There are few spaces in the world where you walk in unsure of yourself and leave knowing—without a shadow of a doubt—that you belong. Kode With Klossy is one of them.

I joined KWK for the first time from my small desk in Delhi, India. I was just a girl with shaky WiFi, big dreams, and a deep love for learning. I had applied on a whim, drawn in by the promise of code and community. What I found was a world far bigger than I imagined—one where girls from different corners of the globe came together not just to learn syntax or logic, but to dream, to lead, and to rewrite the story of who belongs in tech.

That summer, as a Data Science scholar, I was given more than access to Python notebooks and CSV files—I was handed a key to unlock rooms I never thought I could enter. I discovered the power of representation: seeing other women who looked like me, sounded like me, and dared to take up space in technology. I learned to speak up in a room—even a virtual one—and found myself surrounded by people who listened, encouraged, and said, “You belong here.”

Since then, my journey has grown in ways I never could’ve imagined. I’m now studying Computer Science at the University of British Columbia, and I’ve returned to KWK as an Instructor Assistant— guiding new scholars through the same ten-day adventure that once changed my world. Full circle doesn’t even begin to describe it.

What I’ve come to realize is this: it’s not just about the code. It never was.

KWK is about watching someone go from typing in silence to leading a final project with the kind of boldness that makes you tear up. It’s about “woot woots” in the chat when something finally runs. About staying up late to fix one last bug, and finding your closest friend in the process. It’s about learning to pause when everything gets overwhelming (thank you, brain breaks), and the Culture of Tech sessions that remind you that you’re not alone.

It’s about seeing women in tech—really seeing them. Not just in panels or LinkedIn bios, but in real, unfiltered, human conversations. I’ve sat in on talks with Naomi Gleit, Aisha Bowe, Deepa Subramaniam, and Ginger Victor—and I’ve carried their words with me every day since. Naomi once said, “Confidence is the output. Courage is the input.” And I think about that every time I walk into a new room with a trembling heart but a determined step.

As an IA, I’ve had the chance to witness the care that goes into every single camp. The lesson planning, the Zoom room magic, the culture-building. It’s not a coincidence that KWK camps feel different—it’s intention. It’s love. It’s a belief that every scholar has something powerful to offer, even if they don’t know it yet.

And I’ve had the absolute joy of working with some of the most incredible people: Megan Lu (my rock climbing twin), Maggie Christoffersen, Carissa Yu, Anna Li, Brianna Ifft, and Khadija Bangura—thank you for making every day lighter and more meaningful. To Ume Habiba and Alexis Williams—thank you for stepping in and embodying everything that makes this community so special.

Today, I’m celebrating KWK not just for what it teaches, but for what it makes possible. For the doors it opens, the voices it lifts, and the lives it quietly changes when no one’s watching.

Here’s to every scholar, mentor, and instructor who ever doubted themselves—and to every single one who left knowing better!

Read Ananyaa's LinkedIn Post here.