Kat Calvin is a woman on the go. She has six projects going at once, including Blerdology, a blog and networking group for black “nerds,” Michelle in Training, a three-year program that helps high school girls develop leadership skills, and D.C. Young Entrepreneurs, a networking and educational organization for D.C. entrepreneurs.
 
She also founded Character’s Closet, a website that lists the outfits worn by TV characters on popular shows and gives similar options at various price points. On top of all that, she’s a consultant at LilyPad Consulting, a local consulting firm for small business and start-ups. Kat was also named one of the 2013 The Grio’s 100 and BET’s Blacks on the Brink of Greatness.
 
All of this, as one could imagine, takes up a great deal of time and energy – but she sat down with Elevation DC to talk about why she does it all, why she lives in D.C. and her favorite local haunts.  
 
When you're giving your elevator pitch, what do you say you do? 
Blerdology is a social enterprise that supports and engages the black tech community around the country. I also run a non-profit called Michelle in Training, we teach professional and life skills to high school girls. Beyond that I have other orgs and businesses that I run as well, all focusing on women, entrepreneurs, the black community or some combination of those!

What drew you to tech? What were your early influences and how did you decide tech was it? 
Everyone is in tech, like it or not. I wasn't drawn to tech. I bought a smartphone, hooked up to the internet, got an email address. We're all "in tech" now and we can either learn how to control it or we can stand back and let other people decide what our world is going to look like.
 
Our world became a tech world while we were watching Family Matters and now we're all trying to either catch up or stay ahead of the curve, but either way we are all "in tech.”
 
What's the coolest project you've worked on?
Blerdology! Actually, I really love our #blackhacks. There are so many amazing things that come out of them. The local black tech community gets a chance to network and bond, we build amazing apps for local startups and non-profits, we connect founders to consultants, advisors and investors, and we give the proceeds to local non-profits. It's pretty amazing, if I do say so myself.
 
Did you come up with the term "blerd"? 
We didn't come up with it! "Blerd" was just out there and we loved it. It's not political. We're black, we're nerds, we're blerds. The term has been around for a while but I think just didn't hit pop culture until recently.
 
Isn’t it political in some sort of way? Obviously, there was a lack of a community for nerds who happened to be black, why do you think that was?
I'm from D.C. so I can spin anything to make it political, but really “blerd” isn't about politics so much as it's about community. The community is building now because we're at the next step. The black community is always trying to catch up because history started us about 300 years behind. That and the fact that we're a minority means that doing things like building community among black techies in a city, region or community is going to take some time. And we're just here to help. 
 
Of course there's a need for blacks in tech, everyone needs to be trained in the STEM fields. It's where the jobs are and will be for the foreseeable future so if we want the black community to be part of the economy then, yes, we need blacks in tech. 

How does your race and gender intersect with your work?
I choose to work with women, entrepreneurs and the black community because that's what I am and I have a limited imagination. I wish I was cool enough to work with atoms or airplane engines or those little air bubbles in sneakers but I pretty much stick with what I know.
 
Why D.C. as your hub? 
We live in D.C.! It's the greatest city on Earth, where else would we go? 
 
I'm an army brat so I grew up everywhere. I moved to D.C. in 2010, right after ?law school. I've been in love with the city since I was 15 and I knew I would move here to settle down. 
 
D.C. also has thousands of entrepreneurs and always has and they are smart, passionate, focused and eager to change the world. There is a lot more in our city than just government workers. That's a common misperception that we are going to change.  There is no better place in the world to be a 'trep. ?
 
Where are your usual hangouts in the city? 
The W Hotel, definitely. I pretty much live in their Living Room. Sticky Rice on H St. Can't get enough tater tots and beer. The Atrium at the Portrait Gallery. 
 
What's a usual workday look like?
There is no "usual day" for an entrepreneur! But definitely lots of emails, lots of tweeting…lots of tweeting. I usually get to meet up with some great people, either to advise them, talk about partnering or to get advice. And I watch a lot of Star Trek during the day. 
 
Who have been your mentors? 
I get a lot of mentorship from books. Madame Clicquot, Richard Branson, Jackie O., Alexander Hamilton. I seek guidance from people in history because it's hard finding a mentor these days and they've all been through just about everything. I've also spent my entire life just trying to be like my grandmother, so I think WWDD (What Would Dorothy Do?) a lot.
 
This interview has been edited and condensed.