Hella Latin@ Episode 61: From Philly to Silicon Valley with Noel Claudio

Mi gente, get ready for the powerful conversation I had with Noel Claudio! All the stories he shared had me tearing up and in awe. His life story is a journey of deep gratitude, connecting with his roots, and paving his way to becoming a Latino in Silicon Valley.

"As a first-gen grad, first-gen student, you changed your legacy, you changed the direction of your entire ancestors… everything in one moment."        

Noel shares vulnerable stories that remind us and teach us about gratitude even in the most challenging times. And through his experiences as a first-gen Latino, he gifts us a wealth of wisdom, encourages us, and makes us feel like we are not alone and we can also make it.

Coming from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico to then migrating with his parents to Philly was just the beginning of his story. The experiences in between and the meaningful people in his life, it all led him to where he is now.

After a rollercoaster journey, Noel made it to Twitter, where he specializes in Engineering Strategy and Operations. And when he's not doing that, he is out in the community inspiring and empowering Latinos to break into the industry.

We talked about:

• The privilege of having dual citizenship
• Being bi-cultural and feeling more connected to one side
• Connecting with all of our roots
• Gratitude after visiting his homeland for the first time
• The process of getting from where we are to where we want to go
• Growing and uplifting each other vs. the separation game
• Celebrating more of our accomplishments as first-generation graduates
• The importance of sharing our success stories as first-generation Latinos?

Listen to this?episode?to learn more about Noel’s journey, and reach out to him on Twitter?@NoelClaudio_?and?LinkedIn.