When Passion meets Contributions: Lessons Learned from Leaning In and Meeting Sheryl Sandberg

“It is the ultimate luxury to combine passion and contribution. It’s also a very clear path to happiness.” That’s one of my favorite quotes from Facebook COO and best-selling author Sheryl Sandberg. Like millions of women, I read “Lean In” and was inspired.

I started an email group called The Cloud Network of Women. The goal was simple: To create a means through which women could provide one another with career support. That primarily entailed sharing job leads and speaking opportunities.

That email group became a nonprofit called CloudNOW. And as our organization evolved, so did our mission. We still continue to support each other. But we are no longer just a networking group. Now we do outreach and provide financial support as well.

CloudNOW’s core philanthropic effort, our STEM scholarship fund for women and minorities from underprivileged backgrounds, is directly impacting diversity and inclusion in tech. Members of our first scholarship cohort have gone on to software engineering roles at Apple, Change.org, Pinterest and other leading organizations.

I created CloudNOW because it made me happy and gave me a greater sense of purpose. I never imagined that I’d meet Sheryl Sandberg, who has influenced my own journey in combining passion and contribution.

Last week, we were privileged to have Sheryl deliver opening remarks at CloudNOW’s 7th annual awards event. During her address, Sheryl commented: “CloudNOW’s mission is to make technology a friendlier place. And we really share that determination with all of you. Now with all the great work we’re doing, I really understand how far we have to go. How much hard work there is for every single one of us, me included, to do better…. I’d like to make the case … of how great the technical fields are for everyone, but especially for women. If you care about making the world a better place, if you care about products that have impact, if care about helping people get the best of their lives, I don’t think there’s a better field to be in.”

Sheryl also thanked me for the work CloudNOW is doing to create inclusion in tech. And now I’d like to thank her for her support of CloudNOW.

Thank YOU, Sheryl. Your advice was spot on. This work hasn’t been easy. But it has been a clear path to happiness.

Sincerely,

Jocelyn DeGance Graham, Founder of CloudNOW