Cohort Stories: Meet Mariana
NYC: vol. 2, no. 11 — guest post by Mariana Avila
Being a first-generation Mexican student passionate about STEM is part of my identity that I’m most proud of. I enjoy learning about science, math, and technology — being curious and discovering new things has shaped my identity. Growing up in a low-income neighborhood there wasn’t a lot of exposure to STEM subjects for kids; which fails to bring more people of color to pursue a career in STEM. It’s a heavy weight being the first person in my family to graduate college and setting an example to my relatives but rewarding at the same time. Throughout my time in college, I wouldn’t have met talented individuals and experienced amazing opportunities if it weren’t for the dedication to the work that I do.
I decided to pursue a career in technology because I enjoy solving problems and taking on new challenges to build innovative ideas. There are still many concepts I don’t know about which excites me because there’s room to learn and discover. I’m constantly growing which is the best part. My curiosity has led me to enjoy learning how things function. I found quantum computing interesting and exciting how it can change the development of AI and future computers. Different areas of science are involved in the development of technology which can help find solutions for climate change, new discoveries of space, and other findings.
It keeps me on the edge of what is to come in the future and has inspired me to build my own projects that can impact people’s lives.
Representing Latinos in tech motivates me. I went to a university where in the majority of my computer science classes I was the only student of color; I want to change that. I feel incredibly proud to represent my Latino background in any space and it’s what makes me most fulfilled. My goal is to show people that Latinos have an interest in STEM and help other students pursue a career in tech. There’s talent outside the bubble that recruiters are often confined to.
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