EBONY Power Talks: Financial Freedom

EBONY Power Talks: Financial Freedom features Executive Director of Consumer Systems at Ally, Lashauna Lowry in conversation with Vice President of Charitable Affairs for the Los Angeles Lakers, Kiesha Nix, and Founder of the Thinkwatts Foundation, Brandon “Stix” Salaam Bailey.

As these business leaders dive into a meaningful conversation about economic growth and success, we start with the vision of financial freedom and what that first step looks like for the Black community. The collective ideal is to build a foundational understanding of how money works, historical context on the racial wealth gap, and challenges that communities of color presently face.

Today’s generation has immeasurable access to technological and financial innovations. “When I started out over 21 years ago in financial services, we just didn’t have the technology. Everything now is at the touch of a button on our phone, ” Nix reflects. Banking institutions such as Ally are also working to create economic mobility and opportunity. Through its Moguls in the Making program, the origanization provides burgeoning leaders from HBCUs with educational resources, mentorship opportunities, and pitching skills.

Fostering financial literacy among our youth plants early seeds for building generational wealth. Salaam Bailey suggests a top-down approach, “I think where we start is implementing it in educational systems and institutions…mandate financial literacy as a core requirement in order to graduate.” With a well-rounded education in areas such as money management, credit building, investment opportunies, retirement accounts, insurance policies, and home ownership – our economic power is limitless.

“Technology and innovation [are] leveling the playing field. You don’t have to be born into wealth to create it,” Nix asserts. Equipped with the right mindset and tools, we can begin focusing on winning it all and winning big in the longterm, which ultimately equals financial freedom.

Lowry, Nix, and Salaam Bailey speak more on actionable steps to engage our communities and families in investing in personal and professional economic growth.

EBONY Power Talks: Financial Freedom is presented by ALLY.