In the face of challenges, let’s dive into the exhilarating journey of Black motherhood, where strength and resilience take center stage! Picture Katia, a true force of nature, conquering hurdles during pregnancy and childbirth with a spirit that refuses to back down. Katia’s story isn’t just about her own triumphs; it’s a powerful ode to the collective strength of Black mothers rewriting the narrative of maternal healthcare disparities. Through twists and turns, Katia’s tale radiates the infectious energy of love, community, and an unstoppable determination to shape a future filled with positive maternal experiences. Get ready for an electrifying story that not only celebrates but amplifies the radiant resilience of Black mothers, launching with Katia’s inspiring journey through the dynamic maze of maternal challenges. Buckle up for an exciting ride through triumphs, transformations, and the unstoppable spirit of Katia and countless mothers like her!

Hold on to your seats because this is a tale that starts with a date, June 8th, 2023, when the decision to take a pregnancy test turned my world into a rollercoaster of emotions! Armed with the typical test, those nerve-wracking lines initially screamed negative (or so I thought). Fast forward a week, my menstrual visitor was a no-show, prompting a strategic upgrade to the test with actual words — you know, the one that boldly declares “Pregnant” or “Not Pregnant.” The suspense was palpable as my boyfriend, and I anxiously counted down the seemingly endless 3 minutes. Drumroll, please! The results flashed, and guess what? I was officially joining the ranks of impending parenthood. Cue the excitement and a tidal wave of emotions!

But wait, there’s a twist. In the midst of the joyous celebration, the reality of being labeled as a “high-risk pregnancy” hit hard. At 36 when the stork is set to visit, I’m deemed ‘advanced maternal age’ in the healthcare handbook, adding a dash of complexity to this thrilling journey. Brace yourselves as we delve into the world of high-risk pregnancy, where I’m navigating the challenges like a superhero — from potential complications like unusual placenta positions to battling the notorious duo of high blood pressure and pre-diabetes. It’s a rollercoaster, but hey, we’re turning every twist and turn into a thrilling adventure!

Buckle up for the wild ride that was my first prenatal appointment at 8 weeks! Finding a new OB/GYN in the area had me feeling like an explorer on a quest, and the excitement was through the roof. Little did I know, this office had a unique twist — they wanted patients to meet all five OB/GYNs in the practice. Challenge accepted, I thought, ready to dive into this adventure.

Cue the research montage! Armed with online videos and expectations sky-high, reality hit me like a plot twist in a blockbuster movie. The first red flag unfurled its ominous banner when, due to my high blood pressure and white-coat syndrome, both OB/GYNs I met wanted to play fast and loose with my medication dosage without even hearing me out. Huge red flag alert!

But the drama didn’t stop there. Miscommunication between the front office staff and the OB/GYN became the second red flag, setting the scene for a comedy of errors. Then came the grand finale — or rather, the third red flag — as neither OB/GYN displayed the bedside manner I craved. Rushed appointments, unaddressed concerns, and a vibe that said, “Google it yourself” left me contemplating a swift exit.

Thank the stars for instincts! Recognizing the need for change, I embarked on a quest to find the right fit. Enter the superhero co-worker, armed with the perfect recommendation — a place with midwives that turned out to be an absolute game-changer. Talk about plot twists and turns!

Embark on the thrilling journey through my first and second trimesters, where every moment unfolds like a page-turner filled with surprises and milestones! 🌟 The first trimester, the vital foundation of baby development, brought unexpected twists to my story. While common symptoms like morning sickness and mood swings seemed elusive, my personal lineup included frequent bathroom breaks, cravings for steak and potatoes, and an unexpected bigger bust — talk about a plot twist! As a high-risk mom-to-be, my journey led me to Inova Loudon Hospital, a beacon of exceptional care.

The excitement continued with a series of appointments every 2 to 4 weeks. Highlights included the heartbeat melody at 8 weeks, the revealing Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) at 10 weeks, and the revealing Anatomy Scan at 20 weeks where our baby girl, despite her breech position, stole the show.

Amidst these moments, I cherished feeling her light motions, especially during work meetings — she seemed to love sprint planning! A weekly chiropractor rendezvous became my secret weapon against back pain and rib discomfort. The second trimester climaxed with a joyful milestone — our baby girl surpassing my birth weight at 25 weeks, marking a sentimental victory for both of us.

And then, cue the third trimester! Smooth sailing took a surprising turn at 30 weeks when I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. Annoyance aside, the health of my baby and me took precedence, leading to the prescription of metformin and diligent blood sugar monitoring. Weekly doctor visits, nonstress tests, and the persistent breech position of our little one kept the excitement alive.

The climax of this rollercoaster was reached at 32 weeks when a c-section became the advised route due to my baby’s persistent breech position along with Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is when the fetal weight is estimated to be below the 10th percentile for its gestational age .

Labor induction, a separate narrative altogether, wasn’t recommended due to potential risks. This decision came with a flurry of emotions, but as I looked at the positive side — my baby forever looking up to me — I embraced the unforeseen twist with a smile. So here’s to the unexpected, the educational, and the exciting ride that is pregnancy!

Hold onto your hats for this unexpected twist at 34 weeks — it’s like a plot twist in a soap opera! So, there I am, cruising into another routine follow-up with the midwives, thinking everything’s peachy, right? Wrong! My blood pressure decides to skyrocket, and protein makes a surprise guest appearance in my urine, cue the dramatic music, and bam — Preeclampsia is the star of the show. Ugh, the one word I’ve been avoiding like the plague throughout this whole pregnancy.

The midwife drops the bomb — hospital admission. Say what? I wanted my little munchkin to stay in there, marinating, until at least 37 weeks. Cue the waterworks and an emotional rollercoaster ride. Fast forward to Thursday 1/11, and I’m in the hospital, hooked up to machines, getting my vitals checked every 4 hours — it’s a real party in there, let me tell ya.

Thursday night, I’m having what feels like mild cramps — nothing major, just a level 2 on my pain scale. Friday morning rolls around, and the docs drop the bombshell — baby girl has to make her grand entrance, either Friday or Saturday. Wait, what? After a day of nail-biting, Friday afternoon, they declare it’s C-section time, and I’m scheduled for Saturday 1/13/24.

The big day arrives, and I’m walking into the operating area — bright lights everywhere (seriously, where’s the dimmer switch?), machines beeping, and it’s all happening so fast. The anesthesiologist is explaining the whole process, and there’s a nurse trying to calm my nerves because, let’s face it, I’m nervous as heck. Team briefing, medical history recap — check. Now, boyfriend’s by my side, blood pressure behaving, and it’s showtime.

In the operating room, it’s like an orchestra of medical professionals doing their thing — synchronized chaos, if you will. I’m staring at my boyfriend, the team’s in full swing, and before I know it, our baby girl makes her debut, complete with cries — music to my ears. Family photo time, boyfriend rocks his dad duties, and off to the NICU goes our little bundle of joy, with him right by her side. Meanwhile, I’m in the post-op room, recovering and processing the whirlwind that just happened.

Alright, folks, here’s the thrilling aftermath of my hospital escapades! So, after the post-op room shenanigans, I upgrade to the Labor & Delivery floor, thinking I could catch some Zs. Spoiler alert: Rest in a hospital? Myth busted! No sleep for this new mom — hospitals are basically the land of never-ending beeps and check-ins.

Fast forward a bit, and the NICU is calling my baby girl’s name. But hold up, I’m on this post-C-section medication rollercoaster, so the night nurse, a total sweetheart, hooks me up with a wheelchair for the grand ride. Like, come on, I can totally strut my stuff post-surgery, but rules are rules.

Now, onto the NICU chronicles! With my little munchkin arriving ahead of schedule, we’re talking about reaching those milestone grams and mastering the art of sucking reflex for bottle feeding — formula and donor milks, you name it! Huge shoutout to the rockstar NICU team at INOVA Loudoun Birthing Center — they’re the real MVPs, showing us clueless new parents the ropes of feeding, bathing, and diaper-changing. Hardest part? Leaving the hospital without my bundle of joy. Heartbreaking, yes, but hey, she needed those extra days to conquer her milestones.

Every day is a NICU adventure — hearing tests, car seat assessments (the one-hour suspense), and the gourmet skill of bottle-feeding. Fast forward to the grand finale — a week later, at 35 weeks and 4+ days, my little superstar was ready to hit the road!

And let’s talk pregnancy survival tips: no comparing on social media (everyone’s journey is unique!), being my own advocate, a flexible birth plan (because life happens), following my gut instincts (changing providers was a game-changer), and keeping the stress levels on mute. Shoutout to the fantastic new job that made my life stress-free — couldn’t have done it without them! Supportive family and friends? Oh, absolutely!

Now, the grand finale — a week post-baby arrival, I’m at a follow-up, and guess what? Gestational diabetes? Gone! No more sugar checks, no more meds. Blood pressure? Back to chill mode. And on January 13, 2024, I officially earned the title of MOM. It’s been a wild ride, and I hope sharing my story shines a light on a positive Black woman experience during pregnancy. Here’s to the adventures of mom life — cheers!

I’ve been working as a Scaled Agile (SAFe) Scrum Master for the past 3 months, and it’s been an amazing journey! Initiating my transition from System Engineer to a Scaled Agile Scrum Master, I’ve had the privilege to apply new knowledge in Agile project management. I’d love to share some of the responsibilities within this role and how it applies to SAFe.

First and foremost, in this new role, “I hit the ground running. “However, since this was my 1st role as a SAFe Scrum Master, I decided to earn the new Scaled Agile 6 Scrum Master certification. Earning this certification allowed me to understand the new framework changes in terminology and bring more ideas to the teams and the organization.

Before earning this certification, I obtained version five about two years ago. Still, I never obtained a Scrum Master position since my previous positions didn’t align with a typical Scrum Master position. However, I wanted something different in my career, so I applied to one SAFe Scrum Master position and received a job offer. Now that I’ve earned this certification, I can apply the concepts to accelerate my skills in this position. Next, I will share some of the responsibilities to assist you in possibly pursuing a role as a Scaled Agile Scrum Master.

Second, communication is key to success; ensure open communication lines with your team members and stakeholders. Regularly provide updates and progress reports and actively listen to feedback.

Third, building relationships with the team members and stakeholders. This approach allowed me to become a servant leader and motivate them toward achieving the delivery goals. One method I had to learn was collaborating with Developers and Test Engineers.

Supporting a development and test team in a scaled agile environment can be daunting. It requires the right tools, processes, and resources to ensure the team can work effectively and efficiently. I’m using Azure DevOps to keep track of the team engineering and test stories and adjust the team flows to deliver products on time.

As a Scaled Agile (SAFe) Scrum Master, you will facilitate team events this includes: team syncs, sprint planning, and retrospectives.

A team sync is a 15-minute meeting with the Development and Tester to ensure everyone is on the same page and plan the work for the iteration. For a Scrum Master to facilitate meetings effectively, from my experience, it takes practice to ensure the team stays within the 15-minute time box.

One method that works is utilizing the tool during the meeting. This allows each team member to go through what they completed and communicate in blockers during this time.

Fourth, be flexible Agile methodology is all about being flexible and adaptable. Be prepared to make changes to the project plan as needed and be open to feedback and suggestions from the team. During the sprint planning event, many changes will occur within those two weeks; therefore, being flexible is valuable in this role.

Fifth, As a Scrum Master, you create a positive team culture. Encourage a culture of trust, respect, and transparency, where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions. Another major responsibility is building high-performing teams.

Sixth, improving the Agile Release Train (ART) performance is a major responsibility in this role. During my first 90 days, I had to learn this by trial and error. When I arrived at the role, the organization was in the last two sprints, and the PI Planning event happened in a week. In the past, I participated in PI Planning events. However, I was not planning the two-day event, so I went “hit the ground running.”

Finally, the most challenging part of this role is coordinating event meetings. Since other ARTs might also connect to your ART, finding the best days in times is hard work.

As a SAFe Scrum Master, I can use my 10 years of experience in various roles ( System Test Engineer, Program Analyst, System Engineer) meaningfully. I bring my knowledge and expertise to help organizations achieve their goals. This role allows me to collaborate with teams and stakeholders while helping them adopt Agile practices. It is an exciting role that allows me to learn and grow while helping others do the same continuously.

Decentralized Website

Decentralized websites are websites that use blockchain and cryptography to store data on a decentralized system. This is different from traditional websites which are hosted on a central server, with the data being controlled by the company.

Blockchain technology is inherently decentralized and very safe. This ensures no one person will ever be able to control or access your information. Many companies who want to keep their information as secure as possible have started using blockchains.

Next I want to talk about Interplanetary File system (IPFS) and how Pinata works.

What is an Interplanetary File System (IFPS) and how does it work?

IPFS is a peer-to-peer distributed file system. It has the potential to replace HTTP as the protocol for transferring and storing files on the internet. This system can be used to create a decentralized website or web application that has no single point of failure and can’t be shut down.

The IPFS protocol has been around for some time, and is designed to break up files into different blocks which are distributed across nodes on a network. In the event that a node goes down, other nodes can take over serving their pieces until it gets back up again. Now let’s learn about Pinata.

Pinata

Pinata is an NFT media management service that allows users to host, manage and share files of any kind on the blockchain of their choice. It’s also a decentralized file storage service that allows you to upload data and share it with others. To learn more, check out the site pinata.cloud. It has a tutorial that I will describe how to upload files soon.

How to Create a Decentralized Website

Decentralized websites are a relatively new concept, however they’re becoming more and more popular. To set up a decentralized website, you’ll need an domain from https://unstoppabledomains.com/

Step 1: Configure the site. In reference to, an unstoppable domain documentation

All IPFS websites must adhere to the following constraints:

All of the content for your website is contained in one directory, with an index.html file at the top level.

All links within your source files are relative links.

Step 2: Convert WordPress site to a static site.

• Installed the plugin Simply Static to WordPress
• Generated the files and downloaded the zip file
• Review the index.html to make sure the format is correct

Step 3: Upload files to IPFS site ( Pinata)

• Extract the static files from the zip folder
• Create an account on Pinata
• Upload the files from the site on Pinata
• Then, click Folder and select the folder containing the website files you wish to upload.
• When the upload is complete, the IPFS CID (or IPFS hash ) will appear under the Pin Manager tab.

Step 4: Adding the CID to the domain

• Log into your unstoppable domain account ( I use the MetaMask wallet to log into the site)
• Select My Domains
• Select Manage next to the domain you want to use
• Select the Website tab

Step 5. IPFS Hash is created and a new link for site is on the Polygon Blockchain

To confirm success go to viewblock.io

In this graphic, you will see the URL, IFPS site, the owner wallet address, the OpenSea NFT, and the polygon blockchain.

Step 6: Resolving D-Websites in a Browser

I’m really impressed by this new technology — it took a few minutes of going through different browsers to find the right way to get it to work with my browser (I use Google Chrome).

ChromeBrowser Settings Menu > Privacy and security > Security > Advanced section and set Custom URL as https://resolver.unstoppable.io/dns-query

If you want to use a different browser for Web3 then try out Brave

https://unstoppabledomains.com/brave_pa

Now that I’ve successfully launched a D-Website what are some lessons learned with this new technology.

Lessons Learned

The most important lesson is to educate those still new to it, who haven’t experienced the Web3 browser interface. It can take a while to get used to using it and learn new skills, but it’s worth the effort. The second lesson is to understand the technical side of things, which will be significantly different from what people are used to on Web 2 browsers.

The Ultimate Guide to How to Create a Decentralized Website Using an IPFS was originally published in CoinsBench on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Oct 2022, I started my journey in Web3 Development and enrolled in the LearnWeb3DAO Freshman track. A month later, I completed the Sophomore Track in 4 weeks. The first series of articles will cover building a Whitelist dApp, next Creating an NFT Collection, then Launching an Initial Coin Offering, Launching a fully on-chain DAO, and finally, Building a Decentralized Exchange like Uniswap.

Most of my experience deals with being on the front end as an investor in NFTs and investing in certain cryptocurrencies. Going through the LearnWeb3DAO for Web3 Developers, I now understand the technology from the backend. Next, let’s learn some Web3 knowledge.

Whitelist

Back in Oct-21 — Dec 21, it was a grind to get whitelisted on very popular NFT projects. A whitelist or another term Cryptocurrency Whitelist is a list or group of administered-approved addresses for you to participate in a presale for an NFT collection. The purpose of the presale is to claim early access to an NFT collection.

Here is a list of best practices I followed for minting NFTs during the whitelist phase.

- Research social media platforms such as Twitter and join the NFT collection discord channel for announcements

- Set my calendar for the time of the release date and remain active in the discord channel for any scams that might arise

- Get hype with the discord fam for the releases 😊

- Use a burner wallet- only use it for minting purposes and have the funds you need for that project. The purpose is to keep your other funds safe from scammers during this time.

- Important rule DO NOT SHARE YOUR PRIVATE KEYS EVER!

- Enjoy being stressed out because there is always a problem when the mint is live

- You are the owner of that NFT; you can sell it or make a profit.

Now that you know and understand this process from a user point of view. Let’s learn the blockchain concepts behind the Whitelist and the requirements. Below is the tech stack I used for this project.

Prerequisites

- Windows OS

- Visual Studio Code

- Gitbash terminal

- GitHub

- Vercel

- Metamask Wallet

- Mumbai Polygon Blockchain

- React, Next.js

Building a Smart Contract

To build the smart contract for the Whitelist, I used Windows OS, Visual Studio Code (vscode), and Hardhat. Here are the commands to start the Javascript project. In the command prompt terminal.

Setting up the Hardhat project, insert these commands in the terminal

Then insert the command npx hardhat. Choose the option to create a JavaScript project.

A rule for going through these tutorials in LearnWeb3DAO is to check the code and remember to make changes if you customize it from the instructions. Most of the instructions used the goerli testnet. However, I decided to try Mumbai due to the faster transactions.

Now let’s create the code for the smart contract. Create a new file in the contracts folder called Whitelist.sol.

For this project, I’m deploying to the Mumbai network. Next, go to the scripts folder and replace the code in deploy.js with this code.

Now create a .env file in the hardhat-tutorial folder and add the following lines. I used Alchemy to create a node provider to connect to different blockchains.

Insert this code in the .env file.

ALCHEMY_API_KEY_URL= "add Alchemy url here"

PRIVATE_KEY="add-the-private-key-here"

Do not share your private key! Keep it safe!

Install dotenv package to be able to import the env file and use it in our config. Open up a terminal pointing at hardhat-tutorial directory and execute this command

npm install dotenv

Now open the hardhat.config.js file, add the Mumbai network to deploy the contract to the Mumbai network. Replace all the lines in the hardhat.config.js file with the given below lines

Compile the contract, open up a terminal pointing at hardhat-tutorial directory and execute this command

npx hardhat compile

To deploy, open up a terminal pointing at hardhat-tutorial directory and execute this command

npx hardhat run scripts/deploy.js --network mumbai

Important to save the contract address after this command will need it later.

The deployment of the smart contract was successful. Now it’s time to build the website using react and next.js.

Website Development

React and Next.js

In the freshman track, the first dApp used HTML. Hence, adding more skills is important in the sophomore track another way to build websites is using React and Next.js. I’ve also seen that React is a major skill to learn in the web3 space.

“React is a declarative, efficient, and flexible JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It lets you compose complex UIs from small and isolated pieces of code called “components”.

Creating the Website

First, You will need to create a new next app. To create this next-app, in the terminal point to Whitelist-Dapp folder and type

npx create-next-app@latest

and press enter for all the questions. Your folder structure should look something like

- Whitelist-Dapp

- hardhat-tutorial

- my-app

Now to run the app, execute these commands in the terminal

cd my-app

npm run dev

Once you run that command the local host address should show.

The users need to add their wallet addresses to the Whitelist. To implement this task, install Web3Modal Library.

Open up a terminal pointing atmy-app directory and execute this command

npm install web3modal

In the same terminal also install ethers.js

npm install ethers

Now create a new folder under the my-app folder and name it constants. In the constants folder create a file, index.js and paste the following code.

export const WHITELIST_CONTRACT_ADDRESS = "YOUR_WHITELIST_CONTRACT_ADDRESS";

export const abi = YOUR_ABI;

Replace "YOUR_WHITELIST_CONTRACT_ADDRESS" with the address of the whitelist contract that you deployed. Replace "YOUR_ABI" with the ABI of your Whitelist Contract. To get the ABI for your contract, go to your hardhat-tutorial/artifacts/contracts/Whitelist.sol folder and from your Whitelist.json file get the array marked under the "abi" key (it will be. a huge array, close to 100 lines if not more).

The step above is very important. Make sure to double check the abi key.

Now in your terminal which is pointing to my-app folder, execute

npm run dev

No errors. Next step is to push code to GitHub. In this project the my-app created a git file. Which caused an issue to create a submodule folder. This was not going to work because I was not able to deploy the folder on the vercel app.

To solve this problem of course go to discord to see if anyone else had the same problem. One important note was to insert this command in gitbash point to the my-app folder.

rm -rf .git

This command will remove the git file from the my-app folder.

Deploying dApp

Since the code is loading on github. Now go to vercel and sign in with your GitHub account.

• Then click on New Project button and then select your Whitelist dApp repo

• When configuring your new project, Vercel will allow you to customize your Root Directory
• Click Edit next to Root Directory and set it to my-app
• Select the Framework as Next.js
• Click Deploy
• Now you can see your deployed website by going to your dashboard, selecting your project, and copying the URL from there!

Here is the final result here http://whitelist-dapp-kldtia.vercel.app/. Anyone can add their wallet addresses to the Whitelist. The next project is to Build an NFT Collection.

To learn more enroll in LearnWeb3DAO to develop a developer portfolio.

In the first series of this article, I shared my experience building a Decentralized Application (dApp). This second series is Building an NFT using ERC-721. But before I break down the process, let us discuss more Blockchain concepts and the tools for this project.

Blockchain Concepts

In Oct 2021, I decided to expand my knowledge and enroll in a course to earn the NFT Expert certification through Blockchain Council. Furthermore, learning about certain topics assisted me in excelling in this project. One concept I learned was Ethereum Request for Comments (ERC). An ERC is a standard used for developing new Ethereum-based tokens. Regarding this project to build a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), the ERC-721 is the standard.

ERC- 721 Standard

HardHat

Next, let us discuss Hardhat. This development software for Ethereum allows users to edit, compile, debug and deploy smart contracts and dApps. The website has a tutorial to become more familiar with the software. Now the exciting part is the project walkthrough and lessons learned.

Project Walkthrough

First, let us start with the preparation.

- MetaMask Wallet

- Visual Studio Code

- Terminal ( Command Prompt) If you are using Windows OS or the Terminal in VSC

- Node.js

The second step is building the smart contract. In the first article series I went over smart contracts now it’s just more in depth with the razzle dazzle using hardhat.

Open the command prompt and type commands

Then you will create a Javascript project

Write the NFT Smart Contract

Install the OpenZeppelin contracts to get access to the ERC-721 contracts. Using the same command prompt terminal type in the command

npm install @openzeppelin/contracts

Using Visual Studio Code, let us create a file for NFTee.sol. This code is for the smart contract using the solidity programming language.

Now compile the smart contract with this command npx hardhat compile

If you get no errors you are good to go!

Configuring Deployment

Create a deploy.js file in VSC.

Create an .env file in the NFT-Tutorial folder.

Quicknode

Quicknode is a node provider. If you know about cloud services, this is similar to AWS Elastic Cloud Compute (EC2). The next step

- Create a .env file in the NFT Tutorial folder ( using VSC)

- Create an account on Quicknode

- Create an Endpoint

- Select Ethereum

- Select Goerli network

- Click Continue

When that is complete, insert the HTTP provider link for the command below

The next step is to get your private key from your MetaMask wallet.

DO NOT SHARE YOUR PRIVATE KEY WITH ANYONE!

· The step above is where I messed up on this project.

Now to import the .env file with this command npm install dotenv

In the VSC tool you will see the hardhat.config.js file. Now update the file with the code below to deploy the code to the Goerli network.

Final step to make sure it all works. In the command prompt use this command npx hardhat run scripts/deploy.js — network goerli

Once I put that final command in this error below appeared.

To ask for assistance I went to the LearnWeb3DAO discord channel. Everyone in the chat was so helpful trying to figure this error out. I even started over from the start to see if it would remove the error.

The issues for the error I was inserting my account address from MetaMask instead of the Private Key!

I went back to the .env file and inserted the correct private key. Redid the command npx hardhat run scripts/deploy.js — network goerli

Success! I deployed the NFT on the Goerli network!

In summary, from a non-coder, I’m glad I got out of my comfort zone. I expanded my knowledge created more smart contracts and learned in-depth topics and new tools. Next is to move on to the Sophomore track with LearnWeb3DAO. My final goal is to transition into the Blockchain/ Web3 workforce.

It has been a full year since I embarked on this Web3 journey for a non-coder like myself. I tried to avoid anything dealing with coding. However, I decided to get outside of my comfort zone.

In this article, I’m sharing my experience enrolling in my 1st web3 Developer Decentralized Autonomous Organization LearnWeb3 DAO to build the following projects: a Decentralized Application(dApp), creating a token, and finally, a Non-Fungible Token using ERC-721 completed in one week. This article will cover the dApp.

Building a Decentralized Application with Ethers.js

The freshman track is for beginners who are new to Web 3. From my point of view, since I have already completed a few projects through Odyssey DAO and am familiar with some programming languages, this was an excellent starting point.

The base of the project is to build a Hypertext Markup Language (HMTL) webpage, code a basic smart contract and finally connect with the webpage and smart contact on Ethers.js (Javascript).

Decentralized application (dApp)

A Decentralized Application (dApp) are programs or digital application that runs either on the blockchain or a peer-to-peer (P2P) network. The two major components of a dApp are the front-end and back-end. For this project, the webpage is the front end that communicates with the user, and the smart contract is the back end that runs on the server. Now let’s learn about front-end of the webpage.

Coding in HTML

HTML programming language to build the webpage. If you are old enough to remember the Myspace era, some of us were coding and editing our web pages to fit our personalities. For this, the HTML webpage is the 1st layer. Here are the building blocks for this project, with additional tools to learn along the way.

The first step is downloading and installing the MetaMask wallet if you do not have one already.

Change the Mainnet to a test network. In this project, change to the Goerli test network.

- Request some Goerli Tesnet Ether from a faucet loaded into your Metamask Wallet.

- Install HTTP server

- Install Node.js (Download and Instructions)

Install lite-server (with NPM in a terminal/command prompt):

Now it’s time to write the code for the webpage. If you never coded before, it might be confusing at 1st reading the template to understand what is needed. One way to familiarize yourself is to compare it to the format of an essay outline.

The final outcome of the code is for the application to read write values within the blockchain. To test to see if the code was successful open command prompt and run the command lite-server.

After I put the command in, the dApp loaded successfully. The second layer of this project is to build and deploy a smart contract.

Building and Deploying a Smart Contract

Smart Contract

Smart contracts are self-executing lines of code with the terms of an agreement between buyer and seller automatically verified and executed via a computer network. Or, simply, a program code or transaction on a decentralized platform. Remix IDE is one tool to use to create a smart contract.

Remix IDE

Remix IDE is an open-source web and desktop application developers use to develop smart contracts in Solidity programming language. Since we understand a smart contract and the tool to use, let’s create the code.

Solidity Programming Language

Solidity is an object-oriented, high-level language for implementing smart contracts. This language is also a curly bracket language designed to target the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). An EVM is the runtime environment for smart contracts in Ethereum. According to Solidity Language .org, ensure to use the latest version when deploying contracts to receive security fixes.

Deploy the contract on the Goerli Testnet.

Make sure the Metamask Wallet is connected to the Goerli Testnet.

Make sure you select the right compiler version to match the solidity contract. (In the compile tab)

Compile the code using the “Solidity Compiler” tab. Note that it may take a moment to load the compiler

Deploy the contract under the “Deploy and Run Transactions” tab

Under the Deployed Contracts section, you can test your functions on the Remix Run tab to ensure your contract works as expected!

Connecting the Webpage and Smart Contract

Finally, the 3rd layer is to connect the webpage to the smart contract. As mentioned previously, the tools used so far are Visual Studio Code and Remix IDE for the webpage and the smart contract. Therefore, a connection between these two is needed. To accomplish this, open the index.html file from VSC and add this additional code.

Importing Ethers.js to the webpage

This code is inserted into the index.html file, tested out, and connected with MetaMask.

The outcome is the contract listed on Etherscan.

In summary, this project exposed me to the Web3 Developer career path. As a non-coder being active in the Discord community with LearnWeb3DAO assisted in my success with finishing part 1 of the freshman track. Tune in for Part 2 for Building an NFT Smart Contract using HardHat.

Introduction

I’ve been contributing to the Web 3 space for the past 8 months. One common theme is joining a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) to connect with like-minded people and lend your expertise to a project. So, I decided to join the Odyssey Bootcamp to learn more about the various topics in Web 3. Here’s a recap of what I learned and how I implemented best practices from the Bootcamp.

Intro to Web 3

In session 3 of the bootcamp Intro to Web 3 was covered. What is Web 3? Web 3 is the next phase of the internet read, write, and own. The key concept is for the internet to be decentralized. People create and own their contributions through tokens.

An example of owning your content is through writing. One site that I recently used is called Mirror. Mirror is a suite of web3-native publishing and economic tools powering the next generation of creators, communities, and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs).

I published my 1st article, 134 Days As an NFT Collector on the Solana Blockchain: My Complete Journey on Mirror. People can now collect this article as an NFT and support my work. With other writers. Check out this article by Eshita with a full overview of Web3: in a nutshell. The next topic was Intro To Decentralized Finance ( Defi).

Intro to Defi

In Session 4 the topic Defi was very interesting. Decentralized Finance (Defi) is financial services that run on a smart contract instead of relying on the banks and exchanges that people are currently using. I did not realize I was implementing some concepts independently.

Implementation of Concepts

Swapping Tokens: The concept of swapping tokens is exchanging a different token for another token. For instance, when I purchase NFTs on the Solana Blockchain, I need to have Solana ( SOL) in my phantom wallet. But what if I don’t have enough? I can swap Ethereum ( ETH) to SOL to cover the difference or any other token.

Another example of swapping tokens instead of using a wallet utilizing a Decentralized Exchange (DEX) example Uniswap. A DEX lets anyone swap two tokens. Next, let’s cover staking cryptocurrencies and Non- Fungible Tokens (NFT).

Staking Crypto and NFTs: This concept deals with locking up your crypto to earn passive income. You can also stake NFTs. Since most of my experience is on Solana. Here are the steps to staking using the Phantom Wallet

Purchase any amount of Solana on an exchange ( Coinbase, or from the Phantom wallet Moon Pay, or FTX)

Send it to your Phantom wallet’s public address ( Double-check the address before sending)

In your Phantom wallet, tap “Start earning SOL” and choose a validator

Staking NFTs: This is the same concept; here is one project, The Fracture that I currently own. I locked up both of my NFTs to earn passive income. The longer it’s stored, the more I earn.

Intro to a DAO

In session 6 Intro to Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO). I describe a DAO as connecting with like- minded people that has a common goal to achieve in a project. Or it could be defined as a community that’s owned and managed by its members.

Currently we work in a hierarchical structure led by the CEO and other executives. Whereas a DAO is a flat structure, and anyone can join and be apart of this effort.

To join some other DAO’s check out these resources

https://directory.superdao.co/

https://daocentral.com/

https://discoverdaos.com/

In the next few months, I plan on joining some other Dao’s within the Web 3 space to contribute to other projects and add to my Web3 Resume.

Next Steps

In conclusion, this bootcamp was informative, if you want to learn about Web 3, I recommend joining and contributing to other projects within the DAO. One project on the radar is their upcoming NFT project.

Exploring the Web 3 space is confusing but exciting at the same time. This tweet below was my next step in learning more. I signed up right away and was accepted. One exciting project was creating a Polygon Token. Get ready for the Alpha knowledge.

Odyssey Bootcamp

This 2 week Bootcamp covered the following topics:

Intro to Web 3

Intro to Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

Intro to Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO)

Intro to Non-fungible tokens (NFT)

Applications

Future of Web3

Learn and Build in Web 3 provided by https://fweb3.xyz/. There were 9 steps to complete to win a trophy NFT. The last step being, creating your token, was the most exciting part. But what is a token? A token is a record or crypto asset. Next, let’s start the process of creating a token.

Setup a MetaMask Wallet and Polygon Network

First step is to create a MetaMask wallet and add the Polygon Network. After your wallet is created you can start the project.

Deploying a Smart Contract

For this exercise, I used a tool called Remix, an integrated development environment, to write and execute programs in Ethereum. I also referenced an ERC20 Token code in Solidity and the video How to Deploy a Contract Using Remix. Next, let’s analyze the steps.

Above is the 1st attempt at deploying the smart contract code. However, I got an error. Let’s see what I did wrong.

Let’s start from the second line, which indicates the source code for Solidity version 8 up to version 9. Second, the import function line is an insert from Open Zeppelin. The third is naming the contract. Fourth, it was an error after I complied and ran the script.

Once I compiled the token. sol file again. It worked and thus the DeanPolygonToken was created.

How To Read the Smart Contract

This valuable tweet created by Chris Cantino breaks down how to analyze a smart contract. In conclusion, creating my token was insightful. I’m proud that I have a token that I can exchange with other people on the blockchain.

Stay tuned for my next article on the final review of the Odyssey Bootcamp and other topics I learned.

Creating a Token On The Polygon Blockchain was originally published in CoinsBench on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Web3 is an ever evolving space that first drew me in with the ability to constantly learn new things and be an active participant. I noticed a big technology change during the pandemic as more businesses transitioned to online, and Web 3 blossomed before my eyes. Thus, it was time to use my transferable skills and desires to change my career. I will share the alpha knowledge you need to get started.

Changing My Mindset

In this journey of finding a new position in the Web 3 space, I had to unlearn some habits.

These habits included:

- Doing things a certain way due to precedent

- Discouraging innovating thinking

- Collaborating with closed-minded individuals

Once I unlearned these habits, navigating the Web 3 space became easier. Here are some new habits I embraced:

- Learning that the community is an important aspect

- Being involved in Discord Communities such as MetaIntro and NFT Communities

- Embracing my creative thinking

- Strategizing a new job search

Building a Web 3 Resume and Digital Portfolio

As I mentioned before, changing your mindset is critical. Therefore, I had to make sure that my resume was Web 3 friendly and create a digital portfolio to show how I contributed to the Web 3 community.

What are some aspects I changed to my resume

- Focused on a creative aspect ( used Canva and added an avatar and emojis)

- Added a section for Web 3 in my situation ( being an NFT Enthusiast)

- Created a digital portfolio focusing on projects ( NFT collection, codeless conduct projects, and Proof of Acceptance Protocols (POAP)

Once I made these few changes, I started to attend Twitter spaces to understand the lingo and participated in a few workshops from MetaIntro to get the tea.

Applying to No-Code Positions

Now that I had a Web 3 resume and digital portfolio, it was time to apply to some positions. Hence, I had to learn additional Web 3 concepts, such as the basics of blockchain technology and understanding the purpose of an NFT. Some resources I used:

- Whiteboard Crypto

- Earned the following certs for background knowledge through Blockchain Council

- Conducted research on Twitter

- Join various discord channels

- Participated in Codeless Conduct Hackathon

- Accepted into the Odyssey DAO Bootcamp ( and participated as a contributor for the growth area) 4/21- 22 / 5–13–22

- Active Member and contributor in the MetaIntro Community

Transferable Skills

I have gained a wide range of skills throughout my career, and knowing where these skills aligned is very important for this industry. Here is a brief overview of my skills:

- Knowledge of the following concepts

Engineering ( Electronic Undergraduate Degree)

Cybersecurity Technology ( Master’s degree) — nontechnical

Project Management

System Development Lifecycle or Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)

Entrepreneurship ( Founder of Katia’s Cylife)

Scrum, Agile, and Scaled Agile (SAFe)

Product Management

Finally mastering some black girl magic!

Job Descriptions

On the contrary, to what is “described” for numerous positions, there is still one major problem. The problem is the massive disconnect between the recruiter, the job posting, and what the hiring manager needs for the role.

Since I understand the transferable skills to succeed as a Product Manager, Project Manager, or Program Manager. It’s time to analyze these job posting.

Below are a few job postings I applied for, received an interview, but was led to either the “we decided to go with other candidates” or “the hiring manager said you need some coding” ( which was not in the job posting before applying). Note these are not “ Technical PM roles” where you actually need to understand some kind of coding language.

Common Theme

Regardless of how similar the job posting are, or experience etc. The major issues as stated is the disconnect. I’ve been on numerous interviews and these are the questions I ask to get some clarity. ( During the recruiter call)

• Is there coding involved, or code reviews? Why do I ask this question since Web 3 is new some companies want you to wear multiple hats. Even though as a PM is the “ glue between various stakeholders, and keep projects, or products on track”.
• Is this a Technical PM or a non technical PM position ? This is important because this allows me to give feedback in the recruiter screen call to make note of updating job posting to list skills that is needed. Maybe this will reduce wasting people time and finding the right people with those skills.

How to Solve This Problem

What Are The Next Steps

In conclusion, I will do the following:

• Continue to build connections on Twitter or LinkedIn
• Contribute to more DAO’s
• Sharing knowledge on social media platforms

I will get a position in this space by June 2022 or sooner.

written by: Katia Dean

edited & co-authored by: Nia Joseph

Learning a new technology comes with it’s obstacles. There’s the lingo, technical stuff and just a general learning curve. Despite all of that, I’m still very excited about this journey of becoming an NFT collector (on the Solana Blockchain). I’m going to explain how I discovered what an NFT is and how I entered the ecosystem. So, let’s get ready for a rabbit hole adventure and learn some basic knowledge along the way. #WAGMI

What is a Non-Fungible Token (NFT)

Last year in 2021, I noticed the word NFT all over the media outlets and became curious. I started with the basic google search approach to answer the question “what does an NFT even mean?” In short, I deduced that Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) are tokens that can represent one-of-a-kind objects. NFTs can only have one official owner at a time.

How does an NFT work?

Let’s get one thing clear: an NFT is not a JPEG file. It is a token that can represent one-of-a-kind objects. An NFT does the following:

• It’s stored on the Blockchain (keeps track of transactions) and you can verify ownership this way as well on public ledgers like Solscan
• Most of the initial NFT media attention came from those on the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain; however, other Blockchains like Solana (SOL) and Polygon (MATIC) are holding NFTs as well.

Benefits of an NFT

• Passive income
• Being apart of the NFT community; networking and building relationships
• Joining Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)
• Gaming
• Domain names
• Physical items and merch
• Metaverse access

How to Purchase an NFT?

Here are the steps to purchasing your 1st NFT.

1. Create an account on a cryptocurrency exchange such as Coinbase
2. Purchase the NFT platform’s cryptocurrency; like Ethereum (ETH) or Solana (SOL)
3. All the projects in this article are on the Solana blockchain; I purchased SOL to buy my NFTs
4. Create a digital wallet ( hot wallet) online to hold the cryptocurrency.

There are two popular wallets:

MetaMask for ETH https://metamask.io/ https://youtu.be/ZIGUC9JAAw8

Phantom for SOL https://phantom.app/ https://youtu.be/9AewR65ZyOw

1. Go to the Marketplace and see what NFTs catch your eye
2. Connect your wallet to the Marketplace and buy your NFT
3. Congratulations, you are now the owner of the NFT

Choosing Your NFT

Do Your Own Research (DYOR). Conducting market research is one way I determine the best projects to invest in.

Here are some Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

1. How many Discord members are involved in this project. <2k before Mint Date
2. Mint date aka Drop = This date means before the project will be released on the Marketplace. A marketplace is where you purchase the NFTs.
3. There are a few marketplaces for Solana (SOL) NFT projects

Magic Eden https://www.magiceden.io/

Solanart https://solanart.io/ ( that will be upgrading soon)

Solsea https://solsea.io/

DigitalEyes https://digitaleyes.market/

Metaplex https://www.metaplex.com/

1. Follow the Twitter page for the project to keep up to date with the progress
2. Watch out for SCAMS! They do happen. Do not respond to any DMs on the discord
3. Try to get on Whitelist = Whitelist is getting your crypto wallet approved for the future NFT mint.
4. Paper hands vs. Diamond hands — In the NFT world, there are two types of people. On the paper hand, people want to profit and do not care about a long-term project. The other is diamond hand people holding their NFT for the long-term because they believe in the project.
5. If you are in many Discords, aka DC you may notice people there asking for the ranking. The different attributes of the NFT determine the ranking. With Solana, you can check the ranking of various projects on these websites:

https://moonrank.app/

https://howrare.is/

NFT Collection

Now that you understand some of the Non-Fungible Token (NFT) basics. I wanted to share some of my favorite NFTs that I have purchased, “Diamond Hands.”

Cyber Pharmacy

First NFT I purchased was from Cyber Pharmacy in Oct 2021 on Solana Art Marketplace. This collection caught my eye because the artwork was unique and the project roadmap was interesting since it mixed real world benefits with owning a digital asset. I joined the Discord channel to keep track of the project’s progress.

I purchased 6 NFTs to build a pharmacy that will be in the upcoming metaverse in the future. The perks of holding these NFTs for the long term are the following:

• Passive income by staking = locking up your NFTS to earn income
• Having a pharmacy in the metaverse
• Being a part of a Decentralized Autonomous Organization = like-minded people make the decisions

To learn more, read the whitepaper here. https://cyber-pharmacy.gitbook.io/cyber-pharmacy/

According to Cyber Pharmacy: “Cyber Pharmacists are digital rebels who take responsibility for their well-being and don’t rely on corrupt governments and corporations for their information. They do their own research. Our digital collectibles (NFTs) live on the Solana blockchain and will accrue additional value in multiple ways with our long-term vision. NFTs are bringing the masses to Solana, and we want to help grow the network with a truly unique project. With high-quality artwork and a revolutionary brand ecosystem, Cyber Pharmacy offers unrivaled value and utility in the NFT space.”

SOLGods

Second NFT is SolGods. This art caught my eye scrolling through Twitter. I was intrigued by the project’s story and how it did not look like any other project on the Magic Eden Marketplace. I also minted this project in Oct 2021 and joined the Discord server.

Art was inspired by “Giorgio de Chirico [who] was a surrealist artist born in Greece and is famous for his works featuring what is now referred to as the “mannequins.” This is where the essence of the GODs can be found.

An elusive faceless figure that touches the outer limits of logical reality. This is where the gods exist… somewhere on the fringe of reality.

Shaded art and pastel colours represent the almost ghostlike presence of the GODs. Overwhelmingly present but simultaneously vacant and out of sight… Subtle but mighty.”

The perks of holding this NFT long term :

• Great community
• Organic growth from people who love the art
• Variety of art projects from an artist in the group
• Gain whitelist access to other NFT projects

The NFT community for this project has some incredible people. We say, “choose the god that speaks to you” for this project.

In my case, I loved the straightjacket detail, along with the sword in the pipe. I described my god as he was out in the battle, which made him go crazy, then he had to take a smoke to calm his nerves, ha.

Village of Sol

The third is Village of Sol just got this one in Feb 2021. This art was dark, and only 666 minted. I found out about this project from the SOLgod crew. The perks of owning one airdrop provides exclusive access via tickets to all future collections.

“They’re the shadow in the corner of your eye, beings tricked by voices in the dark into trading their humanity for eternal servitude to the Order of Sol, and who can only gain their true form once they’re minted.”

So there you have it; the summarized rabbit hole adventure of my journey to becoming an NFT collector. Also, if this sounds like a lot, here are some key reminders to reduce burnout in the NFT space: disconnect from the phone on the weekends and you do not have to mint every project. This space has its share of drama, but I learned that people help spread the word about scammers or rug projects.

In summary, the NFT space is fun and I’m glad to continue to learn about this new space. In future articles I’ll discuss purchasing metaverse land and real estate. As always, continue to learn and DYOR.