Our Inspiration
Our Inspiration
He was 11 years old when he came to the United States. He had to learn a new
language and a new way of life. His dad passed away of cancer soon after and
it was his mom who continued strong raising nine children.
“Mom is my biggest supporter – she is always cheering me on,” said Noe
Lomeli. His mom is 85 and lives with him in Santa Cruz County.
Noe entered the CSin3 (computer science in three years) program at Hartnell
College and CSU Monterey Bay in 2015. He was part of Cohort 3 and earned a
scholarship of $30,000 from the Matsui Foundation.
“It’s life changing to get that kind of scholarship,” he said. “I want to
make Teresa Matsui proud and show her that what they do is changing lives –
we want her to know their investment was worth it.”
He was 35 when he entered the program. His life had been challenging,
working multiple jobs and not being able to focus in his studies. He
promised himself that he would go back to college, but he never imagined
computer science would be his ticket to success.
“I did not even know what computer science was!” He exclaimed. “But CSin3
was exactly what I needed.” The program provided him with a cohort,
discipline, focus, fast-pace, and comradery. He graduated with a bachelor’s
degree in 2018.
He interned for Uber and worked for Heroku, a sub division of Salesforce.
His experience showed him the value of networking and of determination.
“My time at Heroku changed my life,” he said. “First, I had never imagined
earning the salary they offered me and second, it opened up a world of
opportunities and made me think of what else I could do with my skills here
in my community.”
He created a prototype of a robot with a camera that controls your pace as
you jog or run. It was a project that led him to connect with Cohort 2 grad
Benito Sanchez. They kept in touch all these years and Noe joined Benito’s
translation and interpretation company Nurbli. In less than two years, the
company has grown from two to nice staff. They provide translation services
for two types of Mixteco, Triqui, and Spanish.
“Benito and I knew we had the grit to do great things,” he said. “I want to
encourage Latinos to become curious about computer science – it takes work
but it is so worth it.”
David Rodríguez Muñoz
Disillusioned with school as a teenager in East Salinas, David Rodríguez Muñoz dropped out and earned his GED before working at Taylor Farms, packaging salads.
One late night in the company cafeteria, David realized he didn't want to continue down that path indefinitely. Though unsure of his next steps, he knew he needed to find a career that resonated with him. This led him to Hartnell College, where, after some initial struggles, he discovered his talent for photography. His photography teacher, Eric Bosler, was pivotal in nurturing David's interest and helping him find his focus and pathway. David credits Bosler as the "glue that kept him together" throughout his journey at Hartnell.
When David graduated with an Associate in Arts degree from Hartnell, he recalls the humorous moment when his name was called during the ceremony, and his degree was announced as "Photography?"-a memory that always makes him smile. Despite the lightheartedness, David was proud of his achievement and ready for the next chapter.
David continued his education at San Francisco State University, feeling well-prepared from his time at Hartnell and becoming the first in his family to seek a bachelor's degree. However, the long commute from Salinas to San Francisco each day limited his opportunities to network or participate in internships. Nonetheless, he completed his bachelor's degree in Photojournalism, though he worried about his job prospects due to the lack of professional connections.
Fortune smiled on David when a local opportunity arose. A partnership between The Salinas Californian and Catchlight offered a fellowship to support a staff photographer. Though he wasn't selected initially, the editor at The Salinas Californian took a chance on David and offered him a staff photographer position. He spent two and a half years covering local stories in the Salinas area.
In 2022, David received an offer of employment from the Detroit Free Press, one of the leading newspapers in the Midwest, marking a significant milestone in his career. One of his most notable visual narratives, "Life After", delves into the resilience of Amedy Dewey, who survived a harrowing gun violence attack at 18 and is now reclaiming her life. David has been recognized as a Fuente Latina Media Fellow, CatchLight Local Fellow, and John S. Knight Community Impact Fellow.
David has always aimed to use his photography to raise awareness of social inequities, a mission rooted in his own experiences growing up in Mexico and Salinas. He is especially proud of a five-part series on farmworkers in the Salinas Valley during the pandemic, which led to an outpouring of support for the individuals he featured.
Inspired by the mentors and role models who shaped his journey, David regularly shares his experiences with photography and journalism students, seeing it as a way to "pay it forward." His advice to Hartnell students is to "explore and take advantage of the resources" because the faculty and staff are there to support their growth.
David's photography and projects can be found at www.davidrodriguezmunoz.com .
