There are many inspiring leaders in the Black community and on social media who have made talking about and learning about finances seem more digestible. It is always a great time to highlight African Americans in finance, specifically Black women in finance. Here is a small yet mighty list of some influential leaders in finance, all of whom we should know about and take time to recognize.
Dasha Kennedy
Dasha Kennedy is a financial activist and community leader. Her award-winning group, The Broke Black Girl, provides women with culturally competent and relevant financial literacy resources.
She has helped over 70,000 Black women combat the racial and gender wealth gap. Dasha specializes in nontraditional money management methods.
You can get fiancial advice from Dasha via her blog and an extensive catalogue of ebooks.
Reverend Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.
Dr. Soaries is the first African-American male to serve as the New Jersey Secretary of State. In addition to this major accomplishment, he also served as the former chairman of the United States Election Assistance Commission.
In the world of finance, Dr. Soaries has also achieved greatness. He launched the dfree® Financial Freedom Movement in 2005. This strategy, which was featured on CNN, teaches people the first steps toward financial freedom and helps them become debt-free. Dr. Soaries currently serves as an independent director at three companies: Independence Realty Trust, the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, and Ocwen Financial Corporation.
Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche
Tiffany Aliche is the founder of The Budgetnista, which has helped over one million women transform the way they think about their finances. She is also the author of the New York Times best seller, “Get Good with Money.”
She is also the first Black woman to have a solo cover of Money Magazine and a NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Social Media Personality. Tiffany has been featured on shows like Good Morning America and the TODAY Show. She is also a financial expert on The Real, a popular daytime talk show.
Bola Sokunbi
Bola Sokunbi is a certified financial education instructor, money expert, CEO, and best-selling author. She is also the founder of Clever Girl Finance, which is one of the largest personal finance platforms for women in the United States.
Bola’s aim is to provide women with the right products, services, and financial guidance. Clever Girl Finance has been featured on CNBC and Good Morning America, as well as in Glamour and Fortune Magazine. She is also the recipient of the 2021 Financial Education Instructor of the Year (FEIY) Award from the National Council of Financial Educators. Bola says her main goal is “to help women become accountable, ditch debt, save money, and build real wealth.”
Michelle Singletary
Michelle Singletary is an award-winning columnist and financial expert. She regularly discusses personal finance solutions as well as financial current events. Michelle is the author of The Color of Money, a financial column that appears in The Washington Post and numerous other newspapers.
She is also the author of three books, titled The 21 Day Financial Fast: Your Path to Financial Peace and Free, Spend Well, Live Rich: How to Live Well With the Money You Have, and Your Money and Your Man: How You and Prince Charming Can Spend Well and Live Rich.
Michelle has also provided personal financial advice on numerous television networks, including NBC, ABC and CBS. In 2020, The Washington Post awarded Michelle with the Eugene Meyer Award, its highest journalistic honor.
Talaat and Tai McNeely
Featured in Forbes and Business Insider,Talaat and Tai McNeely are money and marriage experts. This power couple has a podcast called His and Her Money where they help couples navigate their finances and their relationship. They use their personal experience, like paying off their $330,000 mortgage in 5 years, to help their audience have happier and richer lives.
Gain Access to Black Financial Gurus
The internet has allowed us to gain access to a lot of Black financial gurus. Some took the more traditional route of teaching about finance through books and conferences, while some have adapted with the times using things like podcasts and social media.
Whatever your preference, there is a method that works for you to gain financial literacy and freedom from some inspiring Black financial leaders. If you are looking to get educated about finance or more specifically on black finance, start by following some of these financial leaders.
One of the core messages from all of these financial leaders is community. Make this year the year you dive deep into getting on top of your finances and spreading what you have learned to the people around you and learning from them.
FAQs
Who was the first African American to own a bank?
Jesse Binga was the first African American to own a bank in the early 1900s. He opened his bank in Chicago, IL.
What is the oldest black-owned bank?
Capital Savings Bank is the first Black-owned bank. It was founded in 1888 in Washington, D.C.
