Winning student of the year for Ontario ✨
Speech about mentorship at GEM donor event
Because representation matters 💜
Beyond the Code
I'm Gira Chawda—a developer, content creator, and firm believer that tech should be for everyone. By day, I'm shipping features at Shopify. By evenings, I'm studying for my Digital Technologies degree at York University. By night (and weekends), I'm making TikToks to prove that you don't need to be perfect to be a programmer.
I've been coding since I was 14, not because I was a "natural," but because I was stubborn enough to keep going when it got hard. Now, I want to make that journey easier for the next person.
My Story Constellation
A resume lists what I've done, but not how I got there. Each accomplishment has a story; late nights learning, first teaching moments, teamwork, and experiences that shaped me. This constellation lets you explore the journey behind each milestone, not just the outcome.
Self-Learning Spark
Where it all began
I taught myself Python and JavaScript, tackled CS50, and built my first projects. I didn’t love coding at first—but the thrill of finally figuring things out hooked me for life.
- Completed Harvard CS50 course
- Built early personal projects
- Explored web and software fundamentals
Teaching & Empowering
Cracking the Code
I started teaching coding to just a few people—my sister, friends, and one stranger—and loved seeing someone genuinely excited to learn. Over time, I grew workshops to over 100 participants, partnered with SLYE Patchwork, and even had Tiffany Janzen (@tiffintech) as a guest.
- Started coding workshops with 4 participants
- Scaled workshops to 100+ learners online
- Partnered with SLYE Patchwork community organization
- Featured Tiffany Janzen (@tiffintech) as a guest
Community Leadership
hErVOLUTION Committee
I joined hErVOLUTION to support young girls entering STEM, contributing to program planning and leading the Ambassador Committee to expand the organization’s impact.
- Chaired Ambassador Committee, leading meetings and initiatives
- Contributed to STEMingUP planning and execution
- Cultivated partnerships to enhance program impact
- Mentored and supported young girls in STEM
Professional Impact
Shopify Dev Degree
As a Dev Degree Intern at Shopify, I’ve contributed to merchant-facing features, improved user accessibility in Catalogs, and collaborated across multiple R&D teams while growing my full-stack skills.
- Launched features in Markets Home
- Enhanced merchant-facing Catalogs components for accessibility
- Contributed to backend functionality for Plus Trial and Plus features
- Worked across multiple R&D teams, adapting to frontend and backend challenges
- Engaged in pair programming and team retrospectives to foster collaboration
Social Media Impact
Continuing the Journey
Throughout my coding journey, I’ve shared my growth and experiences across platforms, building a community that values authenticity and learning. I create relatable intern content, share the lessons I’ve learned, and highlight female representation in tech. My goal is to be real and transparent—showing both the challenges and successes to help demystify the tech world.
- Grown a community of 2,000+ followers across TikTok and Instagram
- Built an authentic online presence as a developer and content creator
- Empowered others through transparent and relatable tech content
- Advocated for female representation and inclusivity in tech
Late nights at Shopify HQ ☕
Creating content for @ShopifyEng on X at Rails World
Hosting the lightning talks at the Shopify office
Beyond the Code
I'm Gira Chawda—a developer, content creator, and firm believer that tech should be for everyone. By day, I'm shipping features at Shopify. By evenings, I'm studying for my Digital Technologies degree at York University. By night (and weekends), I'm making TikToks to prove that you don't need to be perfect to be a programmer.
I've been coding since I was 14, not because I was a "natural," but because I was stubborn enough to keep going when it got hard. Now, I want to make that journey easier for the next person.
Just me being me ✨
Late nights at Shopify HQ ☕
Teaching my first coding workshop
Day 1 as a Dev Degree intern
Because representation matters 💜
Making tech less scary, one TikTok at a time
My Story Constellation
A resume lists what I've done, but not how I got there. Each accomplishment has a story; late nights learning, first teaching moments, teamwork, and experiences that shaped me. This constellation lets you explore the journey behind each milestone, not just the outcome.
Self-Learning Spark
Where it all began
I taught myself Python and JavaScript, tackled CS50, and built my first projects. I didn’t love coding at first—but the thrill of finally figuring things out hooked me for life.
- Completed Harvard CS50 course
- Built early personal projects
- Explored web and software fundamentals
Teaching & Empowering
Cracking the Code
I started teaching coding to just a few people—my sister, friends, and one stranger—and loved seeing someone genuinely excited to learn. Over time, I grew workshops to over 100 participants, partnered with SLYE Patchwork, and even had Tiffany Janzen (@tiffintech) as a guest.
- Started coding workshops with 4 participants
- Scaled workshops to 100+ learners online
- Partnered with SLYE Patchwork community organization
- Featured Tiffany Janzen (@tiffintech) as a guest
Community Leadership
hErVOLUTION Committee
I joined hErVOLUTION to support young girls entering STEM, contributing to program planning and leading the Ambassador Committee to expand the organization’s impact.
- Chaired Ambassador Committee, leading meetings and initiatives
- Contributed to STEMingUP planning and execution
- Cultivated partnerships to enhance program impact
- Mentored and supported young girls in STEM
Professional Impact
Shopify Dev Degree
As a Dev Degree Intern at Shopify, I’ve contributed to merchant-facing features, improved user accessibility in Catalogs, and collaborated across multiple R&D teams while growing my full-stack skills.
- Launched features in Markets Home
- Enhanced merchant-facing Catalogs components for accessibility
- Contributed to backend functionality for Plus Trial and Plus features
- Worked across multiple R&D teams, adapting to frontend and backend challenges
- Engaged in pair programming and team retrospectives to foster collaboration
Social Media Impact
Continuing the Journey
Throughout my coding journey, I’ve shared my growth and experiences across platforms, building a community that values authenticity and learning. I create relatable intern content, share the lessons I’ve learned, and highlight female representation in tech. My goal is to be real and transparent—showing both the challenges and successes to help demystify the tech world.
- Grown a community of 2,000+ followers across TikTok and Instagram
- Built an authentic online presence as a developer and content creator
- Empowered others through transparent and relatable tech content
- Advocated for female representation and inclusivity in tech