Gina Castillo ’14 knows first-hand the stigma of life on the street.
Growing up, she cycled in and out of homelessness and incarceration. At age 26, as a single mother with an eighth-grade education, she earned a Ford Family scholarship and looked to Linfield.
“Learning to code and tech-adjacent skills changed my life,” says Castillo, who received a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor in computer science at Linfield before pursuing graduate studies at Washington State University.
Now, as executive director of Unloop Studio, a Seattle-based non-profit, Castillo is part of a cohort working with Unlocked Futures and award-winning artist and activist John Legend, founder of FREEAMERICA, to support social entrepreneurs impacted by the criminal justice system.
Unloop Studio assists individuals with criminal records to re-enter the work force and succeed in the technology industry. Castillo and her team work with individuals nearing release to connect them with resources, including industry mentors, to launch their careers.
At Linfield, Castillo was named a Kemper scholar and started Kernel of Hope, a program to teach victims of domestic violence how to repair computers.
“Linfield was the place where I learned what was possible, where I could turn all of my experiences into leverageable lessons to build a career and give back,” Castillo says. “The faculty and staff at Linfield lifted me up and allowed a pathway to realize my full potential.”
– Laura Davis
