Africans In Tech

In this episode of Africans in Tech, we sit down with Joel Iyiegbuniwe — Nigerian-American, former Chicago Bears linebacker, and aspiring tech leader — to talk about life on and off the field. We cover: Growing up Nigerian-American in Kentucky 🎭 Early dreams of being an athlete, doctor, or actor 🏈 Excelling in college football & making it to the NFL 🧠 Cognitive challenges of learning comple...

From protecting billions of users at Snap to flying 94 times in a single year, Yasmin shares her inspiring journey of leaving Big Tech to build her own company, NoHack. 🚀 In this episode of Africans in Tech, we dive into Yasmin's story — from late nights studying at the University of Maryland, to internships at Snapchat, Google, and Meta, to becoming the first Black woman in engineering at S...

In this Africans in Tech episode, we sit down with Jonte Charles, a former collegiate athlete turned cloud engineer, to unpack the mindset, discipline, and lessons that helped him transition from the wrestling mat to mastering the cloud. We talk about: 💭 Why treating ChatGPT like a “copy-paste machine” is holding you back ⚙️ The athlete’s mindset that builds resilience in tech careers ☁️ Understa...

In this episode of Africans in Tech, we sit down with Paige Malcolm, a driven software and cloud engineer who turned classroom learning and internships into a full-time role at a Fortune 500 insurance company. Paige shares how she transitioned from studying software engineering to landing two internships — one as a functional analyst and another in cloud engineering — before negotiating her first...

🚀 From the U.S. Air Force to Cybersecurity, and now thriving in Data Science — Jerrod Douglas has done it all. In this episode of the Africans in Tech Podcast, Jerrod shares how discipline, curiosity, and mentorship shaped his success in the tech industry. 🎙 Hosted by Sahr Lebbie & Queen Duncan, this conversation dives deep into Jerrod’s transformation — from military life to tech professiona...

In this episode of Africans in Tech, host Sahr Lebbie sits down with CeDerrick Mixson, a multi-disciplinary creative turned UX and product design leader. Cedric’s career spans from high school side hustles in photography and barbering, to studying fine art and graphic design, to leading design teams at startups and major companies like ParkMobile, Carvana, and RoadSync. CeDerrick shares how starti...

In this episode of Africans in Tech, host Sahr Lebbie sits down with Rejoice Jones, founder of Vower, a skills-first hiring platform with over 10,000 users. Rejoice’s story is a global journey of curiosity, reinvention, and building solutions that change how people enter the workforce. From leading weekend volunteer programs for the homeless in Atlanta, to studying advanced South African politics...

In this episode of Africans in Tech, Lily shares her incredible journey—growing up as the child of immigrants, navigating career pivots, and battling burnout on the path to building Mela Ai, a platform redefining how people find balance and not burn out. Lily opens up about: The immigrant hustle that shaped her mindset 💪🏾 How she bounced back from burnout to find purpose Why representation in te...

Leaving home, saying goodbye to family, and chasing opportunity in America isn’t easy. This episode dives deep into the immigrant experience — from cultural shock and sacrifices to the long road of breaking into the tech industry. Hear stories of leaving behind parents, missing childhood moments, working through challenges, and finding identity in a new world. This isn’t just about careers — it’s...

In this episode of African Tech, Jennifer shares her inspiring journey from studying economics to becoming a CPA, moving across continents, and breaking into big tech. She dives into: What it’s really like managing post-merger integrations in a top tech company Her transition from oil & gas accounting to program management in tech Growing up in Nigeria, moving to Canada at 13, and living in th...

In this episode of Africans in Tech, we dive deep into the future of AI in cybersecurity, SOC environments, and the evolving role of analysts. From the risks of over-relying on tools like ChatGPT to how AI agents are already being integrated into security operations, this conversation explores the real challenges and opportunities in today’s tech landscape. We discuss: Why blindly updating systems...

In this deep-dive interview, Sean Ilenrey, Speaker, Founder, and CEO of Value-Centric, a seasoned tech operations leader, shares his multi-industry journey through enterprise and startup environments—from Comcast to Toast (pre-IPO) to Dutchie, a leading cannabis tech platform. Sean breaks down how he built and scaled technical support infrastructures, introduced AI and automation tools, stood up W...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Nimi Bello — Nigerian-American, mom of two, and the founder & CEO of Link Empower — to unpack her inspiring journey from humble beginnings in Nigeria to becoming a Senior Consultant and Release Train Engineer at Deloitte. Nimi shares how growing up in a blended family shaped her servant leadership style, how she pivoted from sales to tech, the realiti...

What does resilience really look like? In this powerful Afric. episode, host S. Levy sits down with TK—a Nigerian-American tech professional—who shares his inspiring journey from college dropout to IT security specialist. TK opens up about: Moving from Nigeria to the U.S. at age 16 Facing discrimination and false accusations from police Dropping out of college with just 8 classes left Grinding thr...

What do you get when you mix a love-hate relationship with Java, hours of YouTube University, and late-night convos with ChatGPT? You get Clinton Olayiwola’s wild ride into tech! 🚀 In this episode, Clinton breaks down how he went from almost failing his first Java class (yeah… writing code on paper 💀) to building real-world apps and surviving tutorial hell. We get into: ⚡ How ChatGPT became his...

What does it really take to go from making $75K to managing a tech team, running your own academy, and pulling six figures across multiple income streams? In this episode, we sit down with a dynamic tech founder who breaks down her journey from early government contracts to launching the Techreneurship Academy — a program dedicated to helping both newcomers and seasoned pros navigate the world of...

In this episode of Africans In Tech, we’re talking with Yomi, a Cloud Data Engineer whose journey into tech is anything but conventional. From clocking in at McDonald’s and bagging groceries to consulting for major organizations, Yomi’s story is a powerful reminder that where you start doesn’t define where you’ll end up. He shares how an internship became a turning point, what his role as a Cloud...

In this episode, we sit down with Ariel Garraway, a DMV native and accomplished Tech Professional, as she shares her inspiring journey from the help desk to leading product teams in tech. 💻✨ Ariel breaks down: 🔹 How to update your resume to land your dream job in tech 🔹 Tips for navigating the tech industry with confidence 🔹 Insights into various roles and career paths in tech Whether you&apo...

In this powerful episode of Africans in Tech, host Sahr Lebbie sits down with Abdi Mohamed, a Technologist, leadership speaker, and community builder, to discuss the real behind-the-scenes of the tech industry—from high-value contracts to the power of mentorship and community. 🚀 🔑 Key Topics Covered: The importance of building each other up in tech and sharing success rather than gatekeeping Ent...

In this episode of Africans in Tech, Host Sahr Lebbie sits down with Djelika Bah, an inspiring entrepreneur, technologist, and student originally from Guinea , now based in Atlanta. Djelika Bah shares her journey from childhood dreams of fixing electricity in Guinea to becoming a computer engineering major and landing competitive internships — including one in Silicon Valley. We talk about: Growin...

In this episode of Africans in Tech, we sit down with a software engineer, Reginald Billups, working in the defense sector, to discuss the realities of working for a major contractor like Lockheed Martin. From building software for aircraft to navigating the moral gray areas of defense tech, we talk about what it means to have a security clearance, how it impacts your lifestyle, and the career and...

In this inspiring episode of Africans in Tech, host S. Lebbie sits down with Rubena “Ruby,” a rising star in the cybersecurity world. Ruby shares her journey from earning over $170,000 in scholarships (graduating debt-free!) to entering the tech industry with confidence and ambition. We talk about: Breaking into tech without coding Salary expectations and growth as a non-technical professional The...

In this episode of Africa & Tech, we talk to Isshai Kamara, a DC native and tech professional, about her journey from taking apart computers at age six to becoming a project manager and founder of IT Industry Tools. She shares her challenges navigating a male-dominated industry, the importance of mentorship, and how she transitioned from help desk to project management. Isshai also discusses h...

Join host Sahr Lebbie in the debut episode of  Africans In Tech, where he recounts his journey into the tech industry. Discover the challenges, mentors, and pivotal moments that shaped his career. Whiteboard sessions are featured within the episodes on our Youtube Channel. Email: africansintechnology@gmail.com SUBSCRIBE to get the latest Africans In Tech content: https://youtube.com/@Africans_In_T...

Join host Sahr Lebbie in the debut episode of  Africans In Tech, where he recounts his journey into the tech industry. Discover the challenges, mentors, and pivotal moments that shaped his career. Whiteboard sessions are featured within the episodes on our Youtube Channel. Email: africansintechnology@gmail.com SUBSCRIBE to get the latest Africans In Tech content: https://youtube.com/@Africans_In_T...