Against the Odds: Pursuing my dream in AI & Robotics

Hi everyone. This is Tiana!

Today, I want to share a personal story that shaped who I am and the path I’m determined to follow. Growing up, I always knew I loved technology, but I didn't realize that chasing my dream would mean facing doubt, not just from strangers but also from people close to me. Being a girl in tech wasn’t about learning to code or build robots; it was proving that I belonged. 

If you’ve ever been told that your dream is “too hard” or “it isn’t meant for you”, this story is for you. You are not alone, and I hope my journey reminds you to keep chasing your dreams and pushing forward. Let’s prove them wrong together 😘💪🌟.  

Hope you enjoy reading this ^^. 

The story began when I was 13, and I first started thinking about my future. I knew I wanted to work in tech, but I didn’t know what specialization I wanted to do exactly. 

Back then, I was in grade 7; it was semester 2 when the pandemic hit. When I stayed home then, I read a book about career guidance for Generation Z in the 4.0 era by a Korean professor, Yun Kyu Hoon (Gen Z trong kỷ nguyên số - Định hướng tương lai như thế nào?, this is the name of the book. This book is a translated book from Korean to Vietnamese.) After finishing the book, I started thinking about what I wanted to do. I know I want to do something in the tech field, but I am still determining what specific career or job I want to do. 

I remember telling my mom with excitement that I wanted to work in the tech field. I was just like a little kid waiting to have some encouragement or at least curiosity from her. However, not to my expectation, the first thing I heard from her was, “That field is for boys; you are a girl. Working in that field, even for boys, is hard, but for girls, it could be 10 times harder. I was heartbroken when I heard that 😢💔💔. I wanted to argue, but my emotions were like a rollercoaster at that time. Imagine you were so excited to share your dream with your parents, but instead of hearing encouragement from them, all you were the nagging and negative things about it. So I just sat there, feeling like my dream had been shaded before it even started.   On the other hand, my dad is very supportive about it. Whenever that topic comes up again, my mom always says negative things about it. I don’t want to hear those nagging anymore, so instead of convincing her, I just make an invisible wall between us and never talk about it again and focus on myself. 

When I was in grade 9, I moved to a new school. The community at the school is very knowledgeable, and I meet a lot of new people who have the same passion and dreams as me. During that year,  I discovered that I was very interested in robotics. I found that building a robot and coding it was very fun. So, I did a lot of research about what I should learn and my career in robotics. By the end of grade 9, I had already chosen the career that I was going to pursue as an AI engineer or AI and robotics engineer. 

At first, I told my dad about it. He was very supportive and told me to work toward this dream. He will do his best to support me in my education so I can achieve it. He is the type of dad who is a girl dad (also maybe because I’m the only girl in the whole family, so I do get some special treats 😅). As for my mom, you can imagine it; she did not strongly disagree but is not very supportive of it.  She always said all of the bad sides of it. 

At the beginning of the summer of grade 9, we had a career guidance talk with two of the academy counselors. I was surprised that one of the counselors there had worked in the tech field for 8 years. So my mom asked a lot of questions about her concerns about girls working in tech, and most of her concerns were answered and explained. Then, the counselors asked me when I was trying to find my identity and what challenge I had. I answered that the only challenge that I could think of was my mom because when I told her about my dream, she never said anything that positive about it. After the meeting, my mom didn’t talk to me for 2 days. On the third day, my mom finally spoke up. She said that she agreed and supported me, but I had to give my best, take care of my health, and not do anything stupid or illegal. 

When I was in grade 10, I remember going to my uncle’s house, and one of the people there asked what I wanted to do in the future, and I answered.  After I answered, the people there started to have a strong reaction (😒😩😧🙅👎 I think these emoji best describe the reaction) everyone told me that I should study economics and finances, then go to work at a bank because I am a girl so I do not need to study a lot, I just need to earn enough money and get married. Their words stung, but I knew arguing wouldn’t change their minds. So, I chose to stay silent and promise myself I wouldn’t let their expectations define me. One day, I will prove them wrong, not through words but through action.

Looking back, I realize these challenges only made me more determined. If I had listened to the doubts, I wouldn’t be here today, working hard every day toward my dream. To anyone reading this feeling like you do not belong in tech (especially girls who experience like me) or any other field, believe in yourself; you do belong. Your passion is valid, your dreams are worth fighting for, and no one gets to decide who you are and your future but you. 

Thank you for reading.