All Builders Welcome: A newcomer's first AWS re:Invent

In the ever-evolving world of technology, personal experiences often shape our professional journey. This is the story of my adventure as I proudly became the recipient of an All Builders Welcome Grant from AWS. I’ll also share my experience at my first-ever AWS re:Invent— a whirlwind celebration of achievements, curiosity, and unforgettable moments.

• Navigating re:Invent as an All Builders Welcome Grant winner
• How to apply for the AWS All Builders Welcome Grant
• A glimpse into AWS re:Invent as a first-time attendee
• The dilemma: Network or attend breakout sessions and workshops?
• The FOMO factor: It was impossible to do it all
• Continuing my learning journey

Picture receiving an opportunity that not only acknowledges your accomplishments in your professional journey, but also grants you all-inclusive access to one of the largest tech conferences globally. 

I found myself in this fortunate position when I won an All Builders Welcome (ABW) Grant from AWS. This grant, which provides a complimentary trip to re:Invent, acknowledged my individual accomplishments and is also part of a bigger AWS initiative to bridge the gap in tech for people from underrepresented communities. 

We kicked off the week on Sunday evening with a fun welcome reception. And let me tell you, AWS knows how to throw a party! We were shuttled to Area 15, an indoor, futuristic fun zone, where we were greeted with food, music, games, and free entry into several of the Area 15 attractions. It was a fun and low-pressure way for all of us grant winners to break the ice and shake off our nerves.

During the rest of re:Invent, there was a dedicated lounge for ABW grant winners. This was a quiet place where we were welcome to go to take a break from the hustle and bustle, meet with our mentors, eat delicious snacks, and share our ongoing experiences with the other grant winners. And as an added bonus, AWS offered all grant recipients the opportunity to get free professional headshots taken.

On Thursday evening, AWS threw the ABW grantees a lovely closing reception. After drinks and some fancy hors d'oeuvres, we all packed together for hilarious group photos. Then AWS CEO Adam Selipsky dropped by to say hi and talk to us for a bit about AWS’s hope for the future of diversity and inclusion in the tech community. 

Lastly, a microphone was passed around to those who wanted to share a little more about where they came from and what the week’s experience had meant to them. It was incredibly moving to hear others share their stories and gratitude, and there weren’t a lot of dry eyes in the room.

For anyone interested in applying for the ABW grant, the qualifications are fairly straightforward:

• Be an underrepresented technologist in the first five years of your career

• Have a strong interest in cloud computing

• Be able to commit to attending all four days of re:Invent

• Be at least 21 years old

• Have not previously accepted a grant to an AWS event

• Not be an employee, intern, independent contractor, officer, director, legal or financial advisor of AWS or any of its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advisors, or advertising/promotion agencies

Actually applying for the grant is a little bit trickier, though. As of today, AWS doesn’t actually have a dedicated webpage providing information about the ABW grant. And it can be tricky to know when and where to go to sign up. (I only stumbled across the opportunity when I saw someone else mention it in a LinkedIn post.)

Here’s what I can say: The application for the grant opens up in the summer and will be shared on the AWS re:Invent site when it opens. So keep an eye out next June or July for it to open back up again.

Ok, my All Builders Welcome Grant experience aside, the rest of the re:Invent convention was just as noteworthy! Walking into the bustling halls of AWS re:Invent for the first time was a surreal experience. The sheer scale of the event, with thousands of like-minded individuals converging to celebrate the latest in cloud computing, left me both exhilarated and a bit overwhelmed.

Coming to re:Invent, I faced a common dilemma among attendees: the choice between networking or immersing myself in the wealth of educational sessions and workshops that were available. As the week unfolded, I found myself torn between the desire to participate in every aspect of the conference and the reality of limited time. 

The struggle was real, and, ultimately, I ended up devoting the bulk of my time attending a variety of sessions. I peppered my schedule with breakout sessions, hands-on workshops, self-paced labs, and AWS Jam sessions. And since the travel time between venues and sessions could take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, that all kept me pretty busy.

As exhilarating as my immersive experience was, I did experience the occasional pang of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). AWS re:Invent is more than just a conference; it's a thriving community where connections are made, collaborations are built, and friendships flourish. 

A lot of attendees, including many of my fellow ABW grant winners, spent quite a bit more time than I did networking and building community. That wasn’t the case for me, though, as I’d assigned myself a pretty full schedule. I don’t regret my choice, but I’ll admit it’s a bittersweet feeling—a mixture of exhilaration for the experiences gained and a hint of regret for the paths not taken.

My journey from winning the All Builders Welcome Grant to navigating my first AWS re:Invent gave me an amazing experience and helped push me just a little further forward on my professional learning journey. The choices I made and the experiences I gained will undoubtedly shape my future endeavors. 

AWS re:Invent was a whirlwind, but I emerged from it with a wealth of knowledge and a newfound appreciation for the vast and diverse community that fuels the tech landscape. The journey has just begun, and my passion for learning and growing has been reignited in a big way. As I embark on the next chapter, I am eager to apply these new insights and contribute to the ever-evolving world of technology.

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