We recently connected with Basia Bowens and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Basia, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
I’ve been in Software Engineering for 10 years this year and a photographer for around 6 years. Women make up around 22% of the Software Engineering field, and African Americans, 4.9%. In contrast, the photography field is far more diverse. I find that I’ve only encountered being the only person that looks like me in the room whilst working as a Software Engineer. I’ve loved developing apps and beautiful web experiences ever since the days of MySpace. It’s a passion for me. My passion for the work that I do is a major reason why I’ve been able to be successful in my field in spite of the lack of representation that exists in it. I’d also attribute the amount of work I put in to be pivotal in my success. Kobe Bryant was one of my greatest heroes, and his level of dedication to his craft was unmatched. He worked tirelessly for a long time. I watched so many documentaries and interviews about him, and I aspire to that level of commitment to my craft everyday. Being the only one in the room made me not want to be the only one in the room. I worked hard and delivered time and time again because I felt like I was representing my community as a whole by being the only representative and I wanted to set the best possible example, so that when the time came, race and gender wouldn’t be held against who was next. I hope to live in a world where that simply is not true, but there are still interviewing bias in the engineering field. I will say that things have never been better than they are right now. I have my own company called Basal House. I had an app make it to the top 10 in the iOS App Store. I’ve gotten the opportunity to work on some pretty cool gamified experiences for a couple companies. There are numerous programs dedicated to teaching young girls, and African Americans to code… I hope the Software Engineering field only continues to get better and more diverse, because Software influences society so much, and the people writing it should represent society as a whole as well.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
At my foundation, I’m a creator and a problem solver. By title, I am the founder of Basal House, a company I develop mobile and web applications under as well as shoot photography. My most recent mobile application is called Smallness, it provides reading resources to existing and aspiring small business owners on topics that range from E-Commerce to branding and much more. The idea was born out my desire to help my friends and family with their businesses. I began doing a lot of research and it grew to an app. The app launched at number seven in the iOS app store business category. I’m excited to see this app and its feature set continue to grow. I am also looking forward to shooting more visuals this year, and collaborating with more creatives on brand and music focused photoshoots. I am working to expand Basal House to find new ways to provide valuable information and opportunities to others. Can’t wait to talk more about that later in the year.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
If I look back, perseverance, humility, and adopting new technology quickly carried me on my journey. If you’re early in your journey be open to learning new things, and once you’ve found an area you’re truly interested in dedicate time to getting better at it. When I say time, I mean hours a week. And last but not least ask a lot of meaningful questions.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my mother did for me was never place boundaries on my aspirations. We come from very humble beginnings, but she never let that shift her mindset on what was possible for myself and my siblings. It’s easy to let your current reality limit your perspective forever; I’d like to think because those mental boundaries didn’t exist, I am eternally optimistic about what’s possible. I’d add that my mother did her best to expose myself and siblings to people who had followed their dreams and achieved outside the norm of individuals in our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.basalhouse.com/
- Instagram: basiabowens
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/basia-bowens-11602450/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@basiabowens
