Our Story
KENDIM (pronounced can-"DEEM") was born from a feeling many women in computer science know too well: entering a room you are excited to be in, and still wondering whether you were meant to belong there. For founder Selma Emekci, that feeling became impossible when she walked into a computer science class at her school and immediately noticed she was the only other girl there. What should have been a space for curiosity and growth came with pressure to seem more serious, more muted, and more fitting of what people expected someone in tech to look like. But outside the classroom, self-expression has always been a source of confidence for her. Earrings were never just accessories. They were small, personal reminders of identity, style, presence, and selfhood. Seeing the contrast led her to ask a single question. Why should women have to become less themselves to be taken seriously in computer science?
That question became KENDIM. Named after the Turkish word “kendim,” meaning “myself,” KENDIM is rooted in the belief that belonging should never require self-erasure. The brand was created to honor both technical identity and make space for femininity, creativity, and confidence in places that have not always made room for them.
KENDIM exists for the girl who loves technology but has wondered whether she looks the part. For the student learning to code while trying not to disappear. For the woman in tech who is tired of choosing between authenticity and acceptance. This is about more than jewelry.
The Philosophy Behind KENDIM
Why Women are Dissuaded from Computer Science
Studies on ambient belonging show that small cues in a space can send a message about who is expected to be there. In computer science, stereotypical “geeky” or masculine cues can reduce women’s interest in the field, and later research found that girls’ sense of belonging is a major reason those stereotypes affect whether they want to pursue CS. Other studies show that women in STEM often feel pressure to tune how they present themselves depending on the audience, and that this self-editing can leave them feeling less authentic.
Enclothed Cognition