[Ep. 59] My Family Faced Medical Racism. It Changed My Perspective On Life. w/ Maria Ashby

Maria wrote her dream job into existence—and it came true.She envisioned the exact role, the scope, the team culture, even how she’d receive the offer—on a beach in Costa Rica. Then NVIDIA called with an offer, and yes, the role was as she imagined.But Maria’s journey wasn’t all manifestation and sunshine. Her mindset shift was sparked by a painful experience—watching her beloved uncle suffer from egregious medical racism. A doctor looked at him and said, “Why put in the effort? He’s going to die anyway.”Maria had always believed that success would be her escape—that if she worked hard, she could rise above systemic barriers. But her uncle had made it. He lived the American Dream. And yet, that didn’t protect him. That moment changed everything.It made Maria realize: life is short, and it’s too costly to play it safe. You can’t spend your life in roles that drain you or stay silent out of fear. So she found her voice—and then helped others find theirs. She launched the 3percentclub, a platform empowering underrepresented talent to break into and thrive in STEM.In this episode of MoneyBites, hear how Maria is defining and manifesting her own version of success—and the pivotal experiences that influenced her mindset shift.Maria's 3 Percent Club Women make up 25% of the tech workforce, while Black women only account for 3%. That’s why the 3 Percent Club empowers underrepresented talent with accessible education, mentorship, and career development resources. https://3percentclub.org/donate00:48 What is a Generative AI Analyst?04:26 AI Ethic08:16 My mom sacrificed for my education11:12 Career change13:14 My uncle faced inhumane medical racism21:39 Value vs Money22:56 Paying forward26:08 Manifesting dream role