Who am I?

I recently joined Steemit, and I've been trying to figure out what my identity will be. Am I a newsreporter, educator, blockchain enthusiast, listener, activist ... ? Truth is, I'm all of those things. I've technically already "introduced myself," but I didn't really talk about myself at all. So, this will be my official introduction.

Let's start out with a pic which, ironically, is pulled from my least favorite social media platform. This is my current profile picture on Facebook:

It's funny, I'm looking at this picture now, and the first things to come to mind are carefree, nature-loving, pretty chill, things like that...

And while those are mostly true, they don't give the whole picture. I am also a very driven and passionate person. I care deeply about injustice and it troubles me that this country (in the US) is governed by privileged white men, just like me.

To some extent, that has always troubled me. Growing up, I never quite fit in with my peers. I think back to Kindergarten, and even then I observed that I wasn't as confident as many other guys around me. Through high school I was surrounded by guys that were very confident and non-diverse; in every one of my graduating classes, you could count the number of Black guys on one hand. White, male privilege begins at a super early age and I can trace it from birth.

I have always been super introspective, which has led me to be more withdrawn. When I was in school, unlike many of my peers, I reflected all the time about everything. I was ultra-aware of human behavior and dynamics, which is ironic, because I didn't think that I was too good at interacting with others myself. For the greater part of my childhood, I lived on the cusp of insecurity and perseverance; part of me felt like I was doing something wrong because I couldn't connect to many of my peers while the other part of me felt confident that, one day, I would find "my people," so-to-speak. This perseverance helped me get to know what I really stood for. These "people" are really just honest, progressive people who care about equality and staying authentic.

I grew up in a small, coastal town that was very safe and secluded. My rents were (are) very open and socially minded individuals. Yet, I was still raised in an incredibly sheltered environment. I didn't meet many people my age growing up who fully embraced the values I cared about.

Present day

Okay, so you have a decent sense of my youth. Let's fast-forward to present day. This is a pic I took 2 seconds ago.

I graduated from college in '16, and ended up moving from MA ➡ CO. I just had an awesome year working at a STEM education nonprofit with AmeriCorps VISTA, and I'm gonna stay in Denver for the foreseeable future. I am around entrepreneurs and it's a great feeling. In fact, it's Denver's culture that has given me the confidence to pursue my own ventures.

I learned about Blockchain (and Bitcoin) technology a little less than a year ago and have spent a considerable amount of time in the Blockchain space. I was intrigued by Blockchain's decentralization and what that could mean for systems. At first, I was focused on Bitcoin, a new, innovative way to exchange value. And I saw it as a money-making opportunity. Though, that didn't last long for long. Some of the companies I was following were kind of sketch when I look back at things. I was naive, but there was still a culture that attracted me. Though, I don't think I could have labeled it then. As I learned more, I delved deeper, and quickly realized there was much more to this whole Bitcoin thing.

Learning about the Blockchain has and continues to be a significant part of my day to day. I fully believe in the power of the Blockchain and other decentralized technologies to redefine systems, not just make them more productive. Watching developers "hard-wire" governance, so-to-speak, is an exciting prospect, and while most things need to be approached with caution, it is still meaningful to watch and join a budding movement of innovators who propose radical solutions to broken and unethical systems.

When I look at current US climate, quite a few things stand out. For one, Donald Trump's presidency has invigorated activists and progressives. It has also been a wake-up call for middle-class America. Those traditionally uninvolved in political issues, or who have been traditionally apathetic, are starting to raise their voice. I am watching documentarians, late talk show hosts and news reporters get a little more honest and direct with their content. While cultural norms can wax and wane over the course of a decade, there are times when culture takes a significant shift and I think we're on the verge of a shift.

This is just my introduction post, so I'm not going to dive into that now. But, you can expect more content from me.

I plan on posting about Blockchain's growing culture and innovation through curated educational content, wholistic news stories, and various resources.

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Thanks for reading through this! Please introduce yourself in the comments. I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

(https://www.peaceproject.com/stickers/fullsize/Quotes%20-%20All)