Black History Month: Three Chimers’ stories of brilliance in action
Black History Month is a time to celebrate and honor the remarkable contributions, resilience, and brilliance of the Black community throughout history. To honor the month this year, we spoke with three Chimers about the moments that have shaped their careers and how they define brilliance in their own way.
In conversations with Nicolette, Kristen, and Jennifer, we discovered that brilliance often emerges in unexpected ways—through the courage to take unconventional paths, the wisdom to embrace continuous learning, and the strength to maintain unwavering commitment to one's vision. Their experiences remind us that standing out is about having the courage to define excellence on your own terms.
The courage to chart your own course
One lesson Nicolette has learned in her career is the importance of persistence and possibility—and having the courage to embrace new paths, even when they diverge from expectations.
For Nicolette, this meant pursuing an unconventional route to tech and her current role as a Senior Software Engineer at Chime: After studying English and exploring careers from law to photography, she found her way to software development through a tech-training nonprofit and a scholarship to a coding bootcamp.
"There's a widespread myth that brilliance is something you're born with," Nicolette reflects. "But true brilliance isn't about innate talent. It's about recognizing that your brain is expansive and having the profound belief that if you want to learn something, you can with hard work."
This courage to chart a new course also drove Kristen's journey to her current role as Chime’s Manager of Benefits and Wellness. Though she initially planned to attend pharmacy school after college, an unexpected opportunity in recruitment opened doors to her true calling in HR. When she later got a job at a medical company where everything was documented on paper, she volunteered to improve the HR process—from implementing software and systems to launching benefits, and more. “That was a pivotal moment for me: finding my swim lane, raising my hand to learn more, and jumping in.”
The power of continuous learning
Another key learning from these three Chimers is that brilliance can only emerge in an environment of perpetual growth and curiosity. For Kristen, this means diving into unfamiliar work with confidence that she'll be wiser on the other side.
Jennifer exemplifies this principle of brilliance in her journey to leading early talent. Starting as a recruiting coordinator, she embraced the opportunity to take on new responsibilities when a colleague went on leave. "I took on a completely new focus area, asked a lot of questions, and gave myself a lot of grace because I didn't know everything," she shares.
"That experience changed the way I think about being excellent at what I do," Jennifer says. "It’s not about perfection—it’s about being willing to stretch yourself, take risks, and grow. If something sparks your curiosity, don’t ignore it. Follow it. That’s how you bring brilliance into your field—even if you don’t have all the answers right away.”
The importance of vision, integrity, and unwavering commitment
At its core, these Chimers’ stories show how brilliance emerges from authenticity and integrity. Nicolette emphasizes this point through her experience becoming a software developer: "Brilliance comes from having a clear vision for your life and career, and holding onto that vision even when others doubt you. It's about deeply examining your beliefs and work ethic, and being committed to pursuing what calls to you."
It’s through building relationships and doing thorough research that Nicolette discovered an important part of brilliance: always asking, "Is this enough?" and knowing you've put in the effort to ensure it is.
At Chime, we’re proud to celebrate Nicolette, Kristen, and Jennifer, whose stories remind us that brilliance isn’t just what you know—it’s how you grow, adapt, and make an impact.