Shanese Black shares her journey to becoming a software engineer in the "Voices of Gatsby" series, highlighting her passion for design and programming. Initially unaware of software engineering as a career path, she discovered it through job postings while in college, despite pursuing a graphic design degree. Her early exposure to web development and programming at a high school in North Carolina laid the foundation for her interest in tech. After obtaining two associate degrees, she founded a design firm to merge her coding and design skills, later pursuing a bachelor's degree in Graphic Design at North Carolina A&T State University. Despite her educational achievements, she realized practical experience was crucial and enrolled in the rigorous Coder Foundry bootcamp, which provided hands-on learning and project development. This experience not only honed her technical skills but also emphasized critical thinking, problem-solving, and project management. Black now envisions a fulfilling career as a software engineer, continuously learning and aspiring to mentor others, driven by gratitude for her educational journey and the supportive influences she encountered.