Crossing the U.S. border on a weekly basis just to see her extended family has made Gabriela aware of the importance of education in the United States. Seeing the lack of academic support her cousins had in Tijuana, Mexico made her appreciate the opportunity she had in her hometown of Escondido.
Gabriela joined Girls Inc. her sophomore year for the Google Made with Code program and by the end of it, she decided to stay in for the other programs such as Career Readiness, College Readiness, and the Mind + Body Program. These programs sparked her interested in other areas, such as community service, technology and even making healthier choices for herself. Gabriela created the Veggie Society at her school and brought with her the tools and knowledge from Mind + Body to raise awareness around healthy eating and veganism. She also recognized the value of supporting her community and sees technology as a tool for solving many of the problems facing society. Gabriela understands her chosen career lacks in representation for women of color. She hopes that by pursuing a STEM career she can outshine and overcome the gender and societal norms that have been placed on many in that field. By having a career in computer science, she hopes that future generations of girls will be able to see that “success is not just a dream, but a reality”. Gabriela plans to pursue Computer Science at California State University San Marcos in Fall 2019.
Hear Gabriella and other graduate stories – filled with challenges, achievements and plans for the future – at the 2019 Graduation Celebration on May 9: https://girlsincsd.org/graduation-celebration/.