Programming a Better Future: How Roberto Found His Purpose in Data Science
Earlier this summer, Roberto Echeverria Sosa received life-changing news: acceptance to UC San Diego's prestigious Data Science program. Roberto's path to this achievement began in the most unlikely place - a small apartment in South Central LA, where he was caring for his mother.
A Mother's Lasting Influence
Roberto's path into technology wasn't conventional, but it was deeply personal. Raised by a single mother who was a teacher, Roberto learned early about the value of education and perseverance. When his mother became ill, he stepped into the role of caregiver, putting his own education on hold. Her experience as a patient in the healthcare system opened Roberto's eyes to critical gaps in technology.
"My mother had many screenings without a diagnosis," he explains. "It helped me see the flaws in medical technologies, especially for underserved communities. This experience is what inspired me to go into this field."
Today, Roberto's goal is to work in medical research using AI and prediction models - a direct connection to his mother's legacy and the inequities he witnessed firsthand.
Bay Area Culture: A Catalyst for Ambition
After his mother passed away, Roberto faced a crossroads. Needing housing and a fresh start, he connected with a friend attending UC Berkeley who was looking for a roommate. That decision to move to the Bay Area would prove transformative. The Bay Area's entrepreneurial spirit and tech-forward environment provided Roberto with a vision of what was possible. He reflected:
“When I moved to the Bay Area, I got influenced by the culture of ambition.”
"This influenced me to go back to school after dropping out. I had always been interested in technology as a user - especially through video games and sci-fi - but when I moved to the Bay Area is when I really shifted to a career focus in tech."
Finding Direction Through Hack the Hood
With renewed motivation and a clearer sense of direction, Roberto enrolled at Berkeley City College and began preparing to transfer to a four-year university. But it was his discovery of Hack the Hood's Build program during summer 2024 that provided the missing piece: not just technical skills, but a community of like-minded changemakers and a framework for turning his experiences into action.
Through Hack the Hood, Roberto learned to clean, manipulate, and visualize data—technical skills that would prove essential for his healthcare technology goals. But perhaps more importantly, he discovered his passion for storytelling through data.
"What made me decide to go into Data Science was the ability to take data and make a story from it," he says. "I realized that Data Science had so much more to offer beyond coding—solving big problems through data and real-life applications."
The UCSD Achievement
Earlier this summer, Roberto's journey came full circle with his acceptance to UC San Diego's Data Science program. Starting this fall, he'll pursue his Bachelor of Science in Data Science, bringing him one step closer to his goal of working in medical research. He said:
“I believe Hack the Hood is one of the key reasons I landed a spot at one of the best Data Science programs in the state.”
"I took away that people from diverse backgrounds can't stand idle and must contribute to big tech and ensure we are all represented."
Roberto's story illustrates a powerful truth: the most impactful technologists are often those who bring lived experience to their work, who understand the communities they serve, and who see technology as a tool for addressing real-world problems.
From South Central to the Bay Area, from caregiver to data scientist, Roberto’s journey is far from over. At UCSD, he'll have access to cutting-edge research opportunities and the resources to turn his vision into reality. For Roberto, data science isn't just a career - it's a calling rooted in love, loss, and an unwavering belief that technology should be a bridge, not a barrier, to better health outcomes for all communities.
