Kelley Cambry
Blue Studios.io
Brooklyn, NY USA
"I never let anybody put me in a box or paint me in a light that I don’t feel like I deserve."
Career Roadmap
Kelley's work combines: Technology, Science, and Teaching / Mentoring
See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.
Take Roadmap Quiz
Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
There isn't a lot of representation for women of color in STEM, so I faced some self-doubt about my abilities. You have to really work on your self-confidence to get through that. Take a step back and think about the people you're comparing yourself to. Are they really more skilled than you or are they just exuding more confidence? Realize that no one has all the answers or skills all the time. In my experience, finding support from other women and people of color in the industry helped as well.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Howard University
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I come from a family of entrepreneurs.
2.
Growing up, my parents owned a marketing agency and production studio, where I taught myself skills like graphic design and coding.
3.
Computer science wasn’t really encouraged in school and I didn’t see myself fitting in with that crowd, so I pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing degree instead.
4.
After graduating from college, I jumped into corporate America and worked various jobs in marketing and finance.
5.
When the “Silicon Alley” movement happened in New York, I was able to get back into tech and take classes with people who actually looked like me.
6.
I got into teaching but realized that it was difficult to teach STEM subjects to adults—I decided I wanted to help introduce these subjects to young children instead.
7.
My mom and I worked together to create the Paige & Paxton STEM System, which brings STEM curriculum to elementary schools and homes.
8.
While working on Paige & Paxton, I met my husband—together we founded Blue Studios.io to broadcast STEM education, reaching a larger audience and giving STEM education access to more children.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
Am I really that technical? Am I good enough to be in this space?
How I responded:
There isn't a lot of representation for women of color in STEM, so I faced some self-doubt about my abilities. You have to really work on your self-confidence to get through that. Take a step back and think about the people you're comparing yourself to. Are they really more skilled than you or are they just exuding more confidence? Realize that no one has all the answers or skills all the time. In my experience, finding support from other women and people of color in the industry helped as well.