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Find opportunities to take Indy into the future

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Find opportunities to take Indy into the future

By Lesley Gordon

When I first applied for the Indianapolis Recorder scholarship for Opportunity Indianapolis, I was unsure if I was the intended audience. As someone who was born and raised in Indy, active in my community and a former city employee, I expected to hear refreshers of the same old information. While there were plenty of those, they were neatly tucked away in a program of fantastic speakers and resources that engaged a room full of the Indy melting pot. New arrivals and international transplants greeted me when I arrived. I typically know a face or two in these settings; it’s Indy, right? It’s the little big city. I was pleasantly surprised to see a room full of new faces. Network flex.

Opportunity Indianapolis (OI) is aptly named, as our city is uniquely positioned to welcome and foster new ideas and cultural trends, if you put the work in. OI helps you understand who has done the work, who needs the work and how you can step up to join the work. I sat in the gym where I attended Indy Parks Summer Day Camp, filled with hometown nostalgia, all while I listened to some of the challenges Indy is facing with food access. We have these amazing neighborhood identities that are rich with front porch stories, but we still need to figure out how to make sure quality food is available for everyone. We are the destination city for conventions and sporting events, by design and hard work, yet a third of our youth live in poverty and don’t have a consistent resource to healthy meals.

I am a leader when it comes to telling people why I love Indy. My social media is littered with all the reasons I will continue to live, work and play in Indy. OI emphasizes Indy’s strengths but also enlightens the group to look at some of our challenges from unique perspectives and to make connections on service opportunities. Indy’s lack of investment in the arts was an area that piqued my interest. Most are aware of the problems Indy is facing with education, crime and food access, but who is saying we have an art problem? After listening to the advocacy mission for the Arts Council, it’s easy to connect the dots and see that the lack of investment around art is impacting our communities negatively.

I highlighted that we have an education problem. Let me clarify. Our communities’ value and appreciation for education is a problem. After listening closely to Indianapolis Public Schools’ plans for the future and the 3-E (enroll, enlist, employ) approach to education, I know there is strong leadership in place, people looking at the issues and a conscious effort to work with the neighborhoods to address them. My child is young, but my husband and I thought very hard about our son’s education before we bought our house in the city. Indy has quality schools and teachers, but it has to be the mission of the entire city to make them available to everyone. It’s not just the problem of the impoverished neighborhood; it’s the entire city’s issue to lift up.

After participating in the Opportunity Indianapolis program, I feel ready to join our community leaders in doing my part to take Indy into the future. I encourage you to join OI and to find your place in giving back to our community, as well. OI did a great job of making sure new and old residents of the city have valuable contacts and perspective to bring fresh ideas to tackle these challenges. My goal is to lead by example in a city I love and take advantage of programs like Opportunity Indianapolis. I was feeling a little out of touch after having my first child and needed this program to help me realize I can still connect with my community. Thank you, Indianapolis Recorder, for the chance to make these connections and continue to increase my civic engagement.

Lesley Gordon was born and raised in Indianapolis. After attending Indiana University, Lesley and her husband planted roots in Indy and enjoy riding their bikes and eating their way around the city. Lesley is very active in her community through volunteering for various nonprofits and sitting on the Freewheelin’ Community Bikes and Indy Hub board of directors. Professionally, Lesley has spent the majority of her career in the public sector implementing public relations and marketing strategy solutions. Follow her Indy adventures on Instagram @supalesmalonegordon.

How to set goals you can achieve

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How to set goals you can achieve

By Darrell Brown

At the start of each new year, many of us plan our goals for the coming year. You remember: I will lose 20 pounds, I will start exercising four days a week, I will give up sweets, or I will plan a trip abroad. So how many people truly set these goals? And how many will follow through?

Australian author and entrepreneur Leonie Dawson says only about 20 percent of people set goals, meaning 80 percent don’t set goals at all. On her website, Dawson explains that of the 20 percent of people who set goals, only 4 percent take the time to write them down and only 1 percent write them down and regularly review them. Why should we even attempt to set goals in the first place? Because it motivates us to achieve them. Think of the glory of running that marathon, getting a promotion, making a sports team or making the final payment on our car or home. Achieving a personal goal gives us confidence that we can achieve anything we set our minds to.

Goal setting is also a powerful way to motivate yourself to do something you might not normally do. We set one-year, five-year and even lifetime goals in such areas as career, education, finances, family, health and community service, to name a few.
One way of making personal goals more achievable is to be SMART. It’s a concept developed by George T. Doran in 1981 that has had plenty of variations over the years.

SMART goals are written using the following guidelines:
S — Specific
M — Measurable
A — Attainable
R — Relevant
T — Timely

People, as well as businesses, have found SMART to be a valuable and powerful tool. A goal to lose 20 pounds is specific. Can you attain that goal? Yes, you can! Is it relevant? Certainly to you, it is. Is there a way we can measure it? Yes, if you put a number to it — such as I will lose 20 pounds in six months. Your goals will be SMART if you can measure them, track them and achieve them in a reasonable amount of time.

“To achieve a major goal, first tackle a few small ones,” wrote Art Markman in a Feb. 24, 2017, Harvard Business Review article. Markman, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, says “to achieve a large-scale goal for the first time, it is best to work your way up through more-manageable projects.” Markman recommends shortening the learning cycle by first tackling a smaller project and getting feedback at that time.

The goals that work best usually conform to personal attributes or characteristics. In their book, Organizational Behavior, Don Hellriegel and John W. Slocum explain that goals should be difficult and challenging to achieve — but not impossible to accomplish. Goals should be clear and easily understood by all involved. When we set our personal goals, we know what is expected of us. When we set goals in business, all employees should know what is expected of them.

When it comes to setting business goals, some of us will be resistant. Resistance can be overcome by providing rewards and incentives. As you increase the number of goals you set, so will you increase acceptance and accomplishments. When individuals fail to meet a goal, negative consequences usually result, but when individuals successfully meet a goal, they become more confident and successful. They perform better and take pride in the achievement of those successes. Achieving goals can yield very beneficial results for both individuals and businesses.

Today I challenge you: Set goals, write them down and work to achieve them. Be motivated through the journey. It’ll not only give you confidence, but it’ll also make you better.

Darrell Brown, Ph.D., is a clinical associate professor of management and director of diversity at Indiana University Kelley School of Business Indianapolis.

The necessity of strong mentorship

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The necessity of strong mentorship

“The future is ours to seize. But we aren’t going to seize it by contorting ourselves into the male version of what power and success look like. Instead, we’re going to do it by embracing and investing in our true female selves – and bringing those badass selves proudly, unapologetically, to work.”

I love it!

I love the evolution of women, particularly, women in the work place. It is a new world for female professionals and seemingly, for the first time, women don’t feel the need to conform to the standards that men and the greater society set for us. We are confident, we are fierce and we are determined to command respect.

The opening paragraph consists of the words of Sallie Krawcheck, author of “Own It: The Power of Women at Work.” The book addresses the pay gap between women and our male counterparts, the benefits of networking and the need for flexibility in today’s work environment.
“Own It” also discusses the importance of mentorship, a topic that never gets old.
I am a beneficiary of strong mentorships. Women like Carolene Mays-Medley and the late Yvonne Perkins poured into me, they guided me, invested in me and they believed in me. It is because of them – and select others – including male mentors, that I am who I am: a hardworking woman with character, integrity and talent.

By far, Carolene has been the greatest influencer in my professional life – largely because we spent 10 years working alongside one another. Over the years, particularly the decade that she was my superior; I was able to learn constantly. I would often tell her, she teaches me without her even knowing it. That type of mentoring relationship – where there are two willing participants – is invaluable. Because I specifically benefitted from mentors, I too, try to mentor others. As a matter of fact, a report by Jazmine Boatman, Ph.D., Linda Miller and Stephanie Neal, states that 74 percent of women mentor others because they have benefitted from their own mentorship experiences. Eighty percent of respondents said they mentor because they want to be supportive of other women.

Boatman, Miller and Neal also found that women who mentor other women within their companies have far more successful business outcomes.

There is power in mentorship and great things happen when women can join forces with other women to learn and grow. This is especially true when established women mentor younger females and when C-suite executives mentor lower level employees who typically need help with influencing others, working through challenges, negotiations, and interpersonal skills.
Studies show that mentorship is most effective when mentees are open-minded and receptive to the ideas and philosophies of mentors.

It brings me great joy to mentor others. It is my way of blessing others in ways I have been blessed. I’m extremely proud that some of the people I’ve mentored are doing great things professionally and personally. They are thriving! However, while my success rate as a mentor is fairly high, there have been a couple instances where the individuals don’t welcome the authenticity of my mentoring – they don’t like to hear the critiques, they are unwilling to put in the hard work or they simply are inpatient and immediately want whatever “it” it is that they seek. Even still, the positive experiences far outweigh the not so positive ones and I continue to be fulfilled through my service as a mentor as well as my experiences as a mentee.

Only through the teachings of the successes and mistakes of others will the next generation develop into the leaders of tomorrow. And who better to teach us, than us?

BBB warns: Choose your fun run carefully

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BBB warns: Choose your fun run carefully

FOR THE RECORDER

In recent years, the number of fun runs has exploded. Ads target everyone from advanced runners to beginners as well as people interested in supporting a cause, such as cancer awareness and veterans. These color runs, obstacle courses and mud runs promise fun and adventure and, often, a chance to help a charity. Many of them deliver, but there have also been cases of promoters simply creating an official-looking website and collecting fees for runs that never happen. The Better Business Bureau Serving Central Indiana offers the following tips when considering registering for a fun run.

Do your research. Check out the race organizer’s BBB Business Profile at bbb.org and look online for additional information before signing up. Read customer reviews from runners who have participated in previous races or events. Do a general internet search of the run coupled with the word “scam.”

Don’t be fooled by a well-designed website. Scammers can easily create an official-looking website. Look for misspellings or poor grammar, which is a sign you might be dealing with fraudsters.

Check with the local venue. Contact the park or host venue to confirm that the event is on the calendar and organizers have gotten the correct permits.

Don’t get caught up in the hype. Just because an event is being heavily promoted on social media doesn’t necessarily make it a legitimate event. Still do your research.

Pay with a credit card. Credit cards give you protection for charges disputed according to the terms of your financial institution. Debit cards generally come with shorter timelines for fighting charges and minimum fees. Never pay by wire or pre-paid money card.

Understand terms and conditions. If the website says there are no refunds, buyer beware. It’s your responsibility to read the fine print before hitting “I agree” when making a purchase or registering for a race.

Keep documentation of your order. After completing the online registration process, you should receive a confirmation receipt. Print out and keep a copy of the confirmation and any supporting documentation for future reference.

Check out the charity. While the organizers of many runs are for-profit businesses, some may advertise a charitable partner. If race organizers claim a portion of the proceeds will go to charity, ask for more details. Contact the charity to make sure there’s a connection. Research give.org to make sure your donation is going to a trustworthy charity. Be wary of sound-alike names similar to those of more established charities.

Fun Runs can indeed be fun, but in some cases have also led to headaches and disappointments. Just as it’s a good idea to train before undertaking a race, it’s also a good idea to do your research ahead of time to ensure your fun run delivers the goods.

NAACP, Airbnb partner to promote travel, offer new economic opportunities to communities of color 

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NAACP, Airbnb partner to promote travel, offer new economic opportunities to communities of color 

BALTIMORE — The NAACP, the country’s original and largest social justice organization and Airbnb, the world’s leading hospitality company, today launched a landmark partnership that will help spread the economic benefits of home sharing to more communities.

Under the new partnership, Airbnb and the NAACP will conduct targeted outreach to communities of color to help more people use their homes to earn extra income. By increasing the number of travelers to communities of color, the partnership will spread the economic benefits of tourism. The partnership also includes a unique revenue sharing model: Airbnb will share 20 percent of its earnings from this partnership with the NAACP. The NAACP and Airbnb will also collaborate on a series of projects to support Airbnb’s ongoing efforts to increase workforce diversity, as well as support Airbnb’s supplier diversity goals.

As the original social justice organization, the NAACP has been at the front lines of the fight to create economic opportunities for African-American families for 108 years. The agreement with Airbnb builds on this work by creating a 21st century partnership that makes housing more affordable and drives new economic activity to communities of color.

“For too long, Black people and other communities of color have faced barriers to access new technology and innovations,” said Derrick Johnson, interim president and CEO of the NAACP. “This groundbreaking partnership with Airbnb will help bring new jobs and economic opportunities to our communities. Airbnb’s commitment to that goal is a tremendous step in the right direction for Silicon Valley to opens its doors to African-Americans and other communities.”

“Airbnb is democratizing capitalism. Instead of a corporation controlling the supply and distributing the profits, hosts decide when they offer their space and keep 97 percent of what they charge for their listing,” said Belinda Johnson, Airbnb’s Chief Business Affairs Officer. “Our fastest-growing communities across major U.S. cities are in communities of color and we’ve seen how home sharing is an economic lifeline for families. This partnership will build on this incredible progress. The NAACP is unrivaled in its tireless work to expand economic opportunities for minority communities and we look forward to collaborating with their talented team.”

Economic Opportunity is one of the NAACP’s six “Game Changer” issues. As such, the NAACP recognizes the importance of the economy and economic issues in advancing an equal opportunity society and aims to address the challenging economic realities facing our country including poverty, lack of jobs and disproportionate high unemployment, lack of affordable housing and foreclosures. Through its Economic Department, the NAACP works to  enhance the capacity of African-Americans and other underserved groups through financial economic education; individual and community asset building initiatives; diversity and inclusion in business hiring, career advancement and procurement; and monitoring financial banking practices.

Analyses have shown that Airbnb and home sharing can provide significant economic benefits to communities that have not benefitted from tourism in the past. Up to 50 percent of guest spending occurs in the neighborhoods where guests stay and communities of color are some of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the Airbnb community. A 2016 study of the New York City host community found that the number of Airbnb guests grew 78 percent year-over-year in the 30 city zip codes with the highest percentage of black residents, compared to 50 percent city-wide. Similar studies of Airbnb host communities in Chicago’s South Side and Washington, DC’s Anacostia neighborhood found even higher rates of growth.

The Airbnb-NAACP partnership includes a series of commitments:

● Community Outreach & Education. Local NAACP chapters will work with Airbnb to launch a grassroots, community-based campaign to educate more people on the economic benefits of hosting and bringing more travelers to communities of color. The campaigns will include a series of in-person community meetings, online and offline outreach efforts, and educational campaigns on issues regarding fair and affordable housing.

● Revenue Sharing. Airbnb will share 20 percent of the earnings it receives as a result of these new community outreach efforts with the NAACP. Host earnings will not be impacted by this initiative. Additional details regarding this initiative will be announced in the weeks ahead.

● A Diverse Employee Base.  According to the most recent figures, 9.64 percent of all United States-based Airbnb employees are from underrepresented populations. Increasing diversity in its workforce is a key priority for Airbnb, which has set a goal of increasing the percentage of its employees from underrepresented populations in the U.S. to 11 percent by the end of 2017. The NAACP will provide support and guidance as Airbnb works toward this goal.

● Supplier Diversity. The NAACP will serve as a formal adviser to Airbnb’s Supplier Diversity Program to better connect Airbnb with diverse businesses who can help meet the growing company’s needs. Airbnb has set a goal that 10 percent of its total procurement spend goes to suppliers owned by underrepresented communities, women, veterans, members of the LGBTQ community, and businesses in Historically Underutilized Business Zones by the end of 2019.

Airbnb’s mission is to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere and the company has worked to leverage its platform for good around the world. In the last year, Airbnb has set a goal of providing temporary housing for 100,000 displaced people, forged partnerships to provide economic opportunities for women in India and is creating new ways to recognize and promote hosts who commit to pay their house cleaners a living wage of $15 per hour or more.

Airbnb has also worked to implement a series of steps to help fight discrimination, promote inclusion and diversify its community and employee base including, but not limited to:

● Everyone who uses Airbnb must agree to the Community Commitment, a pledge to treat everyone in the community with respect and without judgment or bias, regardless of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or age.

● Airbnb has surpassed our goal of making 1 million listings available via Instant Book. Today, Airbnb has 1.4 million Instant Book listings available, and 60 percent of all reservations are now booked instantly. Instant Book lets hosts offer their homes for immediate booking without requiring prior approval of a specific guest.

● Under Airbnb’s Open Doors policy announced last fall, if a guest is unable to book a listing and feels that it’s due to discrimination, a specially trained team of Airbnb employees, available 24/7, will ensure that the guest finds a place to stay.

● Anyone who violates Airbnb’s policies may be immediately and permanently banned from using Airbnb.

● Last fall, Airbnb also engaged a preeminent US expert to help develop trainings for hosts that will help reduce unconscious bias. After launching the training and promoting it to US hosts, Airbnb continues to make it available online.

● Nearly 100 percent of Airbnb employees have completed anti-bias training, and Airbnb has created a permanent team of engineers, data scientists, researchers and designers whose sole purpose is to advance belonging and inclusion, and to root out bias.

Indiana Minority Business Magazine to honor women business leaders

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Indiana Minority Business Magazine to honor women business leaders

The Indiana Minority Business Magazine will honor 12 women who have excelled as business professionals and community leaders during the 2017 Summer Golden Laurel Professional Reception: Women Excelling in Business.

The recipients of the Golden Laurel distinction will be awarded on Thursday, July 27th at the Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council office, located at 2126 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis, IN 46202. A networking reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., and the awards presentation will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m.

This event is presented in partnership with the Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council and sponsored by IndyGo – Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation.

“The feminist movement of the 1960’s led women to the workforce en masse, presenting women with agency and access outside of their homes. Since then, women have not stopped fighting for equal representation in their respective fields,” said IMBM President Shannon Williams. “As a woman in leadership I have experienced firsthand the struggles that women are subjected to compared to our male colleagues. In spite of disparate treatment and insurmountable odds, we rise and uplift each other along the way. I find that it is my both my honor and responsibility to congratulate these 12 extraordinary women who represent exactly what women are capable of during this seasons Golden Laurel Professional Reception honoring women excelling in business.”

Below are the 2017 Summer Golden Laurel award recipients:

Kim Borges – Vice President, Area Marketing Manager, Regions Bank
Joan Carter – Owner, The Jewelry Lady
Tamika Catchings – Founder, Catch the Stars Foundation and Owner, Tea’s Me Cafe
Sonia Chen-Arnold – Counsel-Litigation and Legal Compliance, Eli Lilly and Company
Susan Decker – CEO, Susan Decker Media
Deb Hallberg – Business Development Manager, Barnes & Thornburg LLC
Tavonna Harris Askew – Chief of Staff and General Counsel, Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County
Denise Herd – President, Herd Strategies
Deborah Hearn-Smith – CEO, Girl Scouts of Central Indiana
Jackie Morales – Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs, Morales Group
Deborah Oatts – Owner, Nubian Construction Group
Angela Smith-Jones – Deputy Mayor of Economic Development, City of Indianapolis

Admission to the Golden Laurel Professional Reception is free of charge, but RSVPs are strongly encouraged. Visit goldenlaurelwib.eventbrite.com to register.

On the Cover: Third Quarter 2017

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On the Cover: Third Quarter 2017

She is a newly retired superstar athlete, an Olympian and now a sports executive and entrepreneur.

Beyond the athletic accolades, one of Tamika Catchings’ most impactful accomplishments is in her work as a humanitarian and philanthropist.
Recently, Catchings awarded a group of young Hoosier scholar-athletes with scholarship funds for college. In her new business venture, Tea’s Me Cafe’in Indianapolis, she plans to help young teens learn the ins and outs of running a successful business of their own.

In our cover story, Tamika Catchings takes us into her world post-basketball and gives readers a glimpse into where she draws inspiration and what makes her successful.

Young African Entrepreneurs Star in Latest Forbes Africa

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Young African Entrepreneurs Star in Latest Forbes Africa

TriceEdneyWire.com/GIN

The much anticipated “30 Under 30” African edition of Forbes Magazine featuring the latest cohort of young African entrepreneurs building an African business is slated to hit the stands this month in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya.

Ancillar Mangena, the Forbes Africa journalist who leads the “30 Under 30” project discussed the issue with Antoinette Isama of OkayAfrica.com who asked her why it’s important to celebrate young ambitious Africans.

“June is South Africa’s Youth Month when we remember the youth of 1976 and their role in democracy,” she began. “One could argue that while the youth of ’76 fought for political freedom, these under 30s are fighting for financial freedom. As we like to call them, they are the billionaires of tomorrow.”

To the question: “Why do you think this list is important to the continent and the diaspora?” Ms. Mangena replied: “Many a time we hear of Africa’s struggle, poverty, unemployment, crime and disease, but this list shows how much Africa continues to evolve.”

“They are not waiting or asking for handouts. These 30 superstars are not waiting for anyone to offer them a job, they are creating the jobs and building global brands. The people featured are in diverse industries from manufacturing, import and export, fashion, beauty, agriculture, tech and many more.”

Unlike last year’s list, she observed, “this year we have more women breaking barriers.”

“I call the under 30s my babies,” Ms. Mangena confessed. “That’s how personal the process is. I have spent months studying them, looking into their lives and business. We have been communicating back and forth and I have a lot of faith in their potential.

“Like a mother, I will always offer support where I can so that they can one day be on the cover of Forbes Africa magazine—meaning they will be worth more than $200 million. These are the bright shining stars in Africa. You may not know their names now but you will be forced to in a few years.

In the new class of Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30, 10 are from South Africa, 4 are from Nigeria, and two are from Kenya, with a single representative from Tanzania, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, to name a few.

GLOBAL INFORMATION NETWORK creates and distributes news and feature articles on current affairs in Africa to media outlets, scholars, students and activists in the U.S. and Canada. Our goal is to introduce important new voices on topics relevant to Americans, to increase the perspectives available to readers in North America and to bring into their view information about global issues that are overlooked or under-reported by mainstream media.

Indiana Black Expo to host business conference

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Indiana Black Expo to host business conference

News Release 

The 2017 Indiana Black Expo Business Conference presented by KeyBank is an exciting, jam-packed 2-day conference of workshops, symposiums, receptions and networking opportunities held during the first week of IBE’s Summer Celebration. The goal of the Indiana Black Expo Business Conference is to provide a venue to empower diverse business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals with information and resources that will assist them in achieving financial and professional success.

Workshop presenters and expert panelists will share business opportunities within Central Indiana, universities and college, and state and federal agencies. Business owners and financial representatives will provide strategies on growing your business through leveraging relationships and obtaining financial resources. For executives, presenters will share effective strategies for career advancement by “Bringing your “A” Game”.

Over the years, the conference has blossomed into one of the premier events of Summer Celebration and offers a wealth of information and opportunity for Indiana’s existing and aspiring business communities. The conference offers something for everyone.

All business conference events are free; however, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis so on-line registration is highly recommended.

Click here to register

 

dfree® Live Midwest conference attracts more than 500 people

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dfree® Live Midwest conference attracts more than 500 people

More than 500 people attended the second dfree® Financial Freedom Movement regional conference. Held in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 2 & 3, 2017, at Eastern Star Church, and co-hosted by Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, the conference featured an opening concert with Fred Hammond, and a series of stimulating workshops and sessions that challenged participants to take existing dfree® tools and strategies to the next level of their personal financial freedom and wellness.

 

“Indianapolis is well positioned to lead Black America in the dfree® movement,” says dfree® founder DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.. The city has a rich legacy of black economic enterprise; its residents have a strong sensibility for black economic progress. We have six churches of various size practicing the principles of dfree® in Indianapolis, and we are expecting this number to grow exponentially.”

 

“There are some things we can do apart, but there are some things we have to do together,” said Pastor Darryl Webster of Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church during Friday night’s opening remarks. “We came together here in Indianapolis to help people achieve financial freedom.”

 

“People across the nation are benefiting from the dfree® belief that if we manage our lives well then we will use money strategically to reach our life goals,” said dfree® Founder DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. “We’re not teaching money management. This is a journey. It is a process and it begins by the way we think about ourselves, the way we think about our money and the way we plan for our future.”

As demonstrated by the opening concert with Fred Hammond, the journey also begins – strategically – with praise and worship. “We don’t believe we can accomplish anything without worship. Worship is a spiritual requirement,” said Soaries.

 

“Economic empowerment changed my life,” said Hammond, who encouraged people to stop relying upon credit and to teach their kids about managing money when they are young.”

 

dfree® LIVE Midwest featured internationally renowned speakers including New York Times Bestselling Author, Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, life coach and founder of Girlfriends Pray, Dee Marshall; co-founder of Miss Jessie’s Miko Branch and more. Prudential, the presenting sponsor of the conference, also hosted workshops.

 

dfree® recently held training sessions for churches and organizations in Detroit and Milwaukee, while upcoming dfree® conferences are being planned for Atlanta and New Jersey. “I am focusing the rest of my life on financial freedom,” says Dr. Soaries. “We know how to do a lot of things…we know how to protest, we know how to advance politically, we know how to build churches. We have mastered the art of many things – but we have not mastered the art and ability to convince our people to own, save, invest, and stop paying predatory fees. We want to be as strategic and passionate about our financial freedom as we are about our human rights and our civil rights.”  Go to www.mydfree.org for more information.

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