The Tech Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Cumbre Kids develops “Cráneo” and other Spanish-language podcasts for families. They pride themselves on creating fun, educational content that brings families together. Three of the co-founders of Cumbre Kids – Katherin Aguilar, Gerwuin Riera, and Wilmer Angulo – are Venezuelan immigrants, displaced by their country’s economic crisis, but are finding ways to have a positive impact on families around the world.

“Cráneo” is the leading science podcast for Spanish-speaking families in the world! More than 70,000 families listen to “Cráneo” in all parts of the U.S., Latin America, and Spain, with more than 100,000 downloads per month inspiring Hispanic children to a future in the sciences! Hosted and produced by Katherin Aguilar, every episode of “Cráneo” dives into a new scientific topic alongside leading Hispanic scientists from institutions including The Tech Interactive, NASA, NOAA, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Harvard University, and more!

Find “Cráneo” on your favorite podcast app or visit www.cumbrekids.org. Listen for The Tech Interactive in two episodes of “Cráneo” about the internet and artificial intelligence!

Rosa Maria Gordillo Garfunkel is the Environmental Education Manager at Veggielution. Having lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for twenty-three years after emigrating from Guatemala, Garfunkel enjoys discovering and learning about the natural and urban communities in the area. She cherishes the diverse people and cultures that make up her hometown of San Jose, particularly their food. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Biology and a Master of Science in Soil Fertility. Her work in California has been in both the agricultural and environmental education fields.

Veggielution connects people from diverse backgrounds through food and farming to build community in East San Jose. Their community farm model mobilizes volunteers to cultivate and grow healthy crops, which are then made available to program participants and other local residents. As the Environmental Education Manager, Garfunkel aims to bring together members of the community to share their knowledge, to cultivate and grow food with youth, and to instill in them respect for the land and all that it sustains.

Learn more about Veggielution and the work that Rosa Maria Gordillo Garfunkel does, then harness the power of plants to create natural pigments and paints in our Cabbage Inks activity.

José M. Hernández, Ph.D., is a former NASA astronaut who visited the space station in August 2009 during the STS-128 mission. By operating both the shuttle and station robotic arms, he and the crew helped transfer over 18,000 pounds of supplies and equipment to the space station during a mission of 217 orbits of the Earth. Altogether, they traveled over 5.7 million miles in just under 333 hours. Imagine operating an RC car transporting fragile objects back and forth while spinning on a carousel!

In 2023, NASA and Amazon Studios joined forces to chronicle Hernández’s life and career, from migrant farmer to NASA astronaut, in the film “A Million Miles Away.” Hernández says he was first inspired while he was hoeing a field of sugar beets near Stockton and heard that Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz had become the first Hispanic American to be selected for the Astronaut Corps.

“That’s exactly what inspired me. He became my role model. Later on in life, he became my mentor. And I am hoping that one day someone sits in this chair and says, ’it was José Hernandez that inspired me,’ and I hope that it is more than just one person.” 

Hernández, whose first and primary language was Spanish, earned a bachelor's in electrical engineering from the University of the Pacific in 1984, and a master’s in electrical engineering from UC Santa Barbara. He went on to work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where, along with a colleague, he helped develop the first full-field digital mammography imaging system. 

Hernández never gave up on his dream to go to space despite being rejected by NASA 11 times. In 2004, he was finally accepted as an astronaut candidate at the age of 42. 

In addition to a film and several books, Hernández is the namesake of a local San Jose school: José Hernández Middle School.

Learn more about José M. Hernández, then design a Career Exploration Mosaic about what inspires you to reach for the stars.

The Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley (HFSV) is a beacon of empowerment for Silicon Valley Latinos. Founded in 1989, the organization has transformed the lives and futures of countless Latinos in the region, shaping a brighter tomorrow through education, leadership, and community engagement.

Although Latinos represent 26% of Silicon Valley’s total population, less than 3% of the STEM workforce is Latino. With 39% of the K-12 student population identifying as Latino, their talents and perspectives have the potential to transform STEM fields. Under HFSV's Education Excellence Pillar, two flagship initiatives work towards leveling the playing field for Latinos: the Latinos in Technology Initiative and the Hispanic Foundation College Success Programs. By investing in K-12 programming, the College Success Programs enhance academic performance and college readiness, providing vital resources and support to spark interest in STEM careers among young Latinos.

Through a comprehensive cradle-to-career approach, HFSV offers programs that include reading, math, and science support, coding clubs, college readiness workshops, digital literacy education, college scholarships, and parent education academies. These efforts aim to boost high school graduation rates, expand access to STEM education, and increase the representation of Latinos in Silicon Valley's STEM workforce. As part of the Education Excellence Pillar, the Latinos in Technology Scholarship Program, launched in 2016, has been transformative in bridging the gap between the Latino community’s representation in STEM careers. This program supports Latino college students pursuing STEM majors by providing financial assistance, professional development, and internship placement support, ensuring they have the resources and opportunities to succeed.

The Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley is committed to meaningfully increasing the number of Latino professionals pursuing successful STEM careers, ultimately improving the trajectory of Latino families in the Silicon Valley region.

Learn more about HFSV and their mission, then examine representation in STEM more closely with our Scientist Stories lesson and videos.

Vanessa Palafox – also known as Pfox – is a Video Production Specialist at Mexican Heritage Plaza, School of Arts and Culture (SOAC). Vanessa started exploring visual arts in middle school with an analog film camera. Since then, she has seen how the evolution of technology advances and streamlines how we create, engage, and communicate in the world. As a videographer, she loves developing “photography in motion," combining her passion for storytelling, technology, and the arts. 

The School of Arts and Culture at MHP (SOAC) operates and programs the Mexican Heritage Plaza (La Plaza). This key cultural and community anchor has been located in the Mayfair neighborhood of East San Jose, a predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood, since the mid-20th century. La Plaza was built by the City of San Jose on the site of one of the first grocery store boycotts for farm workers’ rights organized by César Chavez in the 1960s.

Pfox started her work at La Plaza a week before COVID-19 shutdown. She recalls vividly how the organization shifted from being an events center to becoming a resource center where community members could receive COVID testing, vaccines, and groceries. To keep the community engaged, the organization invested in a digital platform and her small team jumped at the opportunity to share their skills and expertise in technology and art. Their work helped neighbors, friends, and family members remain connected to their cultures, traditions, and one another during those difficult times. 

This year, the Mexican Heritage Plaza celebrates 25 years, and Pfox believes that with technology on their side, they are just now realizing their potential. (See more of that vision in the film SOAC 25th - Cultural District.) La Plaza envisions a world where creativity inspires a compassionate and vibrant community. Their mission is to champion community heritage, strength, and resiliency through the activation of arts and culture as a pathway for community preservation and celebration, making La Plaza a place where culture, art, and connection thrive.

Pfox is proud to stand as a Latina artist and storyteller for her community, and she wants others to say, “I can do that too!”

Learn more about MPH and SOAC and follow Vanessa Palafox’s work.

We are especially proud to recognize her videography in our Tech Interactive Field Trips video! 

Watch the video, then book a field trip and ignite the creativity of more students!

Jaime Salinas-Romero is a junior at San José State University (SJSU) studying aerospace engineering. He also serves as the VP of Outreach for the Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists (SOLES) and is an active member of  the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). In these roles, he connects fellow students with valuable opportunities, organizes events, and builds a supportive network. A key initiative involves visiting schools with high minority populations to encourage students to pursue STEM studies.

Salinas-Romero’s journey in STEM has been deeply shaped by his roots and experiences. Growing up in a Latine community, he recalls the hard work and resilience of his family and peers. From a young age, he was fortunate to spend his summers immersed in various camps and development workshops. Programs like Engineers for Tomorrow, EAA Young Eagles, SHPE, and Discover Engineering nurtured his passion and introduced him to a community of like-minded individuals who inspired him to keep pushing forward.

His commitment to support underrepresented students in STEM has led him to volunteer and give back through programs like MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement). 

“If there’s one aspect of my story I’d love to highlight, it’s the role of community and mentorship. The support I’ve received has been instrumental in my journey, and I’m committed to paying it forward by helping others find their path in STEM.”

Salinas-Romero is particularly proud of his work on the Enceladus Reconnaissance Orbiter with L’SPACE NASA. He was able to apply his skills in programming and design modeling, connect with other engineers of diverse backgrounds, and deepen his passion for space exploration. Salinas-Romero’s journey has been one of discovery, both in terms of technical skills and personal growth.

Learn more about Jaime Salinas-Romero and SOLES at SJSU, then try your hand at aerospace engineering with our Satellite Shield lesson.

Diana Trujillo, a Flight Director at NASA, was part of the team responsible for the safe landing of the Mars rover Perseverance in February 2021 after a seven-month journey. Her successful career in aerospace engineering began after she moved to the U.S from Colombia at age 17 with only $300 in her pocket. 

She worked several jobs while attending community college where she appreciated the small classes, attentive professors, lower cost, and diversity. 

"Community college made me believe that I could do it. It’s not going to be easy, but nothing worth doing is."

Along with leading the engineering team responsible for the robotic arm of the Perseverance rover, Trujillo has held several roles with NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Trujillo also works to inspire others in STEM and co-created #JuntosPerseveramos, NASA’s first-ever live broadcast in the Spanish language of a planetary landing which attracted millions of viewers around the globe.

Learn more about Diana Trujillo’s life and career. Then try directing your own rover in our Traverse the Terrain activity.

Jose Luiz Sarabia Torres is pursuing a master's in mechanical engineering at San José State University. Last summer he conducted research at Stanford University with the Doerr School of Sustainability on soil toxicity during wildfires and was proud to present his research at the SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) National Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Torres was previously the President of the Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists and conducted outreach for the Latine community both at SJSU and at local high schools and middle schools.

Torres is a first-generation Mexican American immigrant who grew up in Redwood City, California. Both of his parents had to drop out of 3rd grade in Mexico to provide for their family financially. Torres credits his parents’ hard work and support for enabling him and his oldest sister to pursue higher education in STEM fields. 

Torres is also the President of the SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) Silicon Valley Professional Chapter. The organization is committed to community outreach and inspiring Hispanic students to pursue a degree in STEM. They host free events like Noche de Ciencias, where families can hear from Hispanic professionals about careers in STEM, how they overcome various challenges along their journeys, and receive free school supplies.

Learn more about the SHPE, then explore the field of engineering in our Sustainable Careers profiles.