By: Ashmar Mandou
Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Jessica Covarrubias is forging a path as one of the few Latinas working at Google. “People like me who grew up on the south side of Chicago are not supposed to be in places like Google because the odds are stacked against us from a very young age,” said Covarrubias. “I saw the disparity in Chicago public schools because I was a product of the Chicago public school system and when I visited other high schools that had more, in terms of funding and resources I knew I had to work doubly hard to earn the education I deserved.”
Her tenacity paid off as Covarrubias became the creator of Google’s Be Internet Awesome, an educational program about digital citizenship and online safety that launched last year and launched the Spanish version this year. During her time at Google, she was also the Product Marketing Manager on YouTube Kids. Covarrubias holds an MBA and MA in Education from the University of Michigan and a double bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. Prior to graduate school, she worked in a number of marketing and strategy roles for PepsiCo and Nike.
Covarrubias does not attribute her engrossing career to sheer luck, but rather the value her parents placed on education. “My parents, from a very early age, instilled in me the importance of education. Education is the greatest equalizer. It is the one thing that cannot be taken away from you and the one thing that opens up a path of possibilities. From a very young age I took my education seriously and worked hard,” said Covarrubias, whose parents emigrated from Jalisco, Mexico to the United States in the 80s.
Grounded in her love for education, Covarrubias has made it her mission to close the digital gap within her community by visiting students at Chicago public schools and sharing her knowledge to inspire the next wave of inquisitive Latinos. “Who would I be if I didn’t give back to my community? My community that has given me so much; that has invested in me. My community that has seen me grow,” said Covarrubias. “It’s beyond emotional to see these kids, to see their faces, faces that look like mine be inspired.”
As we celebrate the contributions and achievements of Latinos during Hispanic Heritage Month, Covarrubias encouraged young Latinos to become self-advocates whilst honoring their roots. “During Hispanic Heritage Month we take time for self-reflection and honor those that have paved the way for us to follow. I would say to all my young Latinos to not allow your circumstance to define you. You are destined for something great. Take what you have and find a way to make it work for you and when you reach a level of success, in whatever form that is, always go back home to teach the younger generation. That’s how we will continue to succeed as a community.”
Photo Caption: Creator of Google’s Be Internet Awesome Jessica Covarrubias on the terrace of the Google Headquarters in Chicago.
