This newsletter takeover is written by Canessa, a Decentraland user and SheFi Season 14 member. Keep reading for info on our Season 14 graduation, SheFi Summit Accra, and a special grant from Octant!

My journey into crypto began like so many others.

I heard about a strange new currency unlike anything I had seen before. I bought a small amount of Bitcoin, then wondered what other coins might exist in this revolutionary new world. 

I remember scrolling through the listings of coins, trying to figure out what any of them meant. Zero x this, and protocol that… it was all confusing, highly technical, and very intimidating. I felt like I was in a world I didn’t belong in. 

And then… I saw it…

MANA: The coin of a virtual world.

Okay…I can understand this! A virtual world. Friends to meet and new experiences to explore.

Decentraland made sense to me.

I was a high school Special Education teacher at the time, and I used virtual reality in my classroom to aid students with disabilities access content in new ways. I had acquired a VR headset with a grant and was already diving deep into immersive worlds.

I soon became a LAND owner and began building scenes in Decentraland. Since the project was still in beta, I couldn’t even walk on my LAND yet… I had literally bought an idea. I had no experience in coding, modeling, or anything related to blockchain.

Everything at the time should have told me “This is a bad idea.” 

But instead, I felt inspired in ways I had never imagined. Like a child the first time they pick up a crayon, I felt like this world was my studio. My LAND parcel was my new canvas.

As time passed, I picked up the skills I lacked at the beginning of my journey. I learned Blender, a 3D animation software, with help from YouTube and friends. I taught myself how to make Emote animations and sold them on the marketplace. I discovered the DAO and began participating in governance decisions. 

A friend even invited me to start hosting X (Twitter) spaces, and of course I told him, “Nooo, I’m too shy. I couldn’t possibly do that.” But then I realized: 

If you’ve got something to say, you should say it before it’s too late. 

I decided to host an X space with him, and 3 years later, we’ve hosted 160 X spaces and founded the Community Building Decentraland server. We meet every Saturday morning on my parcel, and while we might talk about big ideas, it just feels like friends gathering for our weekly coffee. 

While a lot of Decentraland might look like other virtual worlds, with games, avatars, Wearables, and parties, we are like no other platform.

We are decentralized and blockchain based. Assets can be bought and sold, unlike other platforms where the same action would violate the terms of service. Land owners have the freedom to create without censorship based on their content. Artists can reward their collectors with additional value like VIP access or NFT’s. 

However, it’s my belief that Decentraland is so much more than all of this.

We have the ability to preserve documents, experiences, and individuals in perpetuity. There is an absolute spark in Decentraland and Web3 that you can only get from imagining the unimaginable. 

I can build anything here. 

The absolute potential is what keeps me awake at night with a million dreams running through my mind. 

But sparks need fuel to light a fire. 

With the right tools, we can go far. My path here was slow, and I learned difficult lessons along the way. With knowledge and experience, I could have avoided many of these lessons. 

These past few weeks in the SheFi cohort have had me constantly saying, “I wish I would have known this earlier!” or “This would have helped me sooo much!” (Can we talk swaps and slippage?)

The collaboration and connection SheFi offers is the spark each of us can use to light our own path through Web3, wherever we end up. We no longer have to stumble alone in the dark, navigating a technical world that looks like it was built for someone else. 

This world was built for us. 

This world was built by us. 

And this world now has a path… leading the way for the next generation to follow us into this digital frontier. 

Participate in Decentraland Art Week 🎨 

Decentraland is known for their fun in-world events, and there’s a super exciting one coming up: ArtWeek!

Canessa, from the story above, is putting together a super exciting activation for SheFi members. Check it out. 👇️ 

Each one of us carry our own unique spark. We inspire others while inspiring ourselves.

I would love to reflect and celebrate our journey by displaying your art in Decentraland during ArtWeek, September 24-27!

You’re not an artist? That’s ok! Grab a pen and doodle your thoughts… all art is welcome!

Theme: SPARK ⚡️ 

What lights you up? What keeps you inspired? You can interpret this any way you would like.

Draw, doodle, paint, digitize, use crayons! (Moms, get some help from your littles!) Any type of art is okay.

Take a picture, and share with Canessa.

Deadline: Please submit by September 5th.

How: Send a jpeg or png via X (Twitter) DM to @CanessaDCL (for safety, no links)

Please include your name to be displayed with your piece.

ArtWeek is an official Decentraland event Sept 24 - 27, with art tours, workshops, creator interviews, and, of course, some parties. We will have a tour of your art, and you are invited to join us and share your thoughts on your journey!

Tour time will be announced closer to event.

What are you waiting for? Let’s get creative! 🖌️ 

Decentraland 2025: Momentum in Motion 😍 

The 2025 Manifesto laid out a bold goal: fuel Decentraland’s growth through community-powered creativity.

SheFi was so honored to be a part of it. 💫 

Our Career Quest collaboration with them was just one of many iconic moments this year.

Decentraland has already seen 2.3M unique visitors, 163K downloads, and 202K active wallets! Decentraland is even expanding past crypto natives, with 62% of users logging in via Web2.

Onboarding new users to blockchain? Our two brands couldn’t be more aligned. 🥹 

If you’re wondering what’s been fueling this iconic growth, well, look at everything Decentraland has to offer!

🎨 Creator Ecosystem Upgrades:

• Marketplace Credits beta: Rewards user engagement, boosts creator sales

• Creator Academy: Live sessions, office hours & YouTube replays to level up skills

• Foundation-funded grants: Builder + Music Talent Trails, Metaverse Fashion Week, more

• Creator Hub: Faster tools, drag-and-drop, reusable assets

• Multiplayer testing & OBS livestreaming

🎉 Events Driving Engagement:

• Pride & PJ Party: 2-day inclusive celebration, 7.5K MANA in prizes

• Game Night: Revived plazas, new microgames, social play

• Fashion Week: 105 parcels, 22 Wearable drops, 6 contests

• Live Music & Talent Trails: Scene-hopping activations

Speaking of events, there will be even more to join later this year. Check out the program below!

Post a Pic, Get Merch 💅 

The SheFi girlies are taking over Decentraland!

Last week, we jumped into the Metaverse, took some pics, and posted about it.

Doing this will earn you a special edition SheFi pair of pants! 💫 

If you haven’t hopped on this trend yet, now’s the time.

Download Decentraland and join in on the fun!

Join us for SheFi Graduation! 🎓️ 

We have members from all over the world, but that won’t stop us from hosting an incredibly exciting graduation celebration - inside Decentraland!

There will be a DJ, a speech from Maggie, graduation Wearables, and all of your fellow Season 14 members having one big dance party.

Let’s finish off this cohort with a bang!

See you there on September 9, at 9:30 am ET. And be sure to invite any friends (even outside of SheFi) to attend!

Add it to your calendar and learn more here.

Join Us for a Mini SheFi Summit in Accra! 🇬🇭 

If you’re attending ETHAccra, mark your calendars for September 3.

We’re bringing you a special SheFi Showcase! 💫 

It’ll give you the chance to:

⭐️ Connect with leaders, founders, and investors
⭐️ Get hands-on with our Web3 activation
⭐️ Enjoy tasty treats and grab some exclusive SheFi merch

It’ll be a showcase of the bright minds and impactful career paths in the African Web3 space.

Our goal is to connect builders, operators, and curious professionals with the knowledge and network they need to thrive. Expect insights on key topics like financial inclusion and the founder's journey!

We'll also have short, impactful sessions on Personal Branding and Remote Work to equip attendees with the practical skills needed to grow their careers in the Web3 industry.

A huge thank you to our sponsors, Binance and ENS, for their support!

Follow @ShefiAfrica for Programming updates.

But most importantly, GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Apply for an Octant Grant 📈 

Remember our wonderful Season 13 sponsor, Octant?

Well, we have HUGE news:

If you’ve written about Ethereum at any point in time, you can apply for their latest epoch and FUND YOUR STORY!

Don’t wait, though. Applications literally close TODAY, August 27, at 2 pm EDT.

It's time to fund the journalists, storytellers, content creators, and researchers who’ve helped make Ethereum legible, credible, and engaging to audiences.

All you need to be considered:

• Proof of past Ethereum content (video, podcast, article, campaign, etc.)

• Show its impact (audience size, engagement quality, influence).

• Submit a short proposal for your next project

If this sounds like you, apply or learn more here!

SheFi’s Crypto News Roundup 🏇 

This week’s news for you, hot and fresh!

• Tech Rally Shows Signs of Losing Steam. Despite earlier gains, tech stocks—including Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia—are pulling back on valuation concerns, slowing AI momentum, and investor caution.

• Bitcoin Flash Crash Triggers $550M in Sunday Liquidations as Ether Rotation Builds. A sudden whale sale of 24,000 BTC caused a flash crash below $111,000, triggering over $550 million in liquidations, while Ether held strong as institutional investors rotated in.

• Wall Street faces a reckoning in Washington as crypto influence grows. Powerful Wall Street groups are trying to pump the brakes on some GOP proposals that seek to boost the crypto industry.

• Elon Musk's xAI sues Apple and OpenAI over AI competition, App Store rankings. Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI sued Apple and ChatGPT maker OpenAI on Monday, accusing them of illegally conspiring to thwart competition for artificial intelligence.

Travel Scholarship from Avalanche 🔺 

THIS IS YOUR FINAL CHANCE!

You have until the end of August for this opportunity!

We are partnering with Avalanche to offer another travel scholarship.

This time it’s for LATAM Women+ student developers to attend Devconnect ARG.

If you’re a student currently enrolled at a university in Latin America, check out this form to be considered!

Plus, if you head to Devconnect ARG, you’ll be able to pop by SheFi Summit. 👀 

👉️ Share your wins so we can celebrate them 👈️

SheFi & Crypto Events 🌎

Going to ETHCC, Token2049 or Devcon? Join our Global Events Telegram Chat: https://t.me/shefisummit

More updates coming soon… 🤭 

Featured event:

Creation Is My Currency

Come join SheFi and Base for wine, light bites, and-- yes-- new limited edition SheFi merch in Brooklyn. Get ready to channel your inner content creator with challenges and prizes for the best posts on Base! Space is limited.

• When: Wednesday, September 3

• Register here: RSVP here

SheFi Opportunities:

• Travel Scholarship Application – DevConnect 2025: Apply here

SheFi events:

• 9/3 Ghana: SheFi Africa: Accra Showcase 2025: RSVP here

• 9/6 Istanbul: SheSui TR x SheFi Türkiye Brunch: RSVP here

Other events:

• 8/28 California: Chipped Summer Social: RSVP here

• 9/1 Istanbul: Bio Protocol & DeSci Turkiye: The Future of Agentic Science: RSVP here

• 9/23 Los Angeles: Club: "Future Tech Salon": RSVP here

• 9/30 Singapore: Re(fundamentals): Singapore edition: RSVP here

• 10/1-2 Singapore: Token 2049 Get your Ticket Here

• 10/15-16 NYC: The Aptos Experience 2025: RSVP here

• 10/21-22 London: Zebu Live: SheFi members gets a 20% discount with the code SheFi20

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