It’s About the Humans

It’s just about time to close the book on 2022, and what a year it has been. This time of year is especially filled with sentiments of festive cheer and goodwill. And sure, it would be nice to carry these joyful feelings with us in our back pockets throughout the year, but the truth is that being an adult human is hard work. So when the weather starts to cool and the days grow shorter, we all get together and give thanks to remind us of what is truly important in this life. We throw lights up around the house, decorate Christmas trees, light the menorah, and spend quality time with friends and loved ones, looking to the year ahead with new motivation to live our best lives.

Since Bitwise Industries was founded in 2013, our focus has always been about the humans we employ, and those living in underestimated communities who want to change their lives for the better. Bitwise places a high priority on the well-being of every single one of our employees and apprentices, because that’s who we are. 2022 has been a year filled with incredible hardships, while at the same time providing us with transformative opportunities to celebrate. Let’s take this time to highlight some of the good memories from in-and-around the Bitwise ecosystem this past year, and head into the winter break on a high note.

A Year For The Ages

2022 has been the most difficult and the most beautiful year of my life. Find a list of the five most stressful events a person can experience in their lifetimes, and see where you land, because this year I checked all the boxes. 

Loss of a loved one. Check! On May 20, 2022 My mother passed away after a nearly four-year-long battle with Valley Fever. Her laugh of pure joy was a blessing to witness and be near. A month prior, my wife Sara and I mourned the loss of her grandfather who passed away in early April. He was a magnanimous large man who loved to bring smiles to peoples faces.  

Caretaking for a loved one. Check! In November 2021, Sara was in a car accident that left her with an injured foot. Fortunately, she’s made a full recovery, and we can both look back now and see how far we’ve come. 

Planning a wedding and honeymoon. Check and check! Sara and I got married on a beautiful and absurdly windy day, on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada. We decided on February 22, 2022 purely for the numerical significance, and headed straight to Tulum, Mexico afterward for our honeymoon. Unfortunately, Sara got afflicted with Montezuma’s revenge for most of the week. I, however, was perfectly fine. 

Moving. Check! After a nearly year-long search to find a home to put down roots, Sara and I finally had an accepted offer for a cozy two-bedroom, cottage-style home in my hometown of Visalia, California. I remember being on the phone with our escrow agent while honeymooning, but it didn’t matter because having a home to return to when we got back seemed like an important detail to work out at the time.  

Starting a new career. Check! I was cashed out and running on fumes when I began at Bitwise last summer. I’d reached a nexus point and Bitwise was there to light my path forward. That’s my favorite Bitwise memory from this year. I feel like I got a second chance, and the opportunity to do some good along the way with a bunch of amazing people that are making their own memories as part of this big and beautiful Bitwise family. 

Favorite 2022 Bitwise Memories From Our Ecosystem

“My favorite Bitwise memory this year would have to be how my Bitwise Family rallied around me in my greatest time of need. This past May I was separated from my family after being incarcerated. Having personally made such great efforts to change my life and become a better person, I was at a low point. When my wife Danita told me that our 3EOs were going to do everything they could to reunite me with my family, I couldn’t believe it. For three months I was forced to live in a place that I promised myself I would never go back to. My Bitwise family sent food, visited my family, and assured us that they were not going to abandon us. People I’ve met through Bitwise sacrificed so much for me and I will always be grateful. I will never forget the deep kindness we were given and the unwavering support.”

Floyd Muñoz (He/Him/His)
Growth and Recruitment Events Coordinator / Workforce Training

“I wanted to share about how my wife Carly Feil and I found our puppy Vinny outside of Bitwise South Stadium in January. Carley texted me that she found a puppy during her lunch break, so I took him inside and finished a meeting with him sitting on my lap. After checking that he wasn’t microchipped, we decided to keep him. A few days later, he got really sick with parvo and we had to hospitalize him, but our community at Bitwise came through and helped support us during that time. Miraculously, Vinny pulled through and gained his health back! We have taken him on many trips and adventures, and love bringing him to the office!”

Natalie Feil (She/Her/Hers)
Food and Beverage Project Coordinator / OREO Team

“My favorite Bitwise memory this year–hands down–was attending Adobe Max with the design team. It was just a jolt of inspiration for me and allowed me to bond and connect with the rest of the designers that also attended. I feel so fortunate because I’ve never worked at a job that was able to do things like this for us. It’s a memory that I will never forget, and tools that will stay with me throughout my design career.”

Joe Verduzco (He/Him/His)
Designer / MarComm

“One of my favorite 2022 memories has to be attending the Caruthers Fair with the Bitwise peeps again! The first time I went to the fair was a few weeks after I started at Bitwise in 2017. I was a new-hire and pretty nervous. It ended up being one of the most fun nights I’ve ever had—drunk on fair food, old-timey photos, and laughter. Plugging back into that community and spirit after the last few years with all of the new folks on the Bitwise team really made my year.”

Angelica Cano (She/Her/Hers)
Well-Being Director / Well-Being

“The Opening of the Bitwise Oakland office is up there as a favorite memory.  Watching what began as a virtual community continue to grow, and eventually find a place to call home, was something special.”

Kennan Scott (He/Him/His)
VP, Oakland / Bitwise Oakland

“My memorable moment from 2022 happened on a trip to Greeley, CO with Bryan Feil, Sandi Olguin, Irma, Janelle Sanders, and Adriana Orozco. We had been walking all over Greeley. We ended our day with a nice trip to a local brewery, where I proclaimed, “my puppies are howling!” I was filled with confidence and exclaimed, “Nailed it! That’s a saying!” Unfortunately, puppies have nothing to do with foot pain, but dogs do bark. The OREO team has made sure I never live it down.”

Jordan Sanchez (She/Her/Hers)
Director of Real Estate Acquisition / OREO  

What Are You Doing to Uplift Humans?

As we look ahead to 2023, here at Bitwise Industries we can proudly say that we have successfully trained over 10,000 individuals with the skill sets to pursue careers in the tech industry. As a nationally recognized apprenticeship program, we are working directly with our partners to ensure that our mission of providing accessible and affordable workforce training opportunities to underestimated communities and  individuals continues to take hold.  

From everyone at Bitwise, we sincerely wish you and your loved ones the merriest of holiday seasons and a happy new year. 

This post was written by Trenton Lively, Jr. Copywriter for Bitwise Industries. When he’s not writing, he’s wondering if the other two wisemen knew that the third guy was gifting gold, would they have still brought frankincense and myrrh?

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