Being a woman is a challenge, especially in a world where men are usually considered to be on top of everything. We are seen as lesser, not because of our abilities, but simply because we are women. Hearing the phrase, “this is a man’s world,” brings judgmental light to a big portion of the world’s population. I strongly believe that a lot can still be done to shed light on women who have changed the world and risen above societal standards, believing that women aren’t enough or as “capable” as men.

We live in a society where women are underrepresented in STEM fields. STEM is the acronym for the fields that include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Based on a study by the National Science Foundation in 2021, about a third (35%) of women from ages 18-74 were employed in STEM occupations and it’s even lower for Hispanic workers, with only 15% representing the STEM workforce. These low numbers demonstrate that despite a gradual growth in the rise of minorities in STEM fields, a lot can still be done. With more exposure to these careers, it paves the way for a bright future for women and Latine tech innovators.

I had the opportunity to be exposed to the engineering/computer science field before entering high school. During the summer prior to my freshman year, we were beginning to see the world again after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, my older brother was doing a remote internship at Microsoft as a Software Engineer. Out of curiosity, I asked him questions about computer science, such as, “What exactly do you do as a software engineer?” and “How did you learn how to code?” As I kept pestering him with seemingly endless questions, he suggested that I could learn how to code too, which sparked my interest but also made me feel reluctant, since it was something new. However, I am extremely grateful that he pushed me out of my comfort zone to try something new and step into unknown territory.

That same summer, I was not only in one coding program but three, since I had so much time on my hands. The first program I participated in was Digital NEST, a non-profit organization in Salinas that provided many opportunities for high school students to explore careers. I was fortunate to take an online course on Web Design and Web Development. I learned the fundamentals of several coding languages which included HTML, CSS, and Python. These coding languages helped me build a website for the first time and even create a calculator. I also learned more about parallax websites, their front end, and how the scrolling effect is incorporated within many popular websites. I sadly don’t have access to the websites I made with Digital NEST, but it truly was an eye-opening experience and the moment I realized I had a strong passion for computer engineering.

Although Digital NEST was the foundation for my engineering passion, Kode with Klossy turned that passion into something larger. Kode with Klossy, a non-profit organization created by Karlie Kloss that teaches young girls, ages 13-18, how to code, created a pathway for women with an interest in tech. I got to refine my skills in the fundamentals of HTML and CSS and learn how to collaborate with girls from all over the world. With the previous experience I’ve gained from Digital NEST and the new material I was learning, such as using Flexbox and integrating Javascript into it, I created a final project of a picture gallery, from my favorite anime at that time, Attack on Titan.  Not only did I learn how to code, but I was also in an extremely supportive environment with girls who lifted each other up and were willing to befriend everyone in their group, which made it a bittersweet feeling once the program was over. Kode with Klossy was the first program that truly made a difference in my life and inspired me to chase my dreams. I hope that any woman who is interested in tech or wants to learn more about coding considers applying for this program.

Having new experiences that will benefit me in my future endeavors has impacted how I view technology and its code, and how this can be a tangible career path. Google Code Next has allowed me to interact with people with whom I might work and create connections with. During my time in Google Code Next, I was allowed to expand my horizons and try something I wasn’t familiar with, break-beat-code. It was something that I wasn’t aware was possible, taking two of my favorite things, music, and coding, and blending them. While reinforcing more of my previous knowledge from the programs I’ve done, I got to compliment them and learn more about Python and how I can create music with code, which was extremely interesting to discover. I remixed some of my favorite songs and learn how I can code those songs within my websites and programs. By the end of Google Code Next, I presented my final project to Google employees which was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and created that path of self-discovery for myself, which in turn created more branches of aspiration.

Being able to explore my passions outside of school also made me realize that I can expand them in school as well. I decided to take the Intro to Computer Science course at Alisal during my sophomore year and I am really glad I did because I got to experience doing what I want to have my career in, in a school environment. This class was a self-paced elective since you do your work individually while also receiving and asking for help if needed. Most of the people taking the class were seniors at that time, so being the only sophomore was intimidating, but I got to step out of my comfort zone and meet new people. I learned about Javascript and used a platform I was unfamiliar with, CodeHS. Most of the projects we did consisted of making games, such as Pacman. While taking the course, I learned a lot of useful skills such as how the computer interacts with keyboard and mouse movements. I think this class is a really good start if anyone is interested in learning how to code or just wants to learn more about this field.  

This past summer, I was accepted into the Girls Who Code program, a program I’ve been wanting to do since freshman year but have been too busy during the summer to do so. Girls Who Code is, also, a non-profit organization that aims to support and increase the number of women in computer science. I was able to really expand my knowledge of Javascript this summer because it was the only language we worked on, which I found to be helpful considering that a lot of tech companies require their employees to know the language. I learned a lot about popular games such as Episode and Tetris, and I played around the world with choose-your-own-adventure-style and collection-style games. Having exposure to new ways to incorporate a coding language can be beneficial to my future goals of engineering and also making connections with people who are interested in similar work fields as I am can increase the chance of future job opportunities. During Girls Who Code, I was able to create a final project with a partner and we decided to incorporate both style games into ours, which was really interesting to see and work with. The debugging process was long but also fun, trying to figure out how to make our code better because making two games into one, was a challenge.

Being able to experiment with an activity that I was unfamiliar with early on and realize that this might be something I want to do as a career was extremely helpful for me now as I am beginning to fill out college applications. As a senior in high school, I am eternally grateful to my younger self for making the right choice and getting out of her comfort zone before entering high school. If you are unsure of what you want to do, make sure that you choose a major that you know will make you excited to show up to class/work, and for me, that’s working with computers and coding. Being a Latina in tech makes me a part of low statistics that I hope can continue to grow and influence future generations of women who are interested in STEM fields.