My middle school experience shaped who I am today. I entered a world where Hispanic students were scarce, where the average student came from a six-figure household with college-educated parents and tutors. I found refuge in my robotics classroom, spending my mornings in the lab, building, and playing with code. Unfortunately, my actual robotics class wasn't as welcoming. I was the only girl in the room, the only person of color, too. I was somehow miserable in a room full of robots, my source of happiness otherwise. This experience changed the way I looked at the industry. Sexism and ignorance are extremely prevalent in computer science, bias and bigotry sprinkled between each line of code. Coding bias can be seen in even the most inclusive brands because of its extensive presence in the development of the industry. The bigotry in the roots of computer science bleeds into the present, it'll take years before its effects can be surpassed by this new era of acceptance. But we can't wait that long. In the age of machine learning, we have seen the disastrous effects of these prejudices. The lack of diversity in the coding world, the lack of people of color and women, means our technology is not built with them in mind, that machines inherit the prejudices of their creator. I am pursuing a volunteer opportunity with a tutoring program. This position would allow me to reach out to young girls and make them aware of the many STEM fields they can study. You can't remove the prejudices of a person, but, by introducing different demographics into the coding field, you ensure that the code works for a variety of people. The opportunity to inspire young girls to pursue a career in technology means the next generation of coders will be more diverse than the last, instilling change from the inside out. By majoring in computer science, I hope to introduce my experiences as a Mexican-American queer student and diversify the amazing world of technology. I want to learn and absorb everything my college has to offer, taking advantage of every project and program. I don't want to limit my reach to myself, I want to use my future career in computer science to inspire the next generation of little girls to learn some Python, to play with some coding.

My middle school experience shaped who I am today. I entered a world where Hispanic students were scarce, where the average student came from a six-figure household with college-educated parents and tutors. I found refuge in my robotics classroom, spending my mornings in the lab, building, and playing with code. Unfortunately, my actual robotics class wasn't as welcoming. I was the only girl in the room, the only person of color, too. I felt invisible, my classmates reaching over me, talking over me, not even making eye contact while they invalidated my intelligence. I was somehow miserable in a room full of robots, my source of happiness otherwise. This experience changed the way I looked at the industry. Sexism and ignorance are extremely prevalent in computer science, bias and bigotry sprinkled between each line of code. Coding bias can be seen in even the most inclusive brands because of its extensive presence in the development of the industry. The bigotry in the roots of computer science bleeds into the present, it'll take years before its effects can be surpassed by this new era of acceptance. But we can't wait that long. In the age of machine learning, we have seen the disastrous effects of these prejudices. The lack of diversity in the coding world, the lack of people of color and women, means our technology is not built with them in mind, that machines inherit the prejudices of their creator. Learning about the effects of coding bias on the world inspired me to research the field of machine learning. I am currently a part of Amazon's DeepRacer program, competing in races while also learning how to use machine learning to make vehicles more efficient. I am participating to get hands-on learning on the field. I want to be able to be a part of the next generation of coders, saturating the field with new ideas and perspectives. I am also pursuing a volunteer opportunity with a tutoring program. This position would allow me to reach out to young girls and make them aware of the many STEM fields they can study. You can't remove the prejudices of a person, but, by introducing different demographics into the coding field, you ensure that the code works for a variety of people. The opportunity to inspire young girls to pursue a career in technology means the next generation of coders will be more diverse than the last, instilling change from the inside out. By majoring in computer science, I hope to introduce my experiences as a Mexican-American queer student and diversify the amazing world of technology. I want to learn and absorb everything my college has to offer, taking advantage of every project and program. I don't want to limit my reach to myself, I want to use my future career in computer science to inspire the next generation of little girls to learn some Python, to play with some coding.

My middle school experience shaped who I am today. I entered a world where Hispanic students were scarce, where the average student came from a six-figure household with college-educated parents and tutors. I found refuge in my robotics classroom, spending my mornings in the lab, building, and playing with code. Unfortunately, my actual robotics class wasn't as welcoming. I was the only girl in the room, the only person of color, too. I felt invisible, my classmates reaching over me, talking over me, not even making eye contact while they invalidated my intelligence. I was somehow miserable in a room full of robots, my source of happiness otherwise. This experience changed the way I looked at the industry. Sexism and ignorance are extremely prevalent in computer science, bias and bigotry sprinkled between each line of code. Coding bias can be seen in even the most inclusive brands because of its extensive presence in the development of the industry. The bigotry in the roots of computer science bleeds into the present, it'll take years before its effects can be surpassed by this new era of acceptance. But we can't wait that long. In the age of machine learning, we have seen the disastrous effects of these prejudices. The lack of diversity in the coding world, the lack of people of color and women, means our technology is not built with them in mind, that machines inherit the prejudices of their creator. Learning about the effects of coding bias on the world inspired me to research the field of machine learning. I am currently a part of Amazon's DeepRacer program, competing in races while also learning how to use machine learning to make vehicles more efficient. I am participating to get hands-on learning on the field. I want to be able to be a part of the next generation of coders, saturating the field with new ideas and perspectives. I am also pursuing a volunteer opportunity with a tutoring program. This position would allow me to reach out to young girls and make them aware of the many STEM fields they can study. You can't remove the prejudices of a person, but, by introducing different demographics into the coding field, you ensure that the code works for a variety of people. The opportunity to inspire young girls to pursue a career in technology means the next generation of coders will be more diverse than the last, instilling change from the inside out. By majoring in computer science, I hope to introduce my experiences as a Mexican-American queer student and diversify the amazing world of technology. I want to learn and absorb everything my college has to offer, taking advantage of every project and program. I don't want to limit my reach to myself, I want to use my future career in computer science to inspire the next generation of little girls to learn some Python, to play with some coding.

My middle school experience shaped who I am today. I entered a world where Hispanic students were scarce, where the average student came from a six-figure household with college-educated parents and tutors. I found refuge in my robotics classroom, spending my mornings in the lab, building, and playing with code. Unfortunately, my actual robotics class wasn't as welcoming. I was the only girl in the room, the only person of color, too. I felt invisible, my classmates reaching over me, talking over me, not even making eye contact while they invalidated my intelligence. I was somehow miserable in a room full of robots, my source of happiness otherwise. This experience changed the way I looked at the industry. Sexism and ignorance are extremely prevalent in computer science, bias and bigotry sprinkled between each line of code. Coding bias can be seen in even the most inclusive brands because of its extensive presence in the development of the industry. The bigotry in the roots of computer science bleeds into the present, it'll take years before its effects can be surpassed by this new era of acceptance. But we can't wait that long. In the age of machine learning, we have seen the disastrous effects of these prejudices. The lack of diversity in the coding world, the lack of people of color and women, means our technology is not built with them in mind, that machines inherit the prejudices of their creator. Learning about the effects of coding bias on the world inspired me to research the field of machine learning. I am currently a part of Amazon's DeepRacer program, competing in races while also learning how to use machine learning to make vehicles more efficient. I am participating to get hands-on learning on the field. I want to be able to be a part of the next generation of coders, saturating the field with new ideas and perspectives. I am also pursuing a volunteer opportunity with a tutoring program. This position would allow me to reach out to young girls and make them aware of the many STEM fields they can study. You can't remove the prejudices of a person, but, by introducing different demographics into the coding field, you ensure that the code works for a variety of people. The opportunity to inspire young girls to pursue a career in technology means the next generation of coders will be more diverse than the last, instilling change from the inside out. By majoring in computer science, I hope to introduce my experiences as a Mexican-American queer student and diversify the amazing world of technology. I want to learn and absorb everything my college has to offer, taking advantage of every project and program. I don't want to limit my reach to myself, I want to use my future career in computer science to inspire the next generation of little girls to learn some Python, to play with some coding.

My middle school experience shaped who I am today. I entered a world where Hispanic students were scarce, where the average student came from a six-figure household with college-educated parents and tutors. I found refuge in my robotics classroom, spending my mornings in the lab, building, and playing with code. Unfortunately, my actual robotics class wasn't as welcoming. I was the only girl in the room, the only person of color, too. I felt invisible, my classmates reaching over me, talking over me, not even making eye contact while they invalidated my intelligence. I was somehow miserable in a room full of robots, my source of happiness otherwise. This experience changed the way I looked at the industry. Sexism and ignorance are extremely prevalent in computer science, bias and bigotry sprinkled between each line of code. Coding bias can be seen in even the most inclusive brands because of its extensive presence in the development of the industry. The bigotry in the roots of computer science bleeds into the present, it'll take years before its effects can be surpassed by this new era of acceptance. But we can't wait that long. In the age of machine learning, we have seen the disastrous effects of these prejudices. The lack of diversity in the coding world, the lack of people of color and women, means our technology is not built with them in mind, that machines inherit the prejudices of their creator. Learning about the effects of coding bias on the world inspired me to research the field of machine learning. I am currently a part of Amazon's DeepRacer program, competing in races while also learning how to use machine learning to make vehicles more efficient. I am participating to get hands-on learning on the field. I want to be able to be a part of the next generation of coders, saturating the field with new ideas and perspectives. I am also pursuing a volunteer opportunity with a tutoring program. This position would allow me to reach out to young girls and make them aware of the many STEM fields they can study. You can't remove the prejudices of a person, but, by introducing different demographics into the coding field, you ensure that the code works for a variety of people. The opportunity to inspire young girls to pursue a career in technology means the next generation of coders will be more diverse than the last, instilling change from the inside out. By majoring in computer science, I hope to introduce my experiences as a Mexican-American queer student and diversify the amazing world of technology. I want to learn and absorb everything my college has to offer, taking advantage of every project and program. I don't want to limit my reach to myself, I want to use my future career in computer science to inspire the next generation of little girls to learn some Python, to play with some coding.

The LGBTQ+ community is a community of acceptance and I am proud to be part of such a diverse and strong group who supports each other. I am glad to have people I can relate to and who I can help lift up or lean on when I need that extra support. As a bisexual teenager, this community has helped me through the struggles associated with coming out and made me proud to be myself.

As the eldest daughter of a strict Roman-Catholic Mexican family, there has always been an aversion to the arts. I was encouraged to compete in debate teams and spelling bees, but never praised for my writing and art. My love for painting became unwelcome in my household, pieces I held so dear to my heart somehow finding their way in trash cans and garbage bins. They saw art as a distraction and feared that by supporting my passion, they would support a failing career. Now older, I still love art, it is me and it is my platform for my voice. I know what it's like to be seen as a diversity addition, a woman of color that is expected to sit quiet and pretty and only speak to offer food or to apologize. But I will never say sorry, not for taking up space. I want to change the world, revolutionize the way we view art, the way we view passion. Women are meant to be loud and heard, we can offer so much if we are just given the chance. I am an advocate for myself and my art and every little girl who dares to doodle. As for my family, they support my art now. This isn't a random switch, but rather because I didn't apologize for my passion. My greatest artistic ambition is being accepted and valued. I want to continue to be an example for minority girls who love art. I know so many girls grow up in houses that undervalue the arts and I want them to know they are not alone.