Growing Up as the Interpreter
Benito Sanchez grew up in Putla Villa de Guerrero, Oaxaca, Mexico, speaking Triqui Bajo as his native language. He learned Spanish through Mexico's education system before immigrating to the United States at age ten, when his father brought him across the border to reunite with his mother in California.
In 2005, Benito enrolled at Greenfield Elementary School — now known as Mary Chapa Academy — with minimal English. He navigated the K-12 system in Greenfield, California, often serving as the interpreter for his own parents.
As a child, Benito found himself in a position no student should be in: making decisions about his own education because there was no one to bridge the language gap. He couldn't fully understand why reading levels mattered, or how falling behind in reading and math could affect which electives he qualified for in middle school and high school. Important conversations about his future were happening — and he was the one trying to translate them.
That experience never left him.
Education
Benito graduated from Greenfield High School and was accepted into the CSin3 program — a partnership between Hartnell College and California State University, Monterey Bay designed to help students earn a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science in three years. He was a recipient of the Matsui Foundation Scholarship, which along with support from the California DREAM Act made his education possible.
As a DACA recipient, gaining work authorization and protection from deportation was what made college a real possibility. Before DACA, Benito worked alongside his parents harvesting crops in the fields of the Salinas Valley.
Uber Technologies
After graduating, Benito joined Uber Technologies as a software engineer. Over six years, he rose to Senior Software Engineer, working on the Uber Eats platform and shipping features used by millions. He mentored students from his alma maters and was active in Los Ubers, Uber's Hispanic employee resource group.
"He left his career at Uber to build Nurbli."
Why He Left
In 2023, catastrophic flooding in Pajaro, California displaced hundreds of families — many of them indigenous. Critical emergency information was available only in English and Spanish. Families who spoke Triqui, Mixteco, and Zapoteco had no way to access it.
Benito saw the same problem he had lived as a child — only now it was an emergency. He left his career at Uber to build Nurbli.
What Nurbli Is
Nurbli exists because Benito understands all three sides:
Forced to interpret for their parents and make decisions they shouldn't have to make.
Who speak an indigenous language and want to be involved in their children's education but can't communicate with the school.
Busy professionals trying to serve every family but without the language tools to reach them all.
"Nurbli is the bridge connecting all sides."
Nurbli is the bridge connecting all sides — providing professional interpretation services so that families are heard, schools are supported, and children can just be students.