The short version
- You can read and use everything in the resource library without an account, a sign-up, or giving us any personal information.
- We only receive personal information when you choose to send it: by sharing your story or by emailing us.
- Only Sumaya reads what you send. We never sell it, share it, or add you to a mailing list.
- Nothing about your story is published without your approval, and you can ask us to change or delete it at any time.
- We don't use advertising, tracking cookies, or analytics that follow you around the web.
What we collect, and when
When you share your story. We receive what you choose to enter in the share form: your answers, your name, your email address, an optional link, how you'd like to appear, anything you've asked us to keep private, and your consent. Depending on how it's sent, your story arrives either as an email you send from your own email app, or directly through the form, in which case it's delivered to Sumaya's inbox and saved to a private spreadsheet in her Google account.
When you email us. We receive your message, your email address, and anything you include, such as a request for an intro call.
We don't collect anything else about you, and we don't ask for sensitive details. Please share only what you're comfortable sharing.
What stays on your own device
Some tools on this site remember your progress so you can come back to it: checklist ticks, your personal roadmap, the compensation calculator, your library map view, and any story draft you haven't sent yet. This is saved only in your browser's local storage on your device. It is never sent to us, and we can't see it. You can erase it at any time by clearing this site's data in your browser settings.
How we use your story
We use what you send only to read it, reply to you, and, if you've chosen to have it featured, write a summary in our own words for the free resource library. Before anything is published, we email you the summary to review. We publish it only in the way you chose: anonymously, with your first name, with your full name, or not at all. If you chose to keep it private, it's used only to help us understand what women in tech are facing and what to write next.
We never sell your information, share it with other companies, or use it for advertising. We won't add you to a mailing list.
Who can see it
Only Sumaya Shakir, who runs Ascendant by Design. Your story is stored in her email and Google accounts, which are protected with standard security measures. If your story is published, only the approved summary appears on the site, in the way you chose.
How long we keep it
If your story is featured, we keep your submission for as long as the summary appears on the site, so we can answer questions or make changes you request. If it isn't featured, or you asked to keep it private, we delete it within two years. Either way, you can ask us to delete it sooner, at any time.
Your choices
Email [email protected] at any time to:
- see what we have from you
- correct anything, or change how you appear
- remove a published story from the site
- delete everything you've sent us
We'll confirm we've received your request and act on it within 30 days.
Services that help run this site
Like most websites, this one relies on a few services to work. Our hosting provider, Cloudflare, delivers the pages, and Google Fonts provides the typefaces. To do that, they receive standard technical information from your browser, such as your IP address and browser type. If you send your story through the form, it passes through Google's servers on its way to Sumaya. Each of these services handles that information under its own privacy policy. Links to books, articles, and other websites take you to sites with their own privacy practices.
For adults
This site and its resources are intended for adults. If you're under 18, please don't send us your story or personal information.
Changes to this page
If we change how we handle your information, we'll update this page and the date at the top. If a change affects a story you've already shared, we'll let you know by email.
Contact
Questions about privacy can be sent to [email protected]. See also our disclaimer and terms of use.