Tag Archives: Diversity and Inclusion

Los veteranos de Google retribuyen el gesto

Este Día de los Veteranos, queremos reconocer y mostrar las contribuciones realizadas por los veteranos en Google. Estos empleados de Google han creado oportunidades y formas para que la transición de los miembros de las fuerzas a sus carreras profesionales civiles sea sencilla. Lo han hecho a través del programa de becas SkillBridge del Departamento de Defensa (Department of Defense, DoD) para miembros de las fuerzas armadas en transición y otros recursos como los certificados profesionales desarrollados por Google y un subsidio de $10 millones de Google.org para contratar a nuestros héroes para su programa Career Forward.

Nos reunimos con exmiembros del Ejército de los EE. UU. y empleados de Google James Durago, Larraine Palesky y Michael St. Germain (MSG) para conocer cómo llevaron estos recursos a Google y cómo les están retribuyendo el gesto a otros veteranos, miembros de las fuerzas armadas e integrantes de la familia militar.

¿Qué es SkillBridge?

Larraine: SkillBridge brinda experiencia laboral en el ámbito civil a los miembros de las fuerzas armadas, a través de una beca corporativa durante sus últimos 180 días de servicio. Los becarios están integrados en las empresas y continúan recibiendo compensación y beneficios militares, mientras que los socios del sector proporcionan la capacitación, la experiencia laboral y las herramientas para asegurar un trabajo. Los empleadores ven de primera mano el enorme talento, las habilidades, las capacidades de toma de decisiones y la flexibilidad que los miembros de las fuerzas armadas aportan a sus negocios.

¿Por qué trajo SkillBridge a Google?

James: Larraine, MSG y yo nos reunimos en el partido de fútbol del Ejército contra la Marina que se llevó a cabo en 2019 y decidimos unirnos para llevar SkillBridge a Google. En aquel momento, era codirector del grupo de recursos para empleados veteranos de Google, VetNet. Nuestro objetivo era destacarnos de nuestros competidores y formalizar los beneficios de trabajar con la comunidad militar. Y queríamos asegurarnos de que Google fuera el empleador elegido por quienes estaban buscando trabajo y realizando la transición a partir de carreras militares.

MSG: Me involucré porque quería retribuir el gesto y crear un espacio y una oportunidad para que la comunidad de veteranos subrepresentada rompiera estereotipos y demostrara que pueden sobresalir en el ámbito de la tecnología, del mismo modo que prosperaron bajo presión en el vertiginoso entorno militar.

Larraine: Y pasé por SkillBridge yo misma cuando hice la transición y abandoné las fuerzas armadas. Es una gran oportunidad para que los veteranos aprendan habilidades tecnológicas y sean más competitivos, al mismo tiempo que solicitan empleos a tiempo completo. SkillBridge también proporciona a las personas las redes de contactos de las que carecen porque todo lo que saben gira en torno a las fuerzas armadas.

¿De qué manera los programas como SkillBridge ayudan a los veteranos a superar los desafíos?

MSG: Las personas con antecedentes militares están subrepresentadas en las carreras profesionales relacionadas con la tecnología. La gente estereotipa a estas personas en trabajos de construcción y seguridad, y algunos veteranos no confían en que puedan tener éxito en el sector tecnológico. Pero la tecnología no es tan diferente de otros campos, y sabemos que los veteranos tienen habilidades transferibles y actitudes de consecución de tareas que les permiten prosperar en empresas como Google. Solo tienen que poner un pie en la puerta. Tener SkillBridge y otros programas en Google nos permite retribuir a la comunidad militar ayudando a romper las barreras para poder construir carreras profesionales exitosas en el sector tecnológico.

SkillBridge es solo una de las muchas iniciativas para veteranos y familias militares. Si está interesado en inscribirse en el programa SkillBridge de Google, primero debe solicitar el programa de becas corporativas a través de Hiring Our Heroes. Para obtener una lista completa de recursos, consulte nuestro sitio Grow with Googley el sitio de empleos de VetNetpara veteranos, miembros de las fuerzas armadas en transición y familias militares que incluyen Career Forward e información para empresas propiedad de veteranos. Si es miembro de la comunidad militar y busca apoyo para usted o un ser querido, puede encontrar recursos útiles en Serving Veterans.

Veterans at Google pay it forward

This Veterans Day, we want to acknowledge and showcase the contributions made by veterans at Google. These Googlers have created opportunities and pathways for servicemembers to ease their transition into civilian careers. They’ve done this through the Department of Defense’s (DoD) SkillBridge fellowship program for transitioning servicemembers, and other resources like the Google Career Certificates and a $10 million Google.org grant to Hiring Our Heroes for their Career Forward program.

We sat down with former U.S. Army members and Googlers James Durago, Larraine Palesky, and Michael St. Germain (MSG) to find out how they brought these resources to Google and how they’re paying it forward to other veterans, servicemembers, and military family members.

What is SkillBridge?

Larraine: SkillBridge provides servicemembers with civilian work experience through a corporate fellowship during their last 180 days of service. Fellows are embedded in companies and continue to receive military compensation and benefits, while industry partners provide the training, work experience, and tools for securing a job. Employers see firsthand the tremendous talent, skill sets, decision-making abilities, and flexibility servicemembers bring to their businesses.

Why did you bring SkillBridge to Google?

James: Larraine, MSG and I met at the 2019 Army/Navy football game and decided to team up to bring SkillBridge to Google. At the time, I was the co-lead for Google’s veteran employee resource group, VetNet. Our goal was to stand out from our competitors and formalize the benefits of working with the military community. And we wanted to make sure Google would be an employer of choice for job seekers transitioning from military careers.

MSG: I got involved because I wanted to pay it forward and create a space and opportunity for the underrepresented veteran community to break stereotypes and prove they can excel in tech — just like they thrived under pressure in the military’s fast-paced environment.

Larraine: And I went through SkillBridge myself when I transitioned out of the military. It’s a great opportunity for veterans to learn tech skills and become more competitive while applying for full-time jobs. SkillBridge also gives people networking connections they lack because all they’ve known is the military.

How do programs like SkillBridge help veterans overcome challenges?

MSG: Individuals with a military background are underrepresented in tech careers. People stereotype them into construction and security jobs, and some veterans aren’t confident that they can succeed in the tech industry. But tech isn’t that different from other fields, and we know that veterans have transferable skills and “get it done” attitudes that allow them to thrive at companies like Google. They just need to get a foot in the door. Having SkillBridge and other programs at Google allows us to give back to the military community by helping break down barriers to successful tech careers.

SkillBridge is just one of many initiatives for veterans and military families. If you’re interested in signing up for Google’s SkillBridge program, you must first apply to the corporate fellowship program through Hiring Our Heroes. For a full list of resources, please see our Grow with Google site, and VetNet career sitefor veterans, transitioning servicemembers, and military families that include Career Forward and information for veteran-owned businesses. If you are a member of the military community seeking support for yourself or a loved one, you can find useful resources at Serving Veterans.

Veterans at Google pay it forward

This Veterans Day, we want to acknowledge and showcase the contributions made by veterans at Google. These Googlers have created opportunities and pathways for servicemembers to ease their transition into civilian careers. They’ve done this through the Department of Defense’s (DoD) SkillBridge fellowship program for transitioning servicemembers, and other resources like the Google Career Certificates and a $10 million Google.org grant to Hiring Our Heroes for their Career Forward program.

We sat down with former U.S. Army members and Googlers James Durago, Larraine Palesky, and Michael St. Germain (MSG) to find out how they brought these resources to Google and how they’re paying it forward to other veterans, servicemembers, and military family members.

What is SkillBridge?

Larraine: SkillBridge provides servicemembers with civilian work experience through a corporate fellowship during their last 180 days of service. Fellows are embedded in companies and continue to receive military compensation and benefits, while industry partners provide the training, work experience, and tools for securing a job. Employers see firsthand the tremendous talent, skill sets, decision-making abilities, and flexibility servicemembers bring to their businesses.

Why did you bring SkillBridge to Google?

James: Larraine, MSG and I met at the 2019 Army/Navy football game and decided to team up to bring SkillBridge to Google. At the time, I was the co-lead for Google’s veteran employee resource group, VetNet. Our goal was to stand out from our competitors and formalize the benefits of working with the military community. And we wanted to make sure Google would be an employer of choice for job seekers transitioning from military careers.

MSG: I got involved because I wanted to pay it forward and create a space and opportunity for the underrepresented veteran community to break stereotypes and prove they can excel in tech — just like they thrived under pressure in the military’s fast-paced environment.

Larraine: And I went through SkillBridge myself when I transitioned out of the military. It’s a great opportunity for veterans to learn tech skills and become more competitive while applying for full-time jobs. SkillBridge also gives people networking connections they lack because all they’ve known is the military.

How do programs like SkillBridge help veterans overcome challenges?

MSG: Individuals with a military background are underrepresented in tech careers. People stereotype them into construction and security jobs, and some veterans aren’t confident that they can succeed in the tech industry. But tech isn’t that different from other fields, and we know that veterans have transferable skills and “get it done” attitudes that allow them to thrive at companies like Google. They just need to get a foot in the door. Having SkillBridge and other programs at Google allows us to give back to the military community by helping break down barriers to successful tech careers.

SkillBridge is just one of many initiatives for veterans and military families. If you’re interested in signing up for Google’s SkillBridge program, you must first apply to the corporate fellowship program through Hiring Our Heroes. For a full list of resources, please see our Grow with Google site, and VetNet career sitefor veterans, transitioning servicemembers, and military families that include Career Forward and information for veteran-owned businesses. If you are a member of the military community seeking support for yourself or a loved one, you can find useful resources at Serving Veterans.

Celebrate Native American artists in Chrome and ChromeOS

It’s Native American Heritage Month in the U.S., a time when we honor the history, traditions and contributions of Native Americans. As a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, I celebrate this month by taking time to reflect and express gratitude for my ancestors, the resilience of my tribe and other Indigenous people, and future generations carrying our tribal traditions forward.

As a product manager at Google, I’m also proud of how we’re celebrating across our products. On Google Assistant, for example, just say “Happy Native American Heritage Month” or “Give me a fact about Native American Heritage” throughout the month of November to hear a collection of historical facts and stories from the Native American community. Meanwhile, a recent Doodle on Google’s homepage celebrated the history of Stickball, a traditional sport created by Indigenous tribes.

An image of a recent Doodle on Google’s homepage with 5 abstract characters playing Stickball, a traditional sport created by Indigenous tribes.

We also commissioned five Native American artists to create a collection of themes for Chromebooks and Chrome browser. This collection has a special meaning to me because it showcases important traditions and reminds me of home. Richard D. York’s piece “ᎤᎧᏖᎾ (Uktena, or Horned Serpent)” in particular brings me back to my childhood listening to the stories of Uktena and other tales from my elders. A more solemn work, “A Lot Meant,” reminded me of growing up in Oklahoma and how historical policies like allotment impacted my family and so many others.

Now available globally, these themes reflect the unique experiences and identities of each artist. Here’s what they shared about their work:

  • A Chromebook wallpaper showing three ravens — colored red, green and blue — flying against a crescent moon.

    “Primary Ravens” by Crystal Worl
    “These three primary ravens of red, green and blue come together to create a broad array of colors. Together they are tricksters, mischievous, curious; on this snowy evening, they are perhaps scheming to create something new.”

  • A Chrome browser wallpaper showing a raven outlined in white against a red-orange background.

    “Yéil (Raven)” by James P. Johnson
    “I belong to the Dakl'aweidi Clan (Killerwhale) and follow the Tlingit art form of my ancestors. Everything I do is inspired by my son Elias, who was born with a life-threatening genetic disorder called Cystic fibrosis. Gunalcheesh.”

  • A Chrome browser wallpaper showing a geometric box containing an image of a desert landscape against the horizon.

    “Yupkoyvi (Chaco Canyon)” by Michael Namingha
    “I was inspired by the changing landscape of the West. Yupkoyvi, ‘the place beyond the horizon,’ is sacred to the Hopi and Puebloan people, and is under threat by oil and gas development. We have a duty to protect this land.”

  • A Chromebook wallpaper with an image of a coyote on a hillside with a constellation of stars in the background.

    “Constellation Mix” by Noah Lee
    “In Diné folklore, the ‘Holy People’ are deities that created the constellations and the impatient coyote, a chaotic trickster, scattered the stars into a mess. In this theme, the milky way reflects a pathway from earth to heaven.”

  • A Chrome browser wallpaper with an abstract image of a dragon with shades of green, blue, yellow, purple and white.

    “ᎤᎧᏖᎾ (Horned Serpent)” by Richard D. York
    “ᎤᎧᏖᎾ (Horned Serpent) is a malevolent dragon of Cherokee stories. Whoever captures its crystal becomes a great healer. Sequoyah, inventor of the Cherokee writing system, worked to help our people and preserve our culture. Saving our culture is like facing ᎤᎧᏖᎾ.”

To apply one of these themes (or others from Black, Latino and LGBTQ+ artists) to your Chrome browser, visit the Chrome Web Store collection, select a theme and click "Add to Chrome." You can also open a new tab and click the “Customize Chrome” button on the bottom right to explore background collections. To apply one of these wallpapers to your Chromebook, right-click your desktop, choose "Set wallpaper and style," then select "Native American Artists.”

Source: Google Chrome


How Googlers are building for everyone, with everyone

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been recharged by conversations with people from all walks of life: students participating in National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week; policymakers at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s events; and community leaders and Googlers from around the world. There’s a shared sense of excitement, and urgency, about the future we’re helping to build. And after years of virtual gatherings, many in-person events have had the invigorating feel of family reunions.

A symposium with Black executives and the annual Hispanic Heritage Awards in September were energizing, too. At the award ceremony honoring the leadership and accomplishments of the Latino community, we announced a foundational donation from Google.org to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino, which will center Latino stories as part of the American narrative.

As a result of our ongoing equity efforts, we were recently recognized at the Business Travel Awards in Europe for our Accessibility Travel Desk. Through this program, business travel agents offer specialized pre-trip and on-trip planning services to Googlers with disabilities so they have what they need on the road. For our U.S. employees, we also recently introduced Health+ Communities, which aims to provide personalized care focused on addressing the particular needs of groups historically underserved in medical care, such as the LGBTQ+ community.

There is always more to do to build toward sustainable equity. Here, four Googlers talk about other work in progress.

Making onboarding easier

Catalyzing change for startups

Driving toward Africa’s digital transformation

Connecting communities

How mentoring startups helped me grow as a Googler

Growing up, I avoided mentorship at all costs. Since I was raised by a single mother and my father has been incarcerated most of my life, I always viewed mentoring programs as an attempt to replace something missing. In hindsight, though, mentorship would have helped me get where I am today in my career more quickly — and avoid some pitfalls along the way.

So when I read about the Google for Startups Founders Academy, I jumped at the chance to participate as a mentor. Launched in2020, the four-month program connects founders from Black, Latino and veteran-led startups with experienced Googlers, investors and industry experts. Through this program, I could share guidance and resources with those with similar backgrounds as me to help them navigate all the complex aspects of running a startup and growing their business.

After throwing my hat into the ring, I was accepted as a Google for Startups mentor and paired with Gritly, a Colorado-based edtech startup that specializes in tech sales boot camps for underrepresented groups. Gritly founder David Lopez grew up in a low-income, single-parent household and was the first person in his family to go to college. While on a full academic scholarship at the University of Colorado, David realized that a bachelor’s degree is actually not a prerequisite for many high-paying roles in the sales sector. Seeing an opportunity to create career pathways in their own communities, David and co-founder Avi set out to provide people from the Black and Latino communities, women, veterans and previously incarcerated individuals with the training and mentorship needed to succeed as entry-level tech sales reps.

As a Black Googler who didn't finish college, I was immediately drawn to the Gritly team and their mission. I knew my startup sales experience and critical thinking skills could help steer David and Avi’s product vision and strengthen their unique business model. Although the Founders Academy program only required monthly meetings, I wanted to make myself more available. So I met with David and Avi every week to work through roadblocks, answer questions and celebrate wins. I also attended Gritly’s team meetings to get to know the entire group better. And since we’re all based in Boulder, Colorado, we were even able to meet in person multiple times.

Over the course of the program, David and Avi pivoted Gritly into a digital portal that hosts more bootcamps and edtech programs for other role-specific training. This shift broadened the startup’s potential from a niche player to a fundamental part of the edtech space. We also worked together to refine both their product and pitching strategies to secure several angel investors and fellowships. Most recently, Gritly was selected as one of the first recipients of the Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund, which awarded them with $100,000 in equity-free funding, as well as Cloud credits and ongoing support from Googlers.

When someone asked me what my favorite part about being a Googler was, I would usually say access to the world’s brightest minds. Now, after becoming a Google for Startups mentor, the answer is the opportunity to connect the dots. It’s a privilege to serve as a facilitator between people around the world solving problems and the Googlers who can support them with knowledge, tools and resources. Mentorship, I’ve finally learned, isn’t a way to make up for something you lack — it’s a chance to grow in ways you didn’t even realize were possible.

Supporting HBCU students on the path to tech careers

Last weekend I was welcomed back to my “home by the sea” — Hampton University, located on Chesapeake Bay — as the co-grand marshal for this year’s homecoming festivities along with fellow alumna Dr. Dietra Trent, White House Director of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) initiatives. As a proud Hampton alumna and Google’s Chief Diversity Officer, it gives me great pride to continue Google’s long-standing partnership with the HBCU community.

I’ve seen firsthand the impact HBCU graduates are having on the next generation of leaders and thinkers across today’s industries, including tech. In a recent United Negro College Fund (UNCF) study, despite only making up 3% of the nation’s colleges and universities, HBCUs produce almost 20% of all African American graduates and 25% of African American graduates with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees.

A woman in sunglasses, wearing a blue blazer and white shirt, stands beside a black sports car with a white sign in the window that reads “Hampton Grand Marshall.”

Melonie Parker, Google’s Chief Diversity Officer at Hampton’s homecoming.

At Google, we remain steadfast in our investment and support for HBCUs, and we’ve partnered closely with them to build pathways to tech. One way we’ve done that is by welcoming students from 15 HBCUs for full-time roles and internships in the last year alone, and we've expanded our recruiting efforts to more than 900 schools in the last decade. We’ve also invested in programming to further opportunities and pathways for HBCU and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) students, including:

  • Tech Exchange, a semester-long immersive program for select HBCU and HSI students, has quadrupled in size and expanded to serve students from 16 HBCUs and Hispanic-Serving Institutions since launching in 2017.
  • Our Pathways to Tech initiative was designed to build equity for HBCU computing education, help job seekers find tech roles, and ensure that Black employees have growth opportunities and feel included at work.
  • The Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program, a partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, brings digital skills training into the career centers of HBCUs. The program recently expanded to 20 HBCUs, and aims to help 20,000 students learn digital skills by the end of the current school year.
  • Finally, our Google in Residence (GIR) program gives experienced Google software engineers the chance to teach introductory computer science classes, which have reached more than 8,000 HBCU and HSI students since 2013. Two of our GIR students actually became instructors this year, and many have gone on to internships in our Student Training in Engineering Program and full-time software engineering roles at Google.

We also recognize the unique needs of students, faculty and staff within each of these historic institutions. I meet regularly with the HBCU Presidents’ Council, which advises on creating and executing meaningful programming that meets the needs of HBCU students. In 2021, we provided a $50 million grant to 10 HBCUs to support scholarships, invest in technical infrastructure for in-class and remote learning, and develop curricula and career support programs.

To build on this, Monday I was honored to announce a $5 million Google.org grant to Spelman College’s Center for Minority Women in STEM. A team of Google.org Fellows will partner with Spelman to build the first database that will conduct and publicize research on the experiences of women from historically underrepresented groups in STEM. The findings will be used to help empower and elevate women in STEM fields. This week we also announced $300,000 in funding for 18 HBCU and HSI partners to support faculty and students in tech majors. We plan to distribute this funding annually to enable growth and retention in computer science departments.

Finally, supporting our HBCU and HSI partners means showing up and continuing to shine a light on these historic and critical institutions:

  • We were proud to sponsor the National HBCU Week Conference organized by the The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The event brought together more than 1,500 HBCU students, faculty and community leaders from across the U.S. for the first time since 2019. We hosted panels and workshops on career opportunities, resume building and personal brands.
  • Just last month we were the halftime sponsor at the inaugural HBCU New York Football Classic. More than 35,000 fans gathered in the stands for the September 17 game between Morehouse College and Howard University as part of HBCU Week. Our sponsorship included scholarships to 105 HBCU students and a partnership with HBCU Tools for School, a nonprofit that provides access to tools, resources and networks critical for academic success.
  • Finally, we’re working with the NBA Foundation on an upcoming promotion where a portion of proceeds from Pixel sales on the Google Store will go to HBCUs.
Melonie Parker and others share why HBCUs are an important partner in our work to expand equity
10:25

For more than a century, HBCUs have been a driving force in the cultivation of academic excellence and professional achievement within the Black community. We will continue to do our part to support these institutions, and their students, as we work to make tech more inclusive and representative at all levels of the workforce.

Kwentuhan: Sharing our stories this Filipino American History Month

“Kwentuhan” roughly translates to “sharing stories” in English. For Filipino American History Month, or Kapamilya Month as our Filipino Googler Network refers to it, we sat down with Paolo Malabuyo, Director of User Experience in Google Maps and executive sponsor of the Filipino Googler Network, to learn about his story.

As a child growing up in the Philippines, we heard you were somewhat of a Lego competition legend. How did this kickstart your interest in working in UX and design?

I was the youngest of four and I always felt like I was in the shadow of my older, smarter, more athletic and more accomplished siblings. I don’t recall having many ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up, until my grandmother immigrated to the United States in the 1960s and started sending small handfuls of Lego pieces through the mail.

This started my fascination with Lego and culminated in my participation in Lego competitions across the Philippines. I still think that the greatest job in the world is designing Lego sets.

  • Paolo standing with two Lego boxes on either side of him. In front of him on the table is a fully constructed Lego set.

    Paolo with his winning build and prizes.

  • Paolo sitting at a table building a Lego set in a room full of others also focused on their Lego creations. To his right, a man stands over his shoulder watching him build the set

    A younger Paolo during a Lego competition with Larry Alcala, famous Filipino cartoonist, looking on as a judge.

  • Four people sit on a stage for a panel discussion

    Paolo (third from left) on a panel of designers at Adobo Design Week in Manila, Philippines

I immigrated to the States right before my 12th birthday and picked up drawing, reading, and crafting. This developed into a real affinity for art. I ended up getting a BFA in art and minors in communication design, art history and Chinese studies. I also took basic programming classes and learned web design by emulating early websites.

Like Lego pieces, my early days of creatively building, combined with my art education and CS study were what constructed my career today. I got my first role as a graphic designer which started my roundabout journey to become a UX designer, leader and educator.

Can you talk about your role at Google?

I lead the cross-disciplinary user experience teams for Geo Auto and Geo Sustainability. In Auto, we design and deliver the in-car, embedded Google Maps experiences for navigation, routing, and situational awareness so that drivers are safer and more confident, with a major focus on electric vehicles. In Sustainability, we provide platforms, insights, and solutions that help users and partners tackle climate change – the preeminent challenge for humanity today. It’s an incredibly interesting portfolio and it’s such a privilege to work with our teams and clients.

As an executive sponsor for the FIlipino Googler Network, I get to work closely with other teams across Google on projects that impact the Filipino community. One example is the work happening on Maps to help business owners identify themselves, including the introduction of the Asian-owned attribute earlier this year. This attribute will help many Filipino businesses be recognized by current and future customers.

What else is Google doing in support of Filipino culture?

It’s great to see how Google’s products and services are celebrating Filipino culture and elevating our voices. This month, we ran a beautiful Google Doodle in the Philippines which celebrated the Regatta de Zamboanga, an annual sailing competition from the southern part of the country.

Six sailboats with the letters on the flags spelling GOOGLE.

Google TV is highlighting recent movies and TV shows that tell Filipino American stories and feature Filipino American lead actors in its “For you” tab.

The Google TV interface on the For you page displaying an image of Jacob Batalon with fangs promoting a TV show “Reginald the Vampire”

One of Google TV's highlighted shows for Filipino American History Month

And Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with amazing organizations to celebrate the rich culture and history of the Philippines, including the Filipinas Heritage Library, Filipino Street Art Project, and the Ballet Philippines.

Earlier, you talked about how you grew up in the Philippines. What role do you think Google has to play in supporting the local community?

Google has amazing resources that can help the people in the Philippines. We’ve done a lot to support inclusive distance learning, from a Google.org grant to help teachers, to the national deployment of G Suite for Education to 22 million learners in partnership with the Department of Education. We’re collaborating with local telecommunications companies to bring mobile access to learning tools and started a virtual training camp for Filipino YouTubers to accelerate development of quality learning content on the platform. Just last month, we announced we will be giving away Google Career Certificate scholarships to 39,000 Filipino youths.

Commitments like these are super valuable, and I’m grateful for the work to come.

Source: Google LatLong


Kwentuhan: Sharing our stories this Filipino American History Month

“Kwentuhan” roughly translates to “sharing stories” in English. For Filipino American History Month, or Kapamilya Month as our Filipino Googler Network refers to it, we sat down with Paolo Malabuyo, Director of User Experience in Google Maps and executive sponsor of the Filipino Googler Network, to learn about his story.

As a child growing up in the Philippines, we heard you were somewhat of a Lego competition legend. How did this kickstart your interest in working in UX and design?

I was the youngest of four and I always felt like I was in the shadow of my older, smarter, more athletic and more accomplished siblings. I don’t recall having many ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up, until my grandmother immigrated to the United States in the 1960s and started sending small handfuls of Lego pieces through the mail.

This started my fascination with Lego and culminated in my participation in Lego competitions across the Philippines. I still think that the greatest job in the world is designing Lego sets.

  • Paolo standing with two Lego boxes on either side of him. In front of him on the table is a fully constructed Lego set.

    Paolo with his winning build and prizes.

  • Paolo sitting at a table building a Lego set in a room full of others also focused on their Lego creations. To his right, a man stands over his shoulder watching him build the set

    A younger Paolo during a Lego competition with Larry Alcala, famous Filipino cartoonist, looking on as a judge.

  • Four people sit on a stage for a panel discussion

    Paolo (third from left) on a panel of designers at Adobo Design Week in Manila, Philippines

I immigrated to the States right before my 12th birthday and picked up drawing, reading, and crafting. This developed into a real affinity for art. I ended up getting a BFA in art and minors in communication design, art history and Chinese studies. I also took basic programming classes and learned web design by emulating early websites.

Like Lego pieces, my early days of creatively building, combined with my art education and CS study were what constructed my career today. I got my first role as a graphic designer which started my roundabout journey to become a UX designer, leader and educator.

Can you talk about your role at Google?

I lead the cross-disciplinary user experience teams for Geo Auto and Geo Sustainability. In Auto, we design and deliver the in-car, embedded Google Maps experiences for navigation, routing, and situational awareness so that drivers are safer and more confident, with a major focus on electric vehicles. In Sustainability, we provide platforms, insights, and solutions that help users and partners tackle climate change – the preeminent challenge for humanity today. It’s an incredibly interesting portfolio and it’s such a privilege to work with our teams and clients.

As an executive sponsor for the FIlipino Googler Network, I get to work closely with other teams across Google on projects that impact the Filipino community. One example is the work happening on Maps to help business owners identify themselves, including the introduction of the Asian-owned attribute earlier this year. This attribute will help many Filipino businesses be recognized by current and future customers.

What else is Google doing in support of Filipino culture?

It’s great to see how Google’s products and services are celebrating Filipino culture and elevating our voices. This month, we ran a beautiful Google Doodle in the Philippines which celebrated the Regatta de Zamboanga, an annual sailing competition from the southern part of the country.

Six sailboats with the letters on the flags spelling GOOGLE.

Google TV is highlighting recent movies and TV shows that tell Filipino American stories and feature Filipino American lead actors in its “For you” tab.

The Google TV interface on the For you page displaying an image of Jacob Batalon with fangs promoting a TV show “Reginald the Vampire”

One of Google TV's highlighted shows for Filipino American History Month

And Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with amazing organizations to celebrate the rich culture and history of the Philippines, including the Filipinas Heritage Library, Filipino Street Art Project, and the Ballet Philippines.

Earlier, you talked about how you grew up in the Philippines. What role do you think Google has to play in supporting the local community?

Google has amazing resources that can help the people in the Philippines. We’ve done a lot to support inclusive distance learning, from a Google.org grant to help teachers, to the national deployment of G Suite for Education to 22 million learners in partnership with the Department of Education. We’re collaborating with local telecommunications companies to bring mobile access to learning tools and started a virtual training camp for Filipino YouTubers to accelerate development of quality learning content on the platform. Just last month, we announced we will be giving away Google Career Certificate scholarships to 39,000 Filipino youths.

Commitments like these are super valuable, and I’m grateful for the work to come.

Source: Google LatLong


How Googlers are honoring Hindu Heritage Month

This year, the Hindu chapter of Google's Inter Belief Network (IBN) employee resource group is honoring Hindu Heritage Month and the many important festivals happening this month, including Navaratri (Sept. 26 - Oct. 5), Dussehra (Oct. 5) and Diwali (Oct. 24).

To help bring more awareness to key moments like Diwali, Google Registry partnered withCoHNA, a coalition representing the Hindu community of North America, earlier this year to launch Diwali.day — a secure domain to learn more about the history and traditions surrounding Diwali.

I sat down with fellow members of the IBN Hindu chapter to learn a bit more about their traditions, and how they are celebrating the festive season.

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Today is the .day

.day, the latest top-level domain extension from Google Registry, helps you bring attention to any important day

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