Hello!
My name is Pora Rith. I'm an aspiring User Experience Designer and am currently a student in General Assembly's UX Boot Camp. It is an immersive and intense 8-week course located in the heart of San Francisco. It's a wonderful program, and I'm learning so much about the intersection of technology, design, and collaboration.
While I was fortunate to be accepted into this competitive program, I recently learned I did not win a scholarship to help pay for the program, which costs $7,500. Fortunately, my brothers and sisters have generously chipped in $5,000 of that amount.
I need your help with the remaining $2,500.
About me
I am a Cambodian American currently living in Oakland with my mom, siblings, and my partner, Melissa. I am a devoted son, brother, uncle, and soon to be father. Melissa and I are expecting a baby, and we hope to raise our child in a creative and loving environment.
I recently graduated from the Academy of Art University with a degree in Graphic Design. If you are curious, here is my portfolio. To help pay for living, prenatal costs, and student loans, I have two jobs. My first job is a driver for Lyft, the carsharing service with the cute pink mustaches. My second job is as an attendant to those who are disabled because of ill-health. When not working and not in class, I help babysit my nieces and nephew. Somewhere in there, I try to find time for relaxation and hanging out with family and friends.
After graduating from UX Boot Camp, I hope to find a User Experience Design or Product Design job to pay back student loans, support my family, and contribute to the design community.
Why I want to become a UX Designer
In my life, I’ve faced many struggles. Though hard, I eventually conquered them. I’ve also seen the struggles of others in my community. Drugs, violence, and poverty. Some overcame those challenges. Others did not—often because of matters out of their control. Together, these experiences motivate me to become a user experience designer—to reduce the struggles in people’s lives.
Here's a little bit more of my own personal struggles:
In 1984, my family fled to the US as refugees of the Cambodian Civil War. We landed in a one-bedroom apartment in West Oakland, surviving on welfare and food stamps. To help our family of 9, I developed a will to succeed and got a job at age 14. I struggled through the public school system, but made my way to the Academy of Art University. Then, in a rough patch of my life, I became addicted to crystal meth. I sought help, recovered, and successfully graduated with a degree in Graphic Design. These were tough experiences, but they've made me see the importance of identifying real problems and finding real solutions.
In comparison to others, my struggles are small. In college, I became an attendant working with the elderly and saw how normal tasks such as using the bathroom and eating can be difficult to perform. I also saw the pain and frustration my father felt while bedridden for years, before passing away. Seeing these challenges made me ask, “there must be an easier way”.
Now, I’m at a crossroads.
The Academy of Art taught me how to make products look appealing and beautiful. But, it did not teach me how to design products which reduce friction for people. I still have a lot to learn here. And with new skills from General Assembly, I hope to become a user experience designer—and ultimately, to make everyone struggle a little less
Why you should help
I believe I bring a unique background that is underrepresented in the Bay Area's tech world. Your contribution will help bring a different set of experiences and perspectives, which will help enrich and diversify our tech and design communities.
After becoming a successful designer, I aim to contribute back to the community and help others who also aspire to become designers, yet are in tough circumstances.
Finally, you should contribute to this campaign, because it also has a few awesome perks! See the sidebar for details.