Simply Cheris. . .

Want to know why Dr. Nicki Washington is the right woman to write a book titled Unapologetically Dope: Lessons for Black Women and Girls on Surviving and Thriving in the Tech Field ?  1. She is the first black woman to earn a Ph.D in computer science from North Carolina State University. 2. She's been coding since she was a child! 3. She was the first black woman faculty member of the computer science department at Howard University. 4. And she is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University (Just like me, so that makes her doper than your average off the gate!) Today I got a chance to visit with Dr. Washington in her office on the campus of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, fitting place for a Rock Star like Nicki!

Some times you may turn the TV on and watch the craziness that has become the world and want to throw your hands up in despair. Some time, you're tired of seeing bad people win while good ones suffer. You might get up in the morning and curse the job that you're heading to; oh wait, that's just me. . . But there is always more to be thankful for. I'm thankful for every breath I take, thankful for my mama's mac and cheese, thankful for my daddy, thankful for God blessing me with a passion for writing. I'm thankful that I had 13 good years with my grandmother, who taught me how to love and how to throw shade. I'm thankful for my brother and my sister who made me an auntie — actually, the coolest auntie in the world. I'm thankful for my friend who introduced me to sushi and shrimp sauce. I'm thankful to my niece who reminds me every day that life isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. I'm thankful to my nephews and the men they have