject, engaging the audience in a meaningful conversation. The preparation with Emanuele made this moment even more rewarding.

On the day of the talk, I was a bit nervous and excited at the same time: as soon as I reached the venue, I immediately realized how big it was and how many people there would have been: I was shocked! 🤯
I had the opportunity to meet new fantastic people, see familiar faces, and engage in insightful conversations that enriched both my professional network and personal experiences.

I also got the chance to stay in the "speaker room", where I took the opportunity to review my slides and check if everything was ready for the session that was planned for the afternoon.

The moment I stepped onto the stage was a mix of emotions: adrenaline, enthusiasm, and a slight tension blended as the audience awaited my words. Thanks to both Emanuele and the support of the program, I faced the stage with confidence, aware that I was up there for a reason and not because I was a random lucky person.

The session went pretty well: maybe I just started too quickly for fear of missing something during the speech 😅 As soon as I stepped off the stage, some people came to provide feedback and ask questions: that moment was probably my favorite because is the most "rewarding" - knowing that the audience was engaged and eager to discuss the topic made the entire experience truly fulfilling.

I highly recommend this experience for anyone aspiring to improve their speaking skills: it encourages personal and professional growth. Mentors like Emanuele create a stage for you to shine. Taking the red pill and joining this experience is a step toward inevitable growth and unlocking your potential. It's definitely worth it!

This initiative had a profound impact on my personal and professional growth. I learned to overcome the challenges of public speaking and gained confidence in my abilities. The network of connections and the experience with the WannaBe Speaker Program became invaluable resources for my future path.

In conclusion, Codemotion Milan 2023 was an absolutely unforgettable chapter in my career.
Thanks to the WannaBe Speaker Program, I overcame my fears and embraced the stage with confidence. -If you receive an invitation to participate, don't hesitate to take this unique opportunity!

Thanks to everyone who made this extraordinary journey possible!

See you at next year's Codemotion! 😉

Mentor: Emanuele Bartolesi - Codemotion Ambassador

Mentee:  Davide Mandelli

I had the incredible opportunity to attend and present at Codemotion in Milan, and let me tell you, it was an experience like no other! As a new tech enthusiast, being surrounded by like-minded individuals and industry experts was nothing short of exhilarating.

My presentation delved into the captivating realm of a transhumanist future, a topic that has been gaining popularity recently. The process of researching and learning about our ever-evolving human evolution was not only enlightening but also fueled my passion for the tech world.

However, I must admit – I didn't think stage fright was real until it happened! Stepping onto the stage for the second time was a daunting yet incredibly rewarding experience, especially considering it was my first conference. The nerves were real, but so was the sense of accomplishment that followed.

As the saying goes, "If at first, you don't succeed, try, try again." This phrase couldn't have rung truer for me during those moments on the stage. Overcoming the initial hesitation and embracing the challenge head-on reinforced the belief that the most certain way to succeed is always to try again.

Codemotion not only provided a platform for sharing insights into the tech world but also served as a personal growth journey. The supportive environment, coupled with the shared passion for technology, made the experience unforgettable. 

Here's to embracing the tech wave and looking forward to more opportunities for growth and learning in the dynamic world of technology. 👩🏽‍💻 🙌🏽 

A special thank you goes out to my incredible mentor Michela Bertaina 🚀 

Mentor: Michela Bertaina - Codemotion Community Program Manager

Mentee:  Yuvica Naidoo