F A S H D I E O S N I E G E NR I N G
C O M P U T E R
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Over the last year I started taking coding classes and realized how creative coding truly is . Similar to dance and fashion , coding is a form of self-expression . It ' s a way to turn a cool innovative idea to a product , website , app , tool or experience .
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by Alice Hernandez
Karlie Kloss : the SUPERMODEL CODER
by Alice Hernandez
Y ou may have seen her in a Taylor Swift music video or passed by the magazine stand and see her face on the covers of different popular magazines such as Vogue but there is more to this supermodel extraordinaire than having a pretty face and a body most women would love to have . She ’ s Karlie Kloss . Currently at the top of the modeling game and making a difference in her attempts to help fund meals for starving children all over the world , Kloss also has cool hobbies we never expected her to have . These hobbies include ballet and baking cookies . Check out her instagram feed . She really likes to bake . But what makes this 23-year-old cooler is her love for coding .
Yes ! The supermodel , who walks in couture gowns for different brands and became a household name for strutting her stuff in the Victoria ’ s Secret Fashion Show , pursues her passion for coding . Normally , models quit school just to pursue modeling – Kloss did the opposite . Kloss just proves that models shouldn ’ t just focus on their looks but also on their brains .
She initially took a crash course in coding and found herself in love with it . Later on , we see her talking about coding like it ’ s one of her obsessions . Last September 2015 , she enrolled herself in NYU ’ s Gallatin School of Individualized Study . When she graced the cover of British Vogue last December 2015 , she discussed her love for coding : “ Call me a nerd , but I love coding , the language of computers . Understanding coding is a superpower . I met some tech entrepreneurs and they are billionaires through learning this stuff . I ’ m so competitive with myself and I am fascinated by the language of technology so I decided to be part of the conversation … I think it ’ s sexy to learn this stuff ; it en- ables and it empowers both sexes . About two years ago I started to think about what happens to me next . I ’ m a 23-year-old model and I want to think less about my looks and more about my future , and that involves my brain . I want to run companies , have a business future .”
Knowing that she can ’ t bank on her looks alone , she ’ ll use her coding skills to build an empire in the future . Isn ’ t that an amazing role model for all the younger kids out there ? Speaking of being a good role model , Kloss is also inspiring young girls to code . With millions of followers in her social media accounts , she uses it to let the public know the importance of coding in today ’ s society . Now , she wants other women to follow her footsteps . In an interview with The Guardian , she expresses her opinion on the matter : “ I think it ’ s crucial that young women learn to code as early as possible to ensure that we as young women have a voice and a stake in what the world looks like .” Last year , she offered scholarship to 21 young girls between the ages of 13 and 18 in her Kode for Karlie Scholarship . This is in collaboration with Flatiron School . For two weeks , 21 girls were luck enough to immerse themselves in the world of coding for two weeks with other young coding enthusiasts .
Through the supermodel ’ s enthusiastic posts about her love for coding , this will encourage younger women to pursue a career in computer science . This will allow an opportunity to address the gender inequality issue in the workplace . Isn ’ t Kloss ’ coding advocacy a refreshing view from all the other shallow posts from other social media ‘ it ’ girls ? We ’ re hoping that the supermodel will inspire young women to develop their brains instead of doing shallow things just to get a few likes on their social media accounts .
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Photo Source : Pinterest