by Shannon Woodward

All I really wanna see is the MONEY….I don’t really need the….I need the MONEY  (hope you read that in your “Cardi B pop bottles in the club” voice, because I did as I typed it).

With June being National Homeownership Month, I want to take some time to reflect on lessons learned from the Level Up: Financial Series. This series consisted of a once a week financial session hosted by the Urban League of Greater Atlanta Young Professionals and the Piedmont Group of Atlanta, LLC during March and April.

The 5 sessions were:

• Personal Finance Basics 
• Managing Debt and Credit
• Investing
• Black Wealth Roundtable
• Retirement Planning 

So to give you a little background about me, I am not exactly new to all things finances. I mainly signed up expecting a refresher, but what I received was actually something pretty life-changing. Compared to my other independently led attempts in financial literacy, this series differed in offering a tailored approach to help myself and about 20 other YPers reach our financial goals. Each speaker of the series began with asking each of us what we wanted to know and ended with a homework assignment. Whether it was pulling your credit report, finding the “holes” in your budget, or actually taking the time to figure out your employer’s retirement plan, there was consistently something to do that actually made me feel as though for the first time in a long time I had more control over my finances than I realized.

The great part is this revelation wasn’t individual to just me. One YPer shared with me that he discovered a fraudulent credit card from pulling his credit report. Another YPer mentioned the impact of gaining a greater understanding of investment options. So basically, it was Homer Simpson level thought bubbles going off everywhere….also if you are too young to understand that reference or you’re like me and miss the good old days, here’s a few pics for memory lane….

The biggest impact of the series to me is being taught about finances by someone who looks like me. I will be frank in saying that is and has been a significant gap in my life. For myself and many YPers, I’m not being dramatic in stating we are our ancestors wildest dreams. Many of us have higher degree levels, professional connections and career opportunities that were mainly out of reach for our closest friends and family members. Some of us are first generation college graduates and the epitome of “I Made Mama Proud.” Personally, being black excellence came before I had the mentality to catch up to it. I got my first big girl paycheck without someone to tell me what to do with it and I got the shoe game to prove it.

Money is such a driver in our lives. Oftentimes finances are at the crux of our most critical decisions-where we live, where we work, who we meet is often very much a determinant of the old mighty dollar. I am happy to say, post the Level Up series, I feel a bit better about making my next move my best move. 

Not to mention I now have plenty of YPer friends to get on this penny pinch lifestyle with me. You’ll know when you see us out at the bar …drinking water with lemon staying hydrated and debt-free.

Thank you to Shavon Roman, Megan Harris, Tia Collier, Rhonda Potter and again the Piedmont Group of Atlanta, LLC for your partnership of this much needed event. I can’t wait until the next financial series!!

Blessings until next time.