My very first open-source contribution was at Hack for LA, and let me tell you—it was equal parts thrilling and terrifying.
I was assigned a relatively simple task: remove a contributor’s name from the project. It was meant to help me get familiar with the system. I completed the task quickly, but the real rollercoaster began when it came time to submit my changes to the main repository.
I was excited—finally, I got to use the command line and dive into Git! But at the same time, I was scared out of my mind. What if I broke something? What if I brought down the entire production environment and everyone blamed me? The fear was real.
But instead of blindly following instructions like a robot, I paused. I took time to really understand how Git worked with GitHub. That decision changed everything.
I learned how to navigate between my local machine and the main repository. I understood what upstream meant, how branches worked, and how commits told a story to other developers. I discovered how to write meaningful commit messages and submit pull requests that my fellow engineers could read, review, and even critique. I began to see open source as not just code, but as communication—a conversation between collaborators.
That shift in mindset made all the difference.
Soon enough, my fear gave way to confidence. Submitting pull requests, creating branches, and making local changes no longer felt like walking through a minefield. Instead, it became second nature.
That first contribution to open source wasn’t just about deleting a name—it was about finding mine in the community.
Thank you, Hack for LA, for giving me my start.