This August, I attended my first Global AWS Heroes Summit in Seattle, just in time to enjoy the tail end of some gorgeous weather. I’m not really here to talk about the discussions and presentations, because the whole post will just be a mass of [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] like a file released from the NSA.
Rather, I want to talk about the energy, the people, the sense of being part of something big.
AWS Heroes Program
The AWS Heroes Program is a bit shrouded in mystery. There are about 200 of us around the world, with each one of us creating an impact in the AWS ecosystem in one way or another.
The purpose of the AWS Heroes program is to recognize and honor the most engaged and influential builders who have a significant impact within the AWS community. It also provides Heroes a place to tell their story and connect with like-minded builders.
It is an internal-nomination only program (which distinguishes it from the AWS Community Builders program). If you’re interested in learning more, finding a Hero near you, and/or potentially striving to become an AWS Hero, you can check out the FAQ on the AWS Heroes page on AWS Builder Center!
My entry as an AWS Community Hero
The process of becoming an AWS Hero felt long, but in reality, it was just 2 years. I had begun my AWS-related content creation beginning with awsnewbies.com in the summer or 2018, got my first LinkedIn Learning course out in 2019, and worked on community cultivation throughout the beginning of the pandemic, and became an AWS Community Hero in the winter of 2020. It’s hard to believe that I’ve had the honor of holding this title for 5 years already!
Since then, my courses on LinkedIn Learning have collectively been taken by over 680,000 learners in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and German, and I published a book titled “AWS for Non-Engineers” with Manning Publishing.
This book was translated into Korean recently, and I had the opportunity to receive a copy from a fellow AWS Hero from Korea who also happened to have written the introduction for the book. We spoke at length about content creation, beginner content, and how we can make an impact with our chosen audience during the summit.
The AWS Heroes Summit community
As you might imagine, imposter syndrome is real when you are part of such an exclusive club. Especially as a self-proclaimed Professional Beginner, I’m here to create content and resources in beginner-friendly spaces, and sometimes feel very out of place in a community filled with world-renowned technicians, tech influencers, and community builders. Sometimes, I have to sit there and pinch myself, because, is this real life…? (Also, my feeling “out of place” is never because of the fellow Heroes, who are always extremely welcoming and kind!)
The global nature of the summit meant that I was finally able to meet in person people from all over the world that I have been talking to for years, some from even before I was an AWS Hero. It was a great experience to finally have an in-person ability to talk about our projects, life, and eat delicious food together.
The enthusiasm is contagious
AWS Heroes from around the world
Everyone there is doing something impactful. Whether it be running huge local communities, creating amazing resources, or working on cutting edge projects utilizing AWS. And the enthusiasm and excitement is contagious.
I spoke with so many Heroes about what they are working on, as well as my feeling of being a little lost about the direction I want to take my community work in. Everyone was so generous with their time and expertise, and I walked away with so many ideas. When I got back home from the AWS Heroes Summit, I was just brimming with the need to do something.
If you’re interested in doing a certain project, creating a community, or facilitating an event, chances are, there are half a dozen people who have done it already from half way across the world. What a treasure trove of information and enthusiasm!
I tried a few projects here and there since the end of August, and am a little fizzled out. I’m hoping next month’s AWS re:Invent will give me another infusion of enthusiasm and aha moments to propel me to my next project!
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