The people behind Pilar
← Back to HomePilar was built by a small but dedicated team connected through the Spanish Speaking Citizens' Foundation (SSCF), united by the belief that technology should meet people where they are.
Joshua García
Lead Developer and Architect
Joshua is studying Computer Science at San Francisco State University, with a minor in Information Systems and a cybersecurity certificate. As an immigrant from El Salvador who arrived in the United States at 12, his perspective on technology is shaped by community work—years spent in youth programs, nonprofits, and public schools.
For Pilar, Joshua designed and implemented the RAG microservices, built the database layer, deployed infrastructure, integrated observability with Grafana Cloud, and developed multilingual support. Every line of code and system decision was made with real people in mind.
Email: joshua@sscf.org
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/oshuagarciaj503
Fabian Buenrostro
Community Research and Content Specialist
Fabian brought deep community ties and research expertise to the project. Originally from La Palma, Mexico, Fabian's longstanding connection to SSCF made his role in Pilar a natural fit. He gathered and verified information, structured resources for AI integration, and ensured the content was both accurate and culturally relevant for the Latino community. His work bridged the gap between technology and the lived realities of the people we aim to serve.
Email: fabianbuenrostro321@gmail.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fabian-buen
Maribel Alejandra Oclica Hernandez
User Experience and Accessibility Specialist
Maribel contributed with the dedication and perspective of both a scholar and a parent. A psychology student at CSU East Bay and mother to a young son, Maribel supported Pilar's development with her insight into accessibility, communication, and user needs—helping us design a tool that is welcoming and approachable for all.
Email: maribelh97@gmail.com
SSCF Foundation Support
Mentorship and Guidance
From the start, SSCF provided the foundation for this work. The team is especially thankful to Christopher Martinez and Gina Malan for their guidance and mentorship throughout the project. Their support helped turn Pilar from an idea into a working platform—one that blends technical innovation with community values.
Together, this team built Pilar not just as a piece of software, but as a bridge—linking technology with the knowledge, dignity, and opportunity our communities deserve.