TECHNOLOchicas
WHAT IS TECHNOLOchicas?
TECHNOLOchicas, co-produced by the National Center for Women & IT (NCWIT and the Televisa Foundation, is a national initiative designed to raises awareness among young Latinas and their families about opportunities and careers in technology. Powerful stories highlight the lives of Latinas from diverse backgrounds and environments who are in technology fields and recognize the power of innovation to change the world. These stories allow girls to perceive TECHNOLOchicas as “relatable” role models who are similar to themselves and are promoted through several communication channels, including broadcast television, local events, social media, and online videos.
WHY TECHNOLOchicas?
Latinas occupied only 1 percent of jobs in the computing workforce in 2017. Yet, both the number of technology positions and the Hispanic population are growing. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts 3.5 million computing-related job openings by 2026. Latinas represent a vastly untapped computing talent pool that is vital to increasing the bottom line of the U.S. economy and creating diversity in the computing workforce, leading to advanced technical innovation. Their participation in computing disciplines also improves the economic outlook of the Hispanic community.
Ilona Bodnar
Ilona is a student at the University of Southern California studying Media Arts & Practice in the film school with a strong interest in computer science. She's a three-time engineering intern for Google, having worked on infrastructure for the Google Voice Assistant in 2016, frontend for Google Express in 2017, and release engineering tools and infrastructure for Google Cloud in 2018. In the past, she's done cool things like TAing for Girls Who Code at Pixar Animation Studios, discussing important issues with tech leaders and educators at the WhiteHouse CS Tech Jam, and cofounding AthenaHacks, SoCal's largest all-female (trans & nonbinary inclusive) hackathon. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, drawing, hiking, playing the piano, and re-learning how to play the guitar.
Why did you join Technolochicas?
I joined Technolochicas because I've seen firsthand the power, strength, and intelligence Latinas embody, and strongly believe we need more of that in the tech world. With this organization, I can work with other successful Latinas in the field of computer science to continue to empower the new generations of Latinas to use technology in conjunction with their pre-existing interests and talents. Like playing with Legos? Why not try building some robots! Like art? Why not try playing around with web design? Like stars? Why not look into engineering at NASA? The possibilities are endless, and young Latinas should know that the world is at their hands. The women here host workshops, speak on panels, and travel the United States to get this message across to as many Latinas (and as many educators and parents of Latinas) as possible, enacting real change and creating tangible impact.
What impact do you wish to see among young Latinas?
I want to see Latinas become more confident in their abilities. Being intelligent does not mean being perfect, and success often comes after many iterations of failure. I want to see young Latinas learning how to try something, fall back a bit, then getting up on their feet and trying again until we have Latinas on the cover of Forbes running the world's largest tech companies. Our community already embodies this sense of resilience -we just need to transfer that over into a field where we are woefully underrepresented. I want to see a network of Latinas supporting each other throughout this whole process and bringing out our best qualities: our resilience, our empathy, and our drive to make the world a better place.
What message do you have for young Latinas who are debating what field to go into?
It is never too late for you to start something, and you are more capable of succeeding than you may think. It can feel weird pursuing something that you have little to no prior knowledge in and can be scary doing something that might not be easy, but don't worry! You have SO many people supporting you, and to get any help you need all you have to do is ask. Additionally, tech is so interdisciplinary - if you start in computer science but decide you want to switch into a different field, you are now a more desirable candidate because of your diverse experiences with programming, which employers know is difficult to learn. If you want to support your family, or retire early, or eat good food, or all of the above, computer science will provide you with the financial support and company amenities to achieve that!
NEiza Torrico
My name is Neiza Torrico. I was born and raised in La Paz, Bolivia. Ever since I can remember, my parents encouraged me to do well in school, my dad would focus on math and my mom helped me with all the other subjects. When I graduated from high school, I received a scholarship to pursue my BS at the University of Kansas (KU). In the beginning I wanted to be a doctor, but the scholarship only covered four-year degrees, and as I was good at math, I decided to study electrical engineering. The four years of engineering were tough, but I was passionate about creating and designing circuits which made people’s lives easier. When I graduated, I decided to pursue my Masters in electrical engineering. During my time in school, I served as the KU chapter president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). This platform helped me make an impact in the Hispanic community. After I graduated with my Masters degree, I joined Intel in Folsom, California as a Logic Design Engineer where I had the opportunity to work in the latest and greatest non-volatile 3D XPoint memory chip. After working there for two years, I decided to explore new horizons and moved to Austin, Texas, where I live now. I currently work as an IP Logic Design Engineer where I get to design the latest generation of Xeon processors.
Why did you join Technolochicas?
Growing up I had several mentors who guided me in the search of better opportunities. These mentors had a great influence on me leaving Bolivia and moving to the USA. I believe that role models are very important and have great impact on the youth. I joined Techonolochicas because I want to be a role model to young girls who may be in the same situation I was years ago. I want to help these young girls reach their goals and dreams.
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
In 5 years I would like to be a manager or computer architect in a technology company. In 10 years, I would like to be working in my own technology startup providing solutions to facilitate the movement towards an AI friendly lifestyle.
Emely Villeda-Principe
My name is Emely Villeda-Principe, a Software Developer born and raised in Dallas, TX. Although I now have a great passion for technology, when I was younger, I never imagined I’d go into any STEM field. My parents had always stressed the importance of education, so I worked hard to excel in school and make them proud. Since I was pretty good in all subjects, especially math and science, a career in a STEM field came up as an option. However, for some reason I always had the idea that engineering only involved working in factories building machinery in production lines. For someone like me, who also loved the arts and wanted to do something that allowed for creativity, this misguided belief pushed me away from STEM. It wasn’t until my junior year of high school that I discovered Computer Science. I needed an extra elective to fill my schedule, so I ended up taking an Intro to Java class on a whim. The class changed what I thought about engineering. The problem-solving aspect of programming immediately captured my interest, and I realized that technology had so much more to offer. After finding out that I could even combine my love for art with my newfound fascination with technology, I decided that Computer Science was my calling.
Why did you join Technolochicas?
Even now I sometimes think about how it took me so long to realize I had a bad impression about STEM. Although I was exposed to STEM at an early age, I never knew anyone in the technology fields who could show me what engineering was all about. I joined TECHNOLOchicas so I could be a role model to show young girls what an engineer can look like.
What impact do you wish to see among young Latinas?
I strongly wish to see more Latinas be confident in their abilities in STEM. My hope is that us, TECHNOLOchicas, are able to leave a deep impression on these girls and show them that they can also do great things with technology.
What message do you have for young Latinas who are debating on a career?
There's so much more to gain than to lose by exploring the possibilities in different fields, so don't be afraid to try. Once you find something that you truly enjoy, do whatever you can to realize your dreams. Look for your supporters, jump at opportunities, and don't let your passion die.
