My notes to our 21 AI students at the Indaba
A short background
I am not sure I really want to start explaining what the Deep Learning Indaba is all about, but it means a lot—especially if you are an AI practitioner from Africa. To understand the hype around it, you may consider looking up the hashtag “DLI2023” on Twitter to get a better sense of how much it means. This year’s edition was held in Accra, Ghana, and 21 AI starlets from my local student community were selected to attend the Indaba. The selection process is quite rigorous and competitive (I know lots of interesting folks who didn’t manage to get in), so that number is highly impressive.
The not-so-nice part is that we had to organize a fundraiser for quite a large number of people. Fortunately, the donations kept pouring in, and we were able to raise the money. To everybody who was kind enough to donate and retweet for us, here is another round of deep appreciation for you!
Why did I put this up?
I asked the crew’s chaperones (Busayor, Mardiyyah, and Abraham) for feedback on our people’s experiences, and the insights made me feel grateful. Hence, I decided to write a couple of notes to the people via Spaces, emphasizing the need to optimize the benefits of being at the Indaba.
I shared the notes with a friend of mine who hadn’t been to the Indaba, and she commented on how much the piece got to her and how much it made her want to experience being at the Indaba. And this is the reason I am making it public: simply because other people (who have been to the Indaba and who haven’t) may find it useful.
Notes
Steven Kolawole, Yesterday 12:01 PM
Hey folks @all, I hope you've been able to catch your breath by now. And knowing Indaba, I am sure you all had transformative experiences aside from that unique vacation feeling. My pain at not being able to attend is well documented, but I am glad and grateful we could get so many promising talents to Indaba. Every one of you was there because of how self-motivated you are, despite all the odds and challenges against you. Even if FUNAAB and the rest of your schools don’t celebrate you, I am extremely proud of every single one of you; it’s a feat y’all should be proud of. And if you haven’t sent a personalized thank you note to Busayor and Mardiyyah yet for organizing the fundraiser, you should. Also, do the same to Abraham for spending his time heavily on travel logistics. A lot of processes, very valuable time, and calls went on in the background that you weren’t privy to. For the OOU folks, do well to send a thank-you note to Dr. Sekinat Folorunso; you wouldn’t have participated in the fundraiser without her reaching out.
Steven Kolawole, Yesterday, 12:01 PM
Now for the main reason I wanted to reach out:
You have had all these amazing experiences, and you very much need to build on them. I will synthesize my points in 4 or 5 kini on that front. They might seem a bit philosophical (that’s how I have been consoling myself about how life can be), but I’m sure they’d be useful for you, irrespective of your level of expertise.
Steven Kolawole, Yesterday 12:21 PM
Indaba is an eye-opener.
Your career trajectory cannot be the same, considering all you’ve experienced. This is the least important takeaway for you from Indaba. If you’ve been dreaming before or haven’t been dreaming at all, Indaba has provided you with all the ammunition you need to dream way bigger than before. You witnessed the pomp and glamour; you were at the keynote speeches; you walked around and saw amazing posters of innovative AI solutions that Africans from different parts of the world are building; you were at the tutorials, and (I assume) you struggled to keep up with the depth of most of them; you were at the different competitions; and you were at the socials with the biggest AI practitioners on the planet. If you didn’t take anything away from Indaba at all, exposure should be the exception.
Indaba is a gift/privilege.
I have always said we are disadvantaged as Africans, but I didn’t realize the depth of our misery until these past few weeks. We are extremely resource-constrained in everything except population; in Nigeria, our education system standards are not quite up to par, especially when I compare them with my colleagues from IITs or the C9 League (this is coming from a place of love and resignation rather than condemnation). Compared to your global counterparts, you are disadvantaged in terms of privilege and resources. But if you were at Indaba, you are one of the 1% (honestly) in Africa with that privilege of exposure. The conveners and organizers didn’t owe you anything. Everybody who contributed to our fundraiser didn’t owe you shit. Even the folks who organized this fundraiser don’t owe you anything, and a good number of them could have funded themselves effortlessly. Understand that every part of this journey is a gift, and don’t waste it, please. If the only thing you took away from Indaba is “vacation” and oppressing your Whatsapp folks 😂, then this is a waste. Make it count for yourself. And pay it forward—be a source of inspiration to the community and people around you. That’s our biggest strength in Africa—our sense of community and kinship. Don’t disappoint yourself, and don’t fail the people who should be inspired by your story.
Steven Kolawole, Yesterday 12:36 PM
Motion and Action
It’s very easy to dream and make all the plans in the world, but what separates the truly excellent folks from the average performers is putting in the work. Starting this week, you need to tell your story. Remember, you even promised Indaba in your application that you’d write blog posts and do YouTube tutorials on what you’ve learned. Start writing those articles and cleaning your ring light to record those YouTube videos. You’d be doing this for yourself and for others who aren’t as privileged as you are yet.
By telling your story, you help others dream and realize what is possible (which is why I always try to tell mine as well). This is the LEAST you can do for others, write that story, even if writing is never your strong suit. You also do it for yourself by having receipts. Trust me, you will need this in the future. If not for anything, for next year’s Indaba. It should probably happen in the Central or Southern parts of Africa, which means more travel expenses. Since you’ve been to Indaba before, it will be harder for you to get in without any considerable growth in your trajectory (especially since Indaba always prioritizes newcomers). You may be comfortable enough to afford the expenses then, but most of you will have to depend on fundraising. How would you say Indaba has benefited you in the past year without any receipt?
People are more likely to help impressive people who don’t need much help than people who don’t seem like much but need help in abundance. It’s sad psychology. It is easier for you to raise funds when you are already known for your craft. And of course, the receipts of your documentation and your technical growth make it easier for people to help those who will come from the same place you’ve come.
Even if you are self-centered enough not to do it for others (we all have a modicum of selfishness, actually), do it for yourself. Would you be honestly pleased with yourself if you attended the next Indaba without any significant change from the version of you from the last one? One year is a very short time, but would you be pleased if all the people you laughed and danced with today at Indaba had grown beyond recognition by next year’s Indaba but you were still calling yourself “an AI enthusiast who is looking to start ‘AI research’”? Most people can make peace with mediocrity, but I am not sure I’d forgive myself easily if I had that one privilege and I wasted it. 🥲
Steven Kolawole, Yesterday, 12:43 PM
Final thoughts (I don late for my next class 😂💔)
You have dreamed; now you have to pursue those dreams. Be proud of yourself and your self-motivation so far. Inspire those around you. Give back to others and guide them. Stay in touch with all the contacts you’ve collected. Don’t give that potential mentor breathing space. Make it easy for people to help you by doing impressive work and documenting often. Be accountable—to yourself and to others. Make it easy for others from your clan to receive help by being a testimony. Self-reflect. Be grateful for the privileges you have. Be happy. Don’t get burned out; take good care of yourself. Talk to people when you are not getting ‘it’. Don’t lose sight of your goals. Put in the grind consistently. Again, don’t forget your dreams. Don’t get comfortable in your comfort zone. Be happy with yourself. Be happy for others if they are doing well. Once again, self-reflect on your growth. Don’t lie to yourself. And for the last time, be happy.
I am just a DM (no, an email) away. If there’s any way I can help (any way at all), I’d be happy to (I may not respond quickly, though). If you need clarity on your progress or research direction on anything, I may be available for short calls on the weekends or when I’m hiking.
Will someone be kind enough to forward this to people who are on WhatsApp? Thanks a lot. Rosanne has been mentioning MLC Nigeria for a while now, so I am excited to see what we can do with that. Thanks again!
