Contra is the Future

Shortly after graduating college in August, I was scrolling through TikTok when I watched a video of a woman talking about remote job opportunities. I clicked on the profile and was introduced to Contra’s Zoë and Sam! They looked to be around my age and I felt immediately connected to them and Contra’s mission to help independents. In the months that followed, I developed my skills as a designer, and applied for many, many jobs to help keep me afloat. I never landed any of the hundreds of jobs I applied for, but looking back, this rejection was the fuel I needed to encourage me to build my career as an independent designer.

After being involved with Contra’s Slack channel for months and following their journey to finally launch the website, I came across an opportunity to be an ambassador. I applied three months in a row before finally being accepted, but it was 100% worth it. I received the acceptance email while working in a hot, sweaty kitchen of a Mexican restaurant, and it gave me the boost I needed to finish my shift. Days later, I hopped on a video chat with Madi and Sam, and my journey as an ambassador began.

I have always been passionate about Contra’s mission and their desire to change the way we work, but being an ambassador has ignited those feelings even more. Being around other independents who are just as passionate as I am has made me feel less alone in this journey, and I can’t wait to see what we all do in our careers. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the video chats with everyone, as well as seeing every ambassador’s Contra profile. We definitely have a lot to learn from each other, and I have come out of this experience a more well-rounded independent.