Written by volunteer writer Alison Perch

There are many entry points to careers in technology, from science to design to language. For Amy Freeman, writing offered a pathway to the world of tech.

“The type of writing I do wouldn’t exist without technology,” Amy says.

Amy works in digital/content marketing as a content writer, creating copy and blog posts for companies’ websites. Her work involves digital marketing techniques, including search engine optimization (SEO). She also uses technology, such as WordPress and similar CMS platforms, to develop content.

Amy has a formal background in the arts, rather than technology. She earned an MFA in theater criticism and dramaturgy, and a BA in Ancient Greek and Roman Classics. Amy always wanted to be a writer, though she didn’t anticipate having a tech-focused writing career.

“Growing up, being a ‘writer’ meant being someone who wrote novels or plays or maybe for a magazine or newspaper,” she explains.

As a girl, Amy wasn’t expected to pursue a tech career. Her four brothers were encouraged to explore STEM, and they now work as data scientists and engineers.

“Although technology was a big thing in our house — my father is also an engineer — and we were introduced to computers early on, there was always the underlying message that it was ‘boy’s stuff,’” Amy says.

Her first foray into a tech hobby was creating her own website through gURLpages, a platform similar to Geocities, in 1997. She learned HTML so she could customize her site with poems (which she now calls “embarrassing”) and photos of actors she had crushes on.

“It was the first time that I got to see that technology was something that was actually interesting,” she explains.

Today, Amy is helping middle school girls explore the possibilities of tech. As a volunteer writer for TechGirlz, she has written recaps of TechShopz and shared news about the organization, helping girls and their parents see the range of programs available.

Amy supports TechGirlz because “the playing field is still uneven.” Girls and women don’t always pursue STEM careers, and when they do, they often have to work twice as hard to prove themselves.

Amy emphasizes that tech is for everyone, whether you’re a programmer, scientist, or a self-described “language nerd” like herself. Amy is currently studying Welsh, Modern Greek, and French, and she reads a lot. When she’s not writing or volunteering with TechGirlz, she also works on embroidery/stitching projects. Right now, she’s working on a cross stitch pattern of the 14 doctors from Doctor Who, plus the TARDIS.

For anyone wondering if they’re “techy” enough to volunteer, Amy offers these words of encouragement: “Jump in and do it! If you’re not comfortable teaching, there are plenty of other ways to contribute and to support a cause you believe in.”

There are many ways to volunteer with TechGirlz, from writing blog posts to leading TechShopz. Sign up today!