Cohort Stories: Meet Cristian
vol. 5, no. 21 — guest post by Cristian Rodriguez Salas
As a born and raised Dominican, I was able to experience and learn things that many people, even hispanics who were born and raised in the United States, were not being able to learn. So when it comes to being proud of my identity, there are so many things I can choose from. I am proud of understanding the the tech industry from those countries, and also being part of a rich and exotic culture. But the thing I am most proud of is being able to comprehend, and never forget, the needs and struggles of those who come from my background. I feel proud when I can help somebody who has been struggling to adapt in the United States, because I have been in that position. I can also, to a certain extent, expand this understanding to other cultures as well. To be able to sympathize, and even empathize, to a degree where most people would not be able to, is something I am profoundly proud of.
Coming from a different ethnic background and interacting with many people throughout my journey, in or outside school and college, I have come to develop an opinion that I believe seems to be on the correct path. To me, being successful in the tech industry would involve being in a comfortable environment in which I would be able to make positive contributions to some field of the industry.
It is important to me to be able to feel like I am contributing to a goal that has a purpose for the overall objective of the company.
After having analyzed these factors, there is also the aspect of evolving within the time along with the industry. Being able to keep up with the advances of technology, incorporating them into the overall company, and benefiting from them, is also a contributor to a successful position in the tech industry.
For the moment, I am not completely sure about what my dream job would be, because there are so many things I want to do. I want to have my graphic design skills put into practice in relation to my job, and I want to develop applications that would enhance the experience and workflow of others. My long term goal is to obtain a job abroad, even if it is temporary, and to be able to learn about other cultures, and help them evolve in terms of inclusiveness and diversity. For a long time I have noticed that diversity in different fields, especially in tech, is something that is lacking in the United States. However, while it is a work in progress in the US, other countries do not even consider this as a problem. This has been one of the factors I have considered when looking for jobs abroad. Not only do I want the experience, but I also want to contribute to the future. Even if I don’t work abroad, I would love to get the experience of other cultures and bring them back so that people can learn and understand other cultures; essentially making inclusiveness easier for those who need it.
