Built, Not Born: A Digital Quiet Luxury Portfolio

This is a submission for the New Year, New You Portfolio Challenge Presented by Google AI

About Me

I believe in "Built, not born."

I didn't come from a tech background. I grew up in a small village, almost became a farmer, and learned to code on a government-issue laptop. Today, I'm a Lead Architect simplifying complex enterprise workflows.

This portfolio is my attempt to express that journey—not just as a resume, but as a story of resilience and autonomy.

Portfolio

https://portfolio-26-396134003585.us-central1.run.app

Repo: https://github.com/jacksonkasi1/portfolio-26

How I Built It

I had a lot of ideas—what I call "noisy thoughts"—but I struggled to organize them into something clean.

I used Antigravity with Gemini 3 to help me filter that noise and find my own style. It wasn't just about writing code; it was a brainstorming partner. We talked through my preferences and landed on a "Digital Quiet Luxury" aesthetic—something that feels premium but invisible.

The Tech

• React + Vite: For speed.
• Tailwind CSS: For complete styling control (no generic libraries).
• Framer Motion: For interactions that feel smooth, not distraction.
• Google Cloud Run: For simple, scalable deployment.

AI as a Creative Partner

Gemini 3 helped me take my rough, scattered ideas and refine them into perfection. When I couldn't explain exactly what I wanted, it understood the vibe I was going for. It helped me frame my life story in a way that felt powerful, not cheesy, and guided me through the technical details like getting the Dark Mode contrast exactly right ("Greyish White" instead of harsh white).

What I'm Most Proud Of

I'm most proud of the About page.

It’s not a standard bio. It uses a "chapter" structure to tell the real story:

1. The Spark: Discovering the magic of software.
2. The Turning Point: Missing that college deadline (fate!) and defying predictions.
3. Full Circle: Going from a worried student to a leader who "rules their own life."

I'm also proud of the NavBar. It sounds simple, but we spent time getting it perfect—removing annoying animations and making sure the colors adapt seamlessly so it never feels like it's "trying too hard."