About 3percentclub

Closing the gap for women and people of color in tech.

Through hands-on AI education, real projects, and the mentorship that turns curiosity into a career, 3percentclub helps people go from AI-curious to AI-builder.

1,200Builders in our community
2,700Newsletter readers
20+Countries

“We aren't just teaching people how to use AI. We are empowering them to lead the next industrial revolution.”

Maria Ashby, Founder

3percentclub founder Maria Ashby

Maria Ashby

Founder, Developer & Educator · Former NVIDIA Developer Relations Manager · USC Alumna

What we do

Free AI classes for the people tech keeps leaving out of the room.

Every class is free, open to everyone, and hybrid. Jump in anytime: every class starts with a recap.

  • No code needed

    AI Citizens

    Plain-English classes on using AI well at work and in life: what it can do, where it breaks, and who sets the rules.

    Wednesdays, 6–8pm ET on Zoom

  • Hands-on

    AI Builders

    Technical classes where you build real things: agents, tool calling, search over your own data, evals, and shipping to production.

    Weekly in NYC + on Zoom

  • Show what you made

    Hackathons + Demo Days

    Weekend build sprints with partner tools, mentors, and nonprofit problems to solve, ending with a public Demo Day.

    Latest: Spooky Civic AI Hackathon, Oct 2026

See all programs

Her Story

Building the room she never had.

Growing up as the only girl in my robotics class, I frequently had components pulled from my hands simply because I took time to master the process. That same dynamic followed me straight into my tech career, where I found myself walking into major conferences only to count panels entirely lacking women. I grew tired of watching talented women be sidelined in an industry that desperately needed them.

I'm a Khan Academy kid. My mom would drop me off at the library and I'd just keep learning, for free. Later in tech, I was usually the only Black person and the only woman in the room, and the events meant for people like me taught networking, never the frontier tools. Everybody says open source is for everybody, because the software is free on GitHub. But free isn't the same as accessible.

So during NY Tech Week, over a working lunch with Meg Thee Stallion on repeat, I pitched my very first workshop. That catalyst launched 3percentclub, named after a sobering reality:

Black women hold about 3% of U.S. computing jobs.

Drawing on a decade as a technical educator and my years as a Developer Relations Manager at NVIDIA, I built 3percentclub to break down these artificial barriers, open up my industry network, and demystify tech so our entire community can thrive. After two and a half years of teaching free, hands-on AI classes on the side, I left NVIDIA to do it full time. 3percentclub is for anyone who's been left out of tech.

My mom dropped me at the library so I could learn for free. Now we're building that library for AI.

“Make a friend by the end of any 3percentclub event. Eat food, make a friend.”
Maria Ashby, founder
Penny, a small fluffy dog, in a rainbow sweater hand-crocheted by Awele for Mom's Crochet Club

Mom's Crochet Club

3percentclub runs on family.

My mom, Awele, crochets every sweater and hat in Mom's Crochet Club. It isn't a separate business: the shop is part of 3percentclub, and its profits keep our classes free. She's also our partnerships manager and sits on our board.

Buying a dog sweater or a hat is one of the easiest ways to support the mission, and you get something one of a kind in return.

Shop the club(opens in a new tab)

Profits support 3percentclub.

Where we are today

Global community
1,200
In New York City
400
Fall fellows (70 Builders, 30 Citizens)
100
Newsletter readers in 20+ countries
2,700
Come back for another event
1 in 3

Who's behind it

A small team, a big volunteer bench.

Classes are taught by Maria and guest instructors from across the industry, with mentors and volunteers at every event.

  • Maria Ashby

    Founder

    Former NVIDIA Developer Relations Manager. Writes and teaches the curriculum.

  • Awele Izah

    Partnerships Manager

    Runs partner outreach and makes everything in Mom's Crochet Club.

  • Ruth Miller Leon

    Community + Communications

    Design, social, the newsletter, and fellowship comms.

Board of directors

Maria Ashby · Awele Izah · Dion Harris · Kyle Yumen · Mona Tiesler · Tramale Turner

The details funders ask for

  • 501(c)(3) public charity. Donations are tax-deductible.
  • EIN available on request.
  • Associate member of the Agentic AI Foundation (Linux Foundation).
  • Mailing address: 2511 Butler Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90064
  • Questions: hello@3percentclub.org

Five ways to support 3percentclub

  • Give

    One-time or monthly. $150 carries one fellow through the fellowship.

    Donate

  • Shop

    Hand-crocheted dog sweaters and hats from Mom's Crochet Club. Profits support 3percentclub.

    Shop the club(opens in a new tab)

  • Sponsor

    For companies: back a hackathon track, a workshop, or a whole season.

    Partner with us

  • Volunteer

    Mentor, judge, teach, or help at events. Give as much time as you have.

    Volunteer

  • Show up + share

    Come to a free class, join the newsletter, and bring a friend.

    See classes

What We Stand For

Our Values

These are the principles that define how we show up for each other and for the world.

Bravery

We believe being brave is about being resilient, persistent, and ambitious, even when the odds are stacked against you.

Inclusion

We believe that diverse ability, culture, identity, and lived experience makes our organization and our community stronger.

Action

We prepare our members not just to enter the tech industry, but to lead it, improve it, and transform it.

Excellence

We hold ourselves to the highest standard of technical rigor, community care, and personal growth, because our members deserve nothing less.