While on the panel, Ian also stated that our children will mimic what you do and not what you say. That’s why it’s imperative to not only talk with your children about money but be transparent so that they don’t make the same mistakes. And for the college graduate from the hood, it’s okay to reinvest back into your community, just do it wisely. He advises young adults to make the community investment a group effort, so that the impact can go a lot further. Dunlap stated, “One of the reasons they don’t want to come back is safety. But, if there are 15-20, you then can build an environment where things are a lot safer.” Before exiting the stage, Ian asked the crowd to stand and recite with conviction, “I deserve to be rich! I deserve to be happy! I deserve to be wealthy! I deserve to be free!”
After the panel conversation with Natale and Dunlap, Alice Rodriguez came on stage to moderate the next panel discussion. Alice is the Head of Community Impact and Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase & Co. She was joined by entertainment executive and celebrity financial expert, Dr. Lynn Richardson and hip-hop legend, TV producer, DJ, and philanthropist, MC Lyte. Although MC Lyte dropped her first album at the age of 16, she stated the facade about the music industry is the idea that there is always money to be made later. She recalled people telling her it was okay to be frivolous because there is always another album or tour to make money from, but that’s not always the case. Dr. Lynn Richardson told an all too familiar story of growing up poor, getting a great education in order to attain a well paying job, but still found herself in financial distress. Richardson made the crowd chuckle saying,”You know how some people work check to check? Well I was living check to Monday!” Both panelists expressed their gratitude for JPMorgan Chase to create multiple avenues for Black and Hispanic people to attain financial freedom.
Following Dr. Richardson & MC Lyte’s panel discussion, guests had the option to meet with Chase bankers and participate in breakout sessions to discuss their own financial health goals. The final panel conversation moderated by Racquel Oden, Managing Director and Head of Consumer Bank Network Expansion for JPMorgan. This panel discussion featured Daymond John who is the founder and CEO of FUBU, Star of ABC & Shark Tank, and CEO of the Shark Group. And he was joined by the CEO of SO’B Productions, journalist, producer and philanthropist, Soledad O’Brien. Prior to the summit in Dallas, she chatted with DW’s Publisher, Patrick Washington, and emphasized the importance of creating generational wealth, which should start in the home. O’Brien states, “There are so many important conversations around financial freedom, entrepreneurship, wealth and legacy building, many of which I cover on my radio show Everyday Wealth, but too often Black and Hispanic audiences are left out. I am honored to join JPMorgan Chase in centering communities of color around creating generational wealth.”
JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black & Hispanic Wealth Summit was organized by both Advancing Black Pathways and Advancing Hispanics & Latinos. The Advancing Black Wealth tour kicked off in Los Angeles and will also make stops in New Orleans and Philadelphia in 2022. The tour will host prominent Black business leaders and entrepreneurs who will engage with attendees through panel discussions and interactive workshops.
A version of this story originally appeared in Dallas Weekly.