Aimee VDB

When I enrolled in a UX Design course, I didn’t expect the journey to include Lyft rides, late-night prototyping, and hand surgery. But that’s exactly how it unfolded.

By day, I was driving passengers across Portland—learning to read people, adapt quickly, and solve problems on the fly. By night, I was wireframing, researching, and presenting design solutions to classmates who had no idea I was working from the front seat of my car between rides.

Midway through the course, I had surgery on my dominant hand to correct carpal tunnel and trigger thumb. It slowed me down physically, but sharpened my focus. I learned to delegate, prioritize, and advocate for accessibility—not just in design, but in life.

This wasn’t the smoothest path into tech, but it was mine. And it taught me that good design isn’t just about pixels—it’s about persistence, perspective, and people.

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Two days after the fire, I sat down for an interview with the Ascent Up program. I didn’t have a permanent address. I barely had a laptop. But I had something stronger: clarity.

I spoke about my journey—Lyft driving, UX coursework, late-night prototyping—and how I’d learned to design under pressure. Real pressure.

The interview wasn’t just a test of skills. It was a test of resilience. And I passed.

Getting accepted meant more than a paid project. It meant validation. It meant someone saw potential in the messy, real version of me.

That project became a turning point. I collaborated with developers, scoped deliverables, and shipped something that mattered.

The fire didn’t stop me. It lit the way.

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Working on Mentamorph was one of the most rewarding team experiences I’ve had. It was the first time I saw my leadership skills begin to emerge—not through authority, but through clarity, empathy, and initiative.

I learned how to communicate across disciplines, balance creative ideas with client needs, and help the team stay focused when things got messy or uncertain.

Collaborating with both teammates and a real client taught me how to ask better questions, listen actively, and advocate for users while respecting scope and constraints.

The process challenged me, stretched my thinking, and reminded me how energizing it is to build something with others.

I left the project more confident, more curious, and deeply grateful—not just for what we built, but for how we built it together.

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