Mariana Santos wants women to shake off the misconception that there is no place for them in high-tech newsrooms across the world.

“Our limitations are inside our own head. Society already says women are not good at mathematics, not good at science,” Santos said. “We are raised in this culture and ultimately it comes from us as well. We want to clear that mental block.”

Santos left her native Portugal for The Guardian in the U.K., where she worked for the newspaper’s digital newsroom. As a Knight Fellow, Santos traveled throughout the newsrooms of South America, setting up mentorship networks for women to learn tech, data visualization and leadership skills.

She also started Chicas Poderosas, an organization that connects women journalists with mentors in technology.

Chicas Poderosas aims to engage more women in developing news applications, producing interactive content and teach women “how to be a manager and be a woman at the same time and also how to trust ourselves,” Santos said.

Featured image via Chicas Poderosas