I really don’t know how to begin this… but wow, thank you for all the kind words and support. Being part of this team means more to me than I can express. Python was the first programming language I learned when I taught myself to code. I chose it for its ease of use and its popularity in the geospatial community. What I didn’t yet know was that behind the language was a vibrant, welcoming, and truly special community. The group of people maintaining this project is one of the most inclusive and passionate teams I’ve ever worked with. Thank you to everyone who answered my questions and reviewed my PRs; I’ve learned so much from each of you.
I also want to specifically thank @brandtbucher and @willingc for their support, encouragement, and this nomination. Had it not been for Carol encouraging me to contribute, I may have never started, as contributing (never mind becoming a core developer) felt so incredibly out of reach. As Carol mentioned earlier in this thread, Brandt has been an incredible mentor. Over the past year, I’ve learned so much from him, both about the project in general and about that JIT he’s always talking about. I’m excited to continue collaborating on that work and to keep giving back to a community that has given me so much.