Why Does Prince Livestream Coding

Back in the start of 2020, I picked up livestreaming on Twitch. It has been a lot of fun but also a ton of work, to be quite honest. The big reason I wanted to start streaming was because I wanted to connect back into building regularly and dedicate a bit of that work openly. That “why” has changed over the years now to encompass a bit more.

Visibility

I think the biggest reason I show up every week livestreaming is it allows other people to see themselves. Some people are learning to code for the first time but have never met anyone who is doing it that looks like them. I know that for me, that was my experience and how important that was. I want folks to feel like there is a spot for them in the field, and in addition, that they can see themselves be able to become more senior and experienced in the field.

I think the other part to the visiblity that is important to me is that I’m never going to pretend that coding is easy. I am incredibly vulnerable when I livestream where I’m showing everyone that I don’t know things or I make mistakes. A lot of people appreciate it because it makes them also see that it is normal to the process of learning. It can be difficult because some people don’t respect my boundaries when I tell them to stop telling me what is right or wrong when it all comes down to opinion. A big part about it being my space is unless I ask for help, it can come off rude to tell me what to do.

Documenting what I’m learning

As I continue to grow as an engineer, I love sharing what I am doing. This documentation is a love letter to my future self and my past self. To remind myself when I feel like I’m fumbling I can remember, I’ve grown a lot over the years. It is easy to get lost over time but my streams remind me I am a human constantly growing!