So, you know, what was your passion?
 2
00:00:01.468 --> 00:00:02.869 And like you think you're going to go back
 3
00:00:02.869 --> 00:00:04.904 to your passion or you like what your doing right now?
 4
00:00:05.605 --> 00:00:08.375 So I'm working my passion, oddly enough right.
 5
00:00:08.375 --> 00:00:11.077 And I'll give you some context so, my passion is service.
 6
00:00:11.077 --> 00:00:13.680 Working full time straight out of high school,
 7
00:00:13.680 --> 00:00:15.348 I thought my pathway was limited.
 8
00:00:15.348 --> 00:00:17.717 My grandfather, he was a Tuskegee Airman.
 9
00:00:17.717 --> 00:00:20.653 In fact, he actually earned the, Congressional Medal of Honor
 10
00:00:20.653 --> 00:00:22.756 at the first inauguration for Barack Obama.
 11
00:00:22.756 --> 00:00:25.425 And I tried to go to the military. Yeah.
 12
00:00:25.425 --> 00:00:26.993 It didn't pan out.
 13
00:00:26.993 --> 00:00:31.097 And, unfortunately, that was a realm of service I could never really jump into.
 14
00:00:31.231 --> 00:00:32.232 I wanted to be a fireman.
 15
00:00:32.232 --> 00:00:35.435 I have horrible asthma, so that just wasn't going to work out.
 16
00:00:36.002 --> 00:00:39.572 And so the more I thought about it, my opportunity to serve was dwindling.
 17
00:00:39.839 --> 00:00:41.441 I really didn't know what to do.
 18
00:00:41.441 --> 00:00:43.209 And so even when I came back to the Year Up program,
 19
00:00:43.209 --> 00:00:46.146 I didn't think about my career path in the way that I do today.
 20
00:00:46.146 --> 00:00:47.514 But it is rooted in service.
 21
00:00:47.514 --> 00:00:49.916 And so being able to create space for people,
 22
00:00:49.916 --> 00:00:51.985 being able to provide a certain level of safety,
 23
00:00:51.985 --> 00:00:53.953 you may have a lived experience in your home
 24
00:00:53.953 --> 00:00:55.955 that'll change when you're in my presence.
 25
00:00:55.955 --> 00:00:58.291 And I think that's something that I live in day in, day out.
 26
00:00:58.291 --> 00:00:59.592 And I get paid to do this,
 27
00:00:59.592 --> 00:01:02.962 obviously there's a functional skill set attached to it, but the idea is that
 28
00:01:03.329 --> 00:01:05.265 I get the privilege of working with young adults
 29
00:01:05.265 --> 00:01:08.835 who want more out of life, who have decided to fight, and pursue
 30
00:01:08.835 --> 00:01:12.372 the opportunity to fight for that chance to, to create change.
 31
00:01:12.639 --> 00:01:15.575 It's a blessing because, I know that's something that's not afforded to many,
 32
00:01:15.575 --> 00:01:17.544 I've also been able to grow in this work as well.
 33
00:01:17.544 --> 00:01:20.280 And I know age is also something that is not afforded to many,
 34
00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:22.348 I've had many successes and many failures,
 35
00:01:22.348 --> 00:01:24.384 but they've all amounted to me being here today.
 36
00:01:24.384 --> 00:01:25.685 And I have nothing to complain about.
 37
00:01:25.685 --> 00:01:27.420 So living my passion.
 38
00:01:27.420 --> 00:01:29.489 It's day to day opportunity that I'm thankful for.
 

In the tech world, you don't necessarily need a college degree. Certifications are a more cost-effective way to build skills and break into tech. However, if you have C-suite aspirations, it may be a good idea to pursue a bachelor's degree and MBA. I recommend taking a moment to map out what exactly it is that you want. Build a vision board. Figure out what you want first and then map the route it takes to get there.

I went into the workforce after high school because my father was disabled and my mother was incarcerated. It was a dark time. I struggled with depression and lacked direction. My faith and the support of my community is what pushed me forward.

Each day, I design learning experiences and partner with Fortune 50–500 companies to help them build equitable, inclusive cultures. I research, develop curricula, and collaborate across teams to ensure our programs open doors for diverse talent.

Associate Director, Learning & Advisory Services

Passion

My Career Path Is Rooted In My Passion For Service

What advice would you have, like take that next step in
 2
00:00:03.336 --> 00:00:05.271 like pivot into your new career.
 3
00:00:05.271 --> 00:00:07.273 Yeah. You can't be afraid, right.
 4
00:00:07.273 --> 00:00:09.242 Or you can't you can't live in that fear.
 5
00:00:09.242 --> 00:00:10.910 I can't say you can be afraid.
 6
00:00:10.910 --> 00:00:12.078 You can be whatever you want to be.
 7
00:00:12.078 --> 00:00:13.279 But don't live in that.
 8
00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:15.882 And I think that is where complacency exists.
 9
00:00:15.882 --> 00:00:19.686 You also find a lot of support when you decide to stop chasing your dreams.
 10
00:00:19.686 --> 00:00:21.654 Like everybody will kind of like pat you on the back.
 11
00:00:21.654 --> 00:00:23.289 Like eh, you did enough.
 12
00:00:23.289 --> 00:00:25.158 Like, no I didn't, and that's the thing right.
 13
00:00:25.158 --> 00:00:28.294 Like there's a fire in you for that for some reason, right.
 14
00:00:28.294 --> 00:00:30.196 And it's up to you to figure out what it's all about.
 15
00:00:30.196 --> 00:00:32.198 Take the risk of starting a new conversation.
 16
00:00:32.198 --> 00:00:35.235 Take the risk of talking to your current management team, talking
 17
00:00:35.235 --> 00:00:38.705 to your friends, talk to individuals that are in positions that you want to be,
 18
00:00:38.972 --> 00:00:40.940 and be vulnerable when you have these conversations
 19
00:00:40.940 --> 00:00:45.011 and the vulnerability is a true asset because it's not seen often.
 20
00:00:45.011 --> 00:00:47.714 But when people can get to the crux of what it is that you want,
 21
00:00:47.714 --> 00:00:50.717 they can actually diagnose a remedy that can support you.
 22
00:00:50.850 --> 00:00:53.820 And I think I've seen so many people try to put on a facade
 23
00:00:53.820 --> 00:00:56.022 and then they wonder why they're not getting any traction and like,
 24
00:00:56.022 --> 00:00:58.858 we're giving you solace for things that aren't really problems for you.
 25
00:00:58.858 --> 00:01:00.860 Like you're trying to be something you're not.
 26
00:01:00.860 --> 00:01:02.228 These are all the important
 27
00:01:02.228 --> 00:01:05.398 aspects of a question that you need to ask before you make a finalized decision
 28
00:01:05.398 --> 00:01:06.199 to crossover.
 29
00:01:06.199 --> 00:01:09.469 And the reason why I say this is not that money is not important, but it will come.
 30
00:01:09.669 --> 00:01:13.406 The idea is that you start to form your career in a way that you find a way
 31
00:01:13.406 --> 00:01:14.574 to connect to a passion,
 32
00:01:14.574 --> 00:01:16.042 we may not start off
 33
00:01:16.042 --> 00:01:19.112 our occupational journey in our passion, but the goal is to get there.
 34
00:01:19.412 --> 00:01:19.846 Right.
 35
00:01:19.846 --> 00:01:23.817 And so these questions, these steps, are you making the right transitions
 36
00:01:23.817 --> 00:01:26.686 and are you doing them at the right time, are you doing them for the right reasons?
 37
00:01:26.686 --> 00:01:28.221 Some of that is introspection, right?
 38
00:01:28.221 --> 00:01:30.723 You have to check your own compass and say like hey,
 39
00:01:30.723 --> 00:01:32.025 am I acted with integrity right now.
 40
00:01:32.025 --> 00:01:35.695 The other piece is, are the people around me putting me in position?
 41
00:01:35.695 --> 00:01:38.565 Am I able to grow based off of the relationships that I've built?
 42
00:01:38.565 --> 00:01:41.134 That social capital is really what's going to make a difference for you.
 43
00:01:41.134 --> 00:01:41.668 And so,
 44
00:01:41.668 --> 00:01:43.970 you don't want to opportunity that a bunch of other people have had
 45
00:01:43.970 --> 00:01:46.940 and haven't been successful in. You want something that's for you.
 46
00:01:46.940 --> 00:01:49.175 And I think the best way to get there is to figure out who's doing it
 47
00:01:49.175 --> 00:01:51.678 now, who's doing it well, and who's connected to you
 48
00:01:51.678 --> 00:01:54.481 in a way that can put you in position with the current skill set that you have.
 

Fear

Determination & Hard Work

Stay Diligent In Following Your Passion

What inspired you to get into the education side of technology?
 2
00:00:03.703 --> 00:00:08.274 I'll be honest I, I actually didn't set out to work in Ed-tech.
 3
00:00:08.541 --> 00:00:12.245 I had worked in commercial products.
 4
00:00:12.245 --> 00:00:15.615 I had worked on consumer products, wearable devices.
 5
00:00:15.782 --> 00:00:19.419 So going to a new vertical or as we call it,
 6
00:00:19.419 --> 00:00:22.856 or a new segment was just sort of how I had navigated my career.
 7
00:00:22.856 --> 00:00:27.427 But now that I've landed in education, I really can't imagine leaving it.
 8
00:00:27.427 --> 00:00:30.930 Working in education is just such a privilege
 9
00:00:31.131 --> 00:00:35.135 to create things that can impact the next generation.
 10
00:00:35.168 --> 00:00:40.168 And so when you bring values and you bring an inspiring North Star
 11
00:00:40.907 --> 00:00:44.511 into that job and education, and then you actually get to see
 12
00:00:44.511 --> 00:00:47.881 the positive impact that you're having in the lives of young people.
 13
00:00:47.881 --> 00:00:49.749 Like, I don't know where you would go from here
 14
00:00:49.749 --> 00:00:53.520 in terms of bringing your heart into the job.
 

2025 SXSW Conference
Interviewed in Austin, TX but works in Seattle, WA USA.

Each day is different—some mornings I’m deep in game design or planning new features, and other times I’m building partnerships or launching esports pilots with schools. I get to lead a team that brings learning to life through Minecraft, helping students stay curious and joyful. In my role, I’m surrounded by kind, heart-forward people who share a mission to make a real impact.

Head of Minecraft Education

You don't belong here. You're not smart enough and you haven't done enough.

Fulfillment

How And Why I Work In Education Technology

Do you have any advice for, like, people like me or like younger?
 2
00:00:03.636 --> 00:00:04.738 A lot of people talk
 3
00:00:04.738 --> 00:00:08.608 in this world about what's my passion and I have to follow my passion,
 4
00:00:08.608 --> 00:00:11.745 and I think that's too big of a word sometimes.
 5
00:00:11.745 --> 00:00:14.047 Yeah. It's heavy. It's heavy,
 6
00:00:14.047 --> 00:00:15.548 and it's almost as if, like.
 7
00:00:15.548 --> 00:00:19.019 Well, if I don't know what my passion is, then I'm failing or I'm dadada.
 8
00:00:19.386 --> 00:00:23.356 And I tell people, your purpose can just be having a good day.
 9
00:00:23.590 --> 00:00:28.094 Your purpose can be finding the joy in whatever little thing
 10
00:00:28.495 --> 00:00:31.765 and having your coffee and saying hello to someone in this and that.
 11
00:00:32.132 --> 00:00:34.834 So let go of these big lofty things,
 12
00:00:34.834 --> 00:00:39.205 is number one, just find a way to make sure that every day
 13
00:00:39.539 --> 00:00:43.109 has something that's given you a sense of peace and joy.
 14
00:00:43.309 --> 00:00:44.677 And then try out things.
 15
00:00:44.677 --> 00:00:48.415 I've changed my careers more times than I can count on my hands.
 16
00:00:48.648 --> 00:00:50.550 Trying things out isn't failure.
 17
00:00:50.550 --> 00:00:54.587 Trying things out is success because you learn from them new skills.
 18
00:00:54.954 --> 00:00:57.023 But then you also figure out, I like doing this.
 19
00:00:57.023 --> 00:00:57.891 I don't like doing that.
 20
00:00:57.891 --> 00:01:00.193 I like doing this, I don't, so try things out.
 21
00:01:00.193 --> 00:01:03.530 Just because you committed to a career, I want to frickin medical school.
 22
00:01:03.830 --> 00:01:06.166 And then I left it after ten years.
 23
00:01:06.166 --> 00:01:09.169 I'm doing very well right now, and as I was saying,
 24
00:01:09.569 --> 00:01:11.771 it wasn't a bad thing to do that.
 25
00:01:11.771 --> 00:01:13.473 So try things out.
 26
00:01:13.473 --> 00:01:14.240 Be a hustler.
 27
00:01:14.240 --> 00:01:16.609 I used to go and make things and sell them,
 28
00:01:16.609 --> 00:01:20.480 even without needing money, just because I like the art of the hustle.
 29
00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:23.483 Of the knowing you can go and figure things out.
 30
00:01:23.550 --> 00:01:24.584 Don't have ego,
 31
00:01:24.584 --> 00:01:28.521 there was a point in my life when, after I got my divorce the second time,
 32
00:01:29.089 --> 00:01:32.358 even though I was a highly paid individual in a company,
 33
00:01:32.358 --> 00:01:34.661 I had, like too much debt and stuff like that.
 34
00:01:34.661 --> 00:01:36.496 I used to Uber drive on the side.
 35
00:01:36.496 --> 00:01:38.598 I went and worked at a restaurant on the side.
 36
00:01:38.598 --> 00:01:42.902 I have no ego when it comes to being a responsible parent
 37
00:01:42.902 --> 00:01:46.372 and doing the things that you need to do, you need to let that stuff go.
 38
00:01:46.372 --> 00:01:47.140 No ego.
 39
00:01:47.140 --> 00:01:49.676 Hustle, get out there, try things out.
 40
00:01:49.676 --> 00:01:51.044 And then I think you're going to land
 41
00:01:51.044 --> 00:01:54.013 in something that, you know, hopefully gives you life.
 42
00:01:54.180 --> 00:01:57.684 Make sure you land in something that you feel you want to wake up
 43
00:01:57.684 --> 00:02:01.855 in the morning to do, rather than kind of live by default.
 44
00:02:01.921 --> 00:02:03.990 And with your light not shining.
 

2025 SXSW Conference
Interviewed in Austin, TX but works in Minneapolis, MN USA.
advanced-degree
career-change

Build your network. It's important to be a person of increase. When you meet someone, make sure they walk away with value from you. Don't just wait to network when you need something. The best way to make connections that will benefit you in the future is to make sure you're benefitting others and helping them too.

I was born in Egypt to a family that didn't see value in women. I was essentially left behind by my parents because I was born a girl. I was always sad as a child so I decided to pursue medical school so that I could help other children feel good.

Every day, I work to weave equity and inclusion into the fabric of our global company. I lead with heart, strategy, and urgency—whether I’m reviewing diversity metrics, shaping policy, or mentoring young talent. I collaborate with leaders to design inclusive systems and launch programs that open doors to education and careers. It’s about healing corporate culture so everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

Foundation President & Global Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer

You're not worthy because you're not a doctor anymore.

Exploration

Explore, Hustle, And Find Whatever Makes You Happy

Are there any other points in life which you had a similar epiphany?
 2
00:00:03.303 --> 00:00:03.870 You know,
 3
00:00:03.870 --> 00:00:08.870 I think I always knew at a very young age I wanted to be free and just do-
 4
00:00:09.309 --> 00:00:14.309 I don't like people telling me what to do. But what I realize is that, where you start
 5
00:00:14.781 --> 00:00:17.117 may not be where you end and
 6
00:00:17.117 --> 00:00:21.254 you may be so entrenched in this you're missing out on opportunities to get here.
 7
00:00:21.321 --> 00:00:25.558 So, for example, if I said I'm not going to look at anything else,
 8
00:00:25.558 --> 00:00:26.960 all I want to do is play guitar.
 9
00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:29.963 I might miss out on some opportunities or I might blow up just as a guitarist.
 10
00:00:29.963 --> 00:00:31.564 But if you had told me
 11
00:00:31.564 --> 00:00:35.068 I was going to have this, highly successful stock market education company
 12
00:00:35.268 --> 00:00:36.569 I don't know nothing about the stock market.
 13
00:00:36.569 --> 00:00:39.205 What are you talking about? I'm not interested in that stuff.
 14
00:00:39.205 --> 00:00:42.776 But because I met somebody who stayed on me
 15
00:00:42.909 --> 00:00:46.780 and would not let up I started gradually coming over here,
 16
00:00:46.780 --> 00:00:49.315 and it just took off and I was like, wow, you know, it's
 17
00:00:49.315 --> 00:00:52.552 okay to have more than one passion and more than one interest, you know?
 18
00:00:52.552 --> 00:00:53.686 There's nothing wrong with that.
 19
00:00:53.686 --> 00:00:57.457 And it's also okay to pivot from something. Like, I still play guitar.
 20
00:00:57.457 --> 00:00:59.692 I love playing guitar. I play every day.
 21
00:00:59.692 --> 00:01:02.328 And I realize I can have multiple passions, right?
 22
00:01:02.328 --> 00:01:05.331 But I do realize anything that I've been really, really good at,
 23
00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:08.668 I had to have concentrated effort in it at some point,
 24
00:01:08.668 --> 00:01:10.036 So everything that I got good at,
 25
00:01:10.036 --> 00:01:14.274 I spent a certain amount of time just boom, just focused on that one thing.
 26
00:01:14.340 --> 00:01:16.810 And then I realized, man, you put the time in
 27
00:01:17.877 --> 00:01:19.446 the results will come.
 

2024 PGCO Roadtrip
entrepreneur
career-change

I'd recommend trying to intern with a stock market education company or brokerage company, regardless of what degree you obtain.

I start my day at 7 a.m. with an hour-long workout. I'll spend the next hour checking and responding to emails. From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. I conduct live training classes that teach beginners how to trade and invest in the stock market. After breaking for lunch, I'll have a meeting with my software development team. Then, I spend the afternoon meeting with prospective clients.

Founder & CEO

I'm not paying for you to pursue guitar as a career.

It’s Okay To Have Multiple Passions

Can you talk a little bit about why it's important, especially for you
 2
00:00:03.470 --> 00:00:07.874 to give support to women and minorities who are in the food industry?
 3
00:00:08.108 --> 00:00:09.676 Yes so, you pose a good question.
 4
00:00:09.676 --> 00:00:13.446 So my background is that I've been a lawyer for 22 years, right?
 5
00:00:13.446 --> 00:00:17.050 So I started off as a prosecutor, a white collar crimes prosecutor,
 6
00:00:17.317 --> 00:00:19.753 prosecuting mortgage fraud and real estate fraud.
 7
00:00:19.753 --> 00:00:24.424 And while I was prosecuting, I still used my entrepreneurial, you know,
 8
00:00:24.457 --> 00:00:28.461 assets in order to build a company while I was still working as a lawyer.
 9
00:00:28.528 --> 00:00:31.531 Most people think that you have to do one or the other.
 10
00:00:31.698 --> 00:00:33.366 I tend to believe that.
 11
00:00:33.366 --> 00:00:35.802 Why not do everything that's interesting to you?
 12
00:00:35.802 --> 00:00:38.304 Because that is what the journey of life is about.
 13
00:00:38.304 --> 00:00:43.043 When you say advocacy things that I stand for, part of my advocacy for women
 14
00:00:43.309 --> 00:00:48.309 and minority women is to understand that what you do in life is simply what you do.
 15
00:00:49.249 --> 00:00:50.583 It's not who you are.
 16
00:00:50.583 --> 00:00:52.719 So you kind of have to step into all parts of you,
 17
00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:55.822 which means that you have to do a lot of quiet studying about yourself
 18
00:00:56.056 --> 00:00:59.993 to not just learn about what your passion is, but what your purpose is.
 19
00:00:59.993 --> 00:01:03.029 And it just so happens that my purpose is to embrace life
 20
00:01:03.329 --> 00:01:07.434 and live it and run as fast as I can to get things done, not just for me,
 21
00:01:07.534 --> 00:01:11.004 not just for my son, but for all the people that look like me
 22
00:01:11.004 --> 00:01:13.273 and for all the people that have a long way to go
 23
00:01:13.273 --> 00:01:15.075 who want to be in the position that I'm in.
 

2024 PGCO Roadtrip
entrepreneur
advanced-degree

My day starts with waking up early, quiet time, light exercise, shower and dress, and morning coffee. Then I read emails and go over my plan of attack for the day. I head to my bakery for the first few hours. I talk with guests and staff. I work on marketing and sales, and return emails. Then I start on my law practice clients. I read, draft, and create contracts. I'll also talk or meet with law firm clients. I wrap up my day by having dinner with a client or an employee and head home by 10 p.m.

Attorney & Entrepreneur

Putting Time Into All Of My Interests And Passions

So there's a lot of, you know, kids, adults even.
 2
00:00:04.471 --> 00:00:09.009 That are still trying to find their passion trying to find their itch.
 3
00:00:09.309 --> 00:00:13.680 So would you tell people on how they could find their, their itch?
 4
00:00:14.047 --> 00:00:16.116 You got to ask them what do you like to do?
 5
00:00:16.116 --> 00:00:18.685 I don't care if you like gaming, gaming is a job.
 6
00:00:18.685 --> 00:00:19.819 If you beta tester
 7
00:00:19.819 --> 00:00:24.124 or you get into the gaming, it doesn't matter what you like, it's
 8
00:00:24.357 --> 00:00:26.793 do you have the passion, do you have the desire,
 9
00:00:26.793 --> 00:00:29.929 or do you have the, willingness to just go through?
 10
00:00:30.030 --> 00:00:32.265 You know, it depends on what the person wants to do
 11
00:00:32.265 --> 00:00:36.369 and if they're willing to do it and to get with the right people that can,
 12
00:00:36.369 --> 00:00:40.874 either mentor them or guide them in some kind of way, and they not feel
 13
00:00:40.874 --> 00:00:45.874 intimidated in not knowing because it's okay to ask questions if you don't know.
 

2025 PGCO Hub Interviews
formerly-incarcerated

I spent 26 years in prison. It wasn't how I expected my life to go but I used my time in prison to turn my life around, better myself, and work towards reentry. Now I devote my career to helping others going through the same thing.

I work with people who are navigating the challenges of reentry after incarceration. Whether I’m coaching someone who just came home after 30 years or guiding a young first-time offender through a program, my goal is to help them avoid more time behind bars and rebuild their lives. It’s tough work—sometimes they fight me because they’re still fighting themselves. But when they realize I’m on their side and they can see a future for themselves, that’s when I know I’m where I’m meant to be.

Peer Recovery Support Specialist

Support & Encouragement

Advice For Career Explorers

As you know, I'm Dr. Ronald Gamble.
 2
00:00:02.168 --> 00:00:07.168 I'm a Theoretical Astrophysicist here, my research is focused on studying
 3
00:00:07.173 --> 00:00:10.176 black holes. The other half of my job is I'm
 4
00:00:10.176 --> 00:00:13.179 the director of the Cosmic Pathfinders program.
 5
00:00:13.513 --> 00:00:16.383 It's an early career professional development program.
 6
00:00:16.383 --> 00:00:18.385 It's open to all areas of STEM.
 7
00:00:18.385 --> 00:00:23.385 To reinvigorate why we are here, talking to each other, giving them access to NASA.
 8
00:00:23.456 --> 00:00:27.027 To showing them how to get, competitive internships, fellowships,
 9
00:00:27.293 --> 00:00:30.864 navigating grad school and then ultimately getting them jobs here.
 10
00:00:30.864 --> 00:00:33.767 So that's that's part of the reason why we have the program.
 11
00:00:33.767 --> 00:00:36.903 And there's over 600 strong in there and we started this year.
 12
00:00:36.903 --> 00:00:39.806 So yeah, really excited about that.
 13
00:00:39.806 --> 00:00:42.108 Yeah, I know one thing is really interesting.
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00:00:42.108 --> 00:00:45.111 When I was reading up a little bit on your bio and I was like, sheese,
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00:00:45.211 --> 00:00:46.913 how do you get into this?
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00:00:46.913 --> 00:00:50.283 I'm curious about how, your interest kind of led you to being where you are?
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00:00:50.283 --> 00:00:52.886 Because I mean, a lot of us know we can be lawyers
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00:00:52.886 --> 00:00:56.623 and we can be medical doctors, but I wonder what it's like to be
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00:00:56.623 --> 00:00:57.357 a little black boy
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00:00:57.357 --> 00:00:58.825 and be like you could be an astrophysicist, though.
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00:00:58.825 --> 00:00:59.893 Like I'm curious about just
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00:00:59.893 --> 00:01:02.095 how did you get to the point of I want to be an Astrophysicist?
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00:01:02.095 --> 00:01:05.832 Well, I looked at some of those careers and I'm honestly nothing against them.
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00:01:05.932 --> 00:01:09.702 We need our own lawyers, I might need some one day, you know,
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00:01:10.203 --> 00:01:13.206 but to me they they didn't capture my interest.
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00:01:13.506 --> 00:01:17.544 And so looking at physics and looking at astronomy,
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00:01:17.877 --> 00:01:21.881 things that are weird in space, things that are unknown, the mysterious things.
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00:01:21.948 --> 00:01:24.517 But not only the weird stuff, but how do we talk about it?
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00:01:24.517 --> 00:01:27.020 And so in high school, I looked up.
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00:01:27.020 --> 00:01:30.023 Okay, well, what is there an equation for a black hole?
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00:01:30.190 --> 00:01:31.891 Realized, yes there is.
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00:01:31.891 --> 00:01:34.127 Didn't understand anything in the book
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00:01:34.127 --> 00:01:37.363 and then I went back to my physics teacher there in high school,
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00:01:37.363 --> 00:01:39.199 and I asked them, Hey, do you know about black holes?
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00:01:39.199 --> 00:01:41.935 And he said, No, but you should go to college.
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00:01:41.935 --> 00:01:46.406 And I'm like, okay. So I went to the
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00:01:47.107 --> 00:01:50.143 illustrious North Carolina, A&amp;T State University.
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00:01:50.643 --> 00:01:52.979 Go Aggies.
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00:01:52.979 --> 00:01:55.782 I in undergrad I studied physics and fine arts.
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00:01:55.782 --> 00:01:59.452 I was a double major, so I have a fine arts minor in studio design and painting.
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00:01:59.619 --> 00:02:01.654 So that's kind of where the passion started.
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00:02:01.654 --> 00:02:06.326 And then it really drove home the beauty in that complex math.
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00:02:06.326 --> 00:02:08.261 So that's what really got me.
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00:02:08.261 --> 00:02:11.397 And so, you know, now at home, I've got a floor to ceiling
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00:02:11.397 --> 00:02:14.901 chalkboard where I do all of my work kind of there.
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00:02:14.901 --> 00:02:16.936 And it's like, my science studio.
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00:02:16.936 --> 00:02:19.873 I get to create whatever I want in the math. One of the other things
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00:02:19.873 --> 00:02:23.009 I'll add to that that motivated me is not seeing anybody like me.
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00:02:23.076 --> 00:02:27.647 I would say probably the first theoretical physicist that looked like me
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00:02:28.047 --> 00:02:32.118 was probably in grad school and it wasn't at my university, it was somewhere else.
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00:02:32.185 --> 00:02:34.120 You know, doing great things, of course.
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00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:38.758 But to me he felt inaccessible, I couldn't ask him questions every day
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00:02:38.992 --> 00:02:39.959 like I wanted to.
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00:02:39.959 --> 00:02:43.062 So I was like, okay, well, let me be that person.
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00:02:43.062 --> 00:02:46.499 And I guess I guess I got to step up. And so it's one of those things
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00:02:46.499 --> 00:02:49.836 again, like going to college, like you all have experience.
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00:02:49.869 --> 00:02:51.404 It's like you got to press on, you got to move on.
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00:02:51.404 --> 00:02:54.440 Even if you don't see the example, you can be the example.
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00:02:54.440 --> 00:02:57.443 And then now moving forward, I got students looking at me like,
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00:02:58.111 --> 00:03:01.114 I'm now that theoretical physicist that they're looking at.
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00:03:01.181 --> 00:03:04.651 And I'm like, okay, well, I don't want to do the same thing that I experienced.
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00:03:04.784 --> 00:03:06.219 I want to be accessible.
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00:03:06.219 --> 00:03:08.488 And so I try to make it intentional.
 

In this field, you need to have a "can't stop, won't stop" attitude. I applied to NASA multiple times before I was finally offered a position—and it wasn't even one I applied for! I sent a cold email and went the extra mile to prepare a slide presentation of my work. Be prepared. There's always somebody watching you. A lot of the times, you won't even know an opportunity exists because it's being saved for the right person. You can be the right person. Be confident, persistent, and resilient.

I spend my time diving into the mysteries of black holes as a theoretical astrophysicist at NASA. My work balances cutting-edge research on relativistic jet emissions with mentoring early-career scientists through the Cosmic Pathfinders program. Whether I’m analyzing data, speaking at conferences, or guiding students toward careers in space science, my goal is to expand our understanding of the universe while inspiring the next generation​.

Passion

My Career Path Is Rooted In My Passion For Service

My Career Path Is Rooted In My Passion For Service

Michael Baldwin Jr.

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