What if nothing you’ve studied, worked on, or struggled through was wasted?

In this soundbite from the Black-Liberation.Tech Podcast, Dr. Renee Jordan breaks down what she calls the Strategic Stack — the intentional process of layering skills, degrees, and experiences to move into spaces that weren’t originally “designed” for you.

This segment is for the student or early-career professional who:

• Feels like their degree doesn’t “match” where they want to go
• Has experience across education, policy, or community work and wonders if it counts
• Is curious about tech, research, or doctoral programs but doesn’t see a clear path in

Dr. Jordan shares how she realized she needed a tool — not just policy recommendations — and how technology had been following her all along, from federal work-study in IT to being the unofficial tech problem-solver in every role she held.

She explains how her Master’s in Public Policy unexpectedly positioned her to meet the quantitative and research requirements for a PhD in Instructional Technology — fast-tracking her entry into a competitive tech-adjacent doctoral program.

This is a powerful reminder that:

• Your degrees don’t have to be linear
• Your experience is already speaking — you just need to translate it
• Strategy matters just as much as passion

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t have the right background for tech,” this segment will challenge that belief.