|
 MARY LEE WEIR  I was born in Belize City, daughter to Mary Irene Weir, née Kuylen, of Dangriga and Spike Weir of Florida. My mother is a descendant of the Lopez and Kuylen families of Dangriga. I have two siblings, Mallory and Andrew. I grew up in the beautiful Stann Creek Valley at our farm on the Old Mullins River Road, not far from Hope Creek Village. I always recall those happy days, swimming in the nearby river, watching my father tending the beautiful plants he exported to Florida, our barbecues with family and friends—picturesque mountains and trees all around—always under the watchful eye of ‘B’, our faithful guardian. 
I left Belize at age 14 and moved to Apopka, Florida, where I focused heavily on athletics and school. Sports became a stabilizing force for me and helped shape my discipline, leadership, and resilience. After high school, I attended Saint Louis University (SLU) in St. Louis, Missouri, for a short while, but I realized early on that the traditional college path was not the best fit for how I would learn and grow. In the late 1990s I got my first computer, a Gateway, and that changed everything. I was fascinated by how technology could connect people and solve problems. That curiosity turned into a lifelong career in software and digital systems. How My Career Developed: I started working for friends who managed a software company, doing overnight technical support for credit card transaction systems. It was intense work, the kind where you learn fast because real money and real people are on the line. I handled a lot of risk management and fraud monitoring, and I got to see firsthand how criminals try to exploit financial systems. Watching real-time attack patterns, including automated attempts to run sequential card numbers, taught me early that technology is not just about building things. It is also about protecting people. That experience shaped how I approach security, responsibility, and trust in everything I build. Through that environment, I began coding in HTML, CSS, ColdFusion, and the early tools that powered websites and systems at the time. I was hooked.  Like many people, my early adulthood also included difficult seasons. In my 20s, I struggled with drugs and other distractions. In 2008 I overdosed but by the grace of God and the support of my family, I survived. That opened a door to something I never expected. I was given the opportunity to go to the Amazon, South America, to heal, and it became a turning point in my life. My healing journey began in Peru, where I underwent drug deaddiction using a Vedic method called Agnihotra. One of my earliest fires there is something I will never forget. Part of that experience also included assisting in the replanting of 10,000 Bolaina Blanca trees, which became a powerful lesson in restoration, responsibility, and rebuilding a life from the ground up. From that unique opportunity, I spent the next 8½ years traveling, building websites for nonprofit organizations, and creating documentary films.  My Influences:
My influences come from two worlds: Discipline and teamwork from sports; Technology and problem-solving from software; Spiritual healing and service through prayer as a practicing Catholic as well as Agnihotra and Vedic practice; Storytelling through film and photography; In a very real way, my life became a bridge between technical and human. Some highlights during that period: I worked as a cinematographer on a feature film project in Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia). In India, I filmed and produced a documentary (and built the website) about a 40-village project supporting abandoned women through skill-building and restoration. The film helped raise international funds for the project. My mother also visited me in India during the early 2000s, which is a memory I still treasure. It was a rare and meaningful time where family and my international work overlapped.  To see that trailer for the India project, Rose Circles Women’s Upliftment Project, please go to: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094101/ In 2012, I returned to the United States and formed my company Satya Media Group (Satya means truth in Sanskrit). At that time, I was blending web development with film and photography. A mentor once told me, “You have to choose one.” I chose my original passion, code. I produced and published one last documentary, Until They Turn 18, focused on Florida youth aging out of the foster system. That work supported advocates pushing to change the law in our state, and we collectively helped win that by increasing support to age 24 by state law. Until They Turn 18 (Trailer links) https://youtu.be/sP37xUbgSiQ?si=_mjJNZSrzOhfntJG https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKave_M1W2k Since then, I have focused fully on professional software development and digital infrastructure. It is a never-ending path, and I genuinely enjoy that. Other Work/Interests: In addition to software, I still love: Photography; Film and documentary storytelling; Travel and cultural learning; Farming and healing practices (especially Agnihotra); Ironically, the “techy” who used to sit at the computer 16 to 18 hours a day ended up learning to value soil and sunlight, like my ancestors before me. Life has a sense of humor. Favorite Compositions/Projects and Why: A few projects that represent my journey: Nonprofit web systems, because technology should serve people, not overwhelm them. Documentary work, because storytelling changes hearts. Communication technology, because connection is everything. In 2014, I launched a product called MySecureMeeting™, a one-click secure meeting system. Over the years I continued building communication platforms, and in 2021 I was awarded a U.S. patent for one of my inventions. I continue working in advanced technology and artificial intelligence, including voice and communication tools. Future Plans: My future focus is building technology that is: Human-centered; Privacy-respecting; Useful in real life; Supportive of education, health, and community growth; Today, I continue to serve and educate the community about technology and artificial intelligence. I also believe healing from addiction is lifelong. It is not a single moment, but a commitment to growth, faith, and healthy choices over time. That journey continues to shape how I work, how I serve, and how I try to use my skills to help others build better lives and stronger communities. I am also deeply interested in supporting Belizean initiatives through digital systems, publishing, and preservation work. I am in Belize more often now, and it has been deeply nourishing. It feels meaningful to bring my tech skills home and to contribute in a way that supports growth and opportunity. Thank you again, Uncle Henry. I’m grateful for you and Aunt Stephanie, and for the work you do to support Belizean authors and culture. How to reach me: Mary Lee Weir—Founder, Inventor, Software Developer Email: maryleeweir@gmail.com Website: https://maryleeweir.com With love, Mary Lee Publishers’ note: Both two documentary films listed above had significant impacts on the communities concerned. Congratulations, Mary Lee.  Newsletters Update. All our Newsletters are now archived at the Blog section of our website. Read these interesting and informative Newsletters. http://jabirubooksbelize.com If you know someone who would like to receive our monthly Newsletter, please have them go to CONTACT on our website and send us an e-mail. Please note that our monthly Newsletters are also published on our FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/JabiruBooksBelize Thank you for forwarding and sharing this Newsletter. BOOKS WRITTEN BY DR. HENRY W. ANDERSON Add these great books to your personal library for your reading pleasure. They are available as e-books and printed books.  INFORMATION/LINKS Dr. Anderson books are available both as Print-on-Demand and E-Books at store.bookbaby.com (Recommended by Publishers). Please go to: https://store.bookbaby.com/profile/jabirubooksbelizecom Dr. Anderson’s books are available at the libraries of the Belize National Library Service and Information System. Search under Author: Henry W Anderson. Please go to: https://bnlsis.mlasolutions.com/m5/catalog/(S(tsaodaxofc2mvp3zhpl4wwt2))/Default.aspx?internal=1&installation=LeoBradley E-Books are available at other Retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Vearsa, Kobo, OverDrive, Copia, Gardners Books, Baker & Taylor, eSentral, Scribd, Ciando, Hoopla, Playster, and many more. Print-on-Demand books are available at some of the Retailers listed. Please visit us at: https://www.facebook.com/JabiruBooksBelize Visit our website at http://jabirubooksbelize.com
|