How many times have we heard this advice? More than advice, it sounds to me like a malediction.

So final!

Basically, if you don’t see a role model, bad luck. There is nothing you can do about it.

I disagree.

I was the first in my family with engineering, master, and Ph.D. degrees, the first one that lived in Canada, Greece, and France, the first one that… and the list goes on.

And I’m not the only one.

Last week, during #ReframeWIT2023conference, the audience was full of women being the first one in their families, communities, universities, or even countries to achieve certain professional and personal goals.

And I see them everywhere. Women that are the first in their family that have children and a full-time job, or the first ones going to the university, or leading a community, or launching their own business.

Is not having a role model uncomfortable? Yes.

Does that make your goals impossible? No.

Here’s the trick. What if the absence of a role model is a superpower instead of a drawback?

In my case, it’s my inspiration.

I want to be an example of what's possible for an immigrant woman in tech and DEI activist.

Try it yourself.

What do you want to be an example for? Let me know in the comments!