November 30, 2024
Exploring new challenges outside your daily routine can reveal more about yourself. Verenne Tanara shares her insights on how engaging in various fields can be highly rewarding and contribute to a balanced life.
Congratulations on your MesaStila race! Tell us about the experience!
This was my second race and my very first half-marathon. I decided to participate in the trail run to try new things and have fun with my friends, so I didn’t set any specific goals. The event ran smoothly, and the track was well organized. The ushers and everyone involved were incredibly helpful. Completing this race was a significant achievement for me as it pushed my boundaries. Although I’m not naturally inclined towards running, this experience motivated me to exercise and train harder. It has been a journey of self-improvement that helped me realize my full potential.
What are the challenges?
A 21-kilometer run that lasts over six hours is no small feat. It’s tough to beat your thoughts and yourself. For instance, during kilometer 19, I considered it was okay to just walk and enjoy the race. But time was ticking, and I could not just leisurely enjoy the moment. I needed to keep pushing myself and running until the last mile. While the process was enjoyable and the outcome rewarding, battling my own thoughts was tough. Because in the end, it was me against me.
What made you take up the challenge?
I felt a sense of relief when I reached another milestone. That feeling makes me feel alive. As humans, especially women, we often think we have physical limitations. Growing up, I wasn’t very active and didn’t exercise much. However, when I started experiencing back pain from sitting at an office job, I decided to take better care of my body. I began going to the gym, running, and hiking. And each time I notice improvement, it makes me believe there is no such thing as you cannot or you can. There is no such thing as impossible. It’s all about you, your mindset, and whether you’re willing to take action.
Why is it important to take up new challenges?
As we grow up, our daily lives can become repetitive. For example, I work as an office employee from 9 to 5, five days a week. If I continue this routine for 20 years, I fear I won’t have any stories to share, and my life will feel flat. While my career may advance, other aspects of my life will stagnate. Therefore, embracing challenges is essential for achieving balance. I believe there are three things we need to work on during our productive age: what brings you money, what makes you keep being creative, and what makes you keep being active. With these three things in mind, I have found balance and embraced new challenges.
Can you tell us about Deaf to Dev?
Deaf to Dev was founded during my time at university. In 2021, I helped a friend fill the participant quota for an event, which turned out to focus on deaf culture. They invited Kopi Tuli, a coffee shop staffed by deaf baristas. The experience was warm and immersive, exposing me to something outside my daily life. After that, I felt something lingering in myself, but I don’t know if I can do anything for the community.
I then joined YLI, founded by McKenzy, where I was challenged to create a personal project that resonated with me. With my tech background and after conducting in-depth research on deaf culture, I founded the Deaf to Dev community. My mission is to bridge the significant gap in the tech industry and show the deaf community that there is hope and opportunity available to them. Deaf to Dev can serve as a stepping stone for them. We teach deaf individuals basic coding skills. So far, we have conducted three batches, with over 100 participants
How can we support inclusivity?
By starting simple research about the deaf culture, not only limited to the deaf community but also gender equality, child welfare, and many more. There are a lot of causes in this world. We can try to make it better, not solve it. By saying I want to know more, let me look at it and talk to someone expert in this field; I think it would make the inclusivity room bigger. Inclusivity has different levels: understanding, accepting, taking action, and making an impact. Even small actions matter, and gaining trust begins with respecting and understanding the needs of the community.
What is your next goal or project in the near future?
I want to keep developing deaf to Dev, probably gaining more members to make it sustainable to take it to the next level, giving them knowledge on how to become a developer and how to transfer their knowledge into the working job industry. I will still cook it, creating solutions to help them really join the tech industry by transferring the knowledge to the headhunters.
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