Some girls are interested in fashion, others want to be in the spotlight and then some are fascinated with computers, programming in particular.  Sasha Ariel Alston is one of those girls.

She’s been interested in coding since she was a little girl. But not too many girls of color shared her interest in computers and numbers.  When the 17 year-old  noticed this , she started working on a children’s book that encourages  black girls to learn more about coding and STEM careers in general.  Two years later, Sasha Savvy Loves to Code, was born.

Most of the storyline is based on the author’s real-life. For instance, the character is named Sasha and like the author she is from Washington D.C. Her father is a chef and her mother is a computer software developer. Sasha and her two best friends attend a coding camp to learn more about the field. When she learns she can use coding to create gaming apps, she gets ecstatic and her interest turns into a lifelong pursuit.

Alston is now majoring in computer information and minoring in marketing at Pace University in New York City. The book is self-published. Earlier this year, she started a Kickstarter campaign to design and complete the book. Her goal was $5,000 but she exceeded that by $17, 602! Alston plans to have the first physical copy of her book this summer and she has started taking the orders of those who have donated to the campaign.

The 19 year-old tells the Huffington Post that she hopes her book will inspire girls to not only consider a career in STEM but to also tackle their dreams.

To learn more about Sasha’s campaign, click here.

Another Royal Woman who is using her STEM career to pursue her dreams is Miss USA 2017, Kara McCullough Click here for that story!

#royalwomeninspire