Code the Dream (CTD) Senior Developer Cruz Núñez accepted an award for “rising stars and tech innovators” at a June 12 ceremony held by non-profit professional organization NC TECH and Business North Carolina in Raleigh. Núñez was part of the inaugural class of NEXT TECH Award recipients.
Núñez was selected for the award in recognition of his work developing innovative software solutions that have helped CTD achieve its mission of providing technical education and training to people from underserved communities.
“Cruz exemplifies so many of the qualities fundamental to Code the Dream,” said CTD Co-Executive Director Daisy Magnus-Aryitey.
“He was a member of our first cohort of students in 2014, and now, as a senior developer and mentor, he teaches programming classes, builds complex mobile and web applications, and leads projects like Vamos, where he manages the biggest team of developers in CTD.”
As a DACA recipient, Núñez faced significant barriers to pursuing a four-year computer science degree in North Carolina, which denies undocumented residents, including DACA recipients, access to in-state tuition. Like many of CTD’s students, apprentices, and staff, he did not let that deter him from achieving his goal of a career in tech.
“As an immigrant and member of a marginalized group that is often unjustly blamed for society’s problems, winning this award feels incredibly validating,” Núñez said. “It proves that those who doubt our potential are wrong and that we can be winners, leaders, and role models in society.”
Núñez has served as technical lead for a number of impactful CTD apps, including the Vamos app, which aids in outreach to farmworkers; Oye, which makes mass text messaging more affordable and accessible to non-profits; and NC Fair Chance, which helps North Carolina drivers remove minor charges and unpaid fines from their records, thereby removing suspensions and restoring licenses.
- Read a short profile of Cruz Núñez and the other Next Tech Award winners
