Running a conference regardless of its size is hard. Changing an in-person event to an online conference due to a pandemic is even harder. But, when you’re a conference serving Black and Brown personal finance influencers staying focused on attendees well-being is a non-negotiable. From August 13-August 15, 2020 I attended the second ever Elevate Influencer Conference with over 4,300 other attendees. It is a personal finance gathering for POC influencers and their allies. It is, in my view, the Platinum Standard, of what an online conference should be and in this episode I will share my experience, why this space was so important, and some important lessons learned from this event.
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Show Notes
- I belong to several different personal finance communities and I’ve noticed something about those communities and the need for them. People have different experiences with money and those experiences may be a result of one or more of the following race, gender, place, religion, access, and knowledge. In my Women’s F.I.R.E. group the questions that women are asking are very relatable: I’m a stay at home mom and I’m looking to contribute financially. Or, my husband takes care of all of the finances and I’m not sure what’s going on. Or, I make more than my spouse and they are a financial disaster. But, the groups that are POC focused have additional questions and concerns that come up. Things like:
- I’m the first person in my family to attend college and I have no guidance on the financial aspects of the process.
- I took out a lot of student loans in order to afford my education.
- How do I factor in the $1,000 a month that I would like to send to my parents?
- I’m financially responsible for one or more person in my extended family
- Real talk, these conversations were being had all the time by influences but weren’t necessarily being addressed in financial events.
- In fact, these conversations and the consistent lack of content in event programming addressing these unique communities’ financial conversations became one of the reasons why events such as the events below were created. Also, there weren’t spaces focused on supporting and elevating influencers who would normally not make it onto the stage of different events.
- Statement
- Lola Retreat
- Money on the Mountain-the event I host
- Elevate Influencer
- Cents Positive
- Real talk-there’s more than enough space for these events. That’s where Elevate Influencer comes in. I can’t say it strongly enough, Sandy Smith and her team created what I can only describe as a transformative experience. This is incredibly difficult to do when you’re hosting a digital event. Sandy showed what was possible digitally and I could only imagine attending in person because I know the food would be good.
- Elevate Influencers had speakers such as
- Richard Rothstein author of The Color of Law and screened his short movie called Segregated by Design which I will share in the show notes so that you can watch it. Just scroll towards the bottom of the show notes to watch the movie.
- Shawn Rochester author of The Black Tax shared the unspoken expenses that African-Americans pay as a result of their color.
- The incomparable Patrice C. Washington uplifted us with her keynote and attendees joked that she took us to church and needed to pass the collection plate.
- What I loved about Elevate Influencer was the following
- Having uplifting spaces for POC personal finance influencers especially as we go into a season when a disproportionate number of POC, especially Black Women, will be harmed by the policies of the current administration and the Pandemic. This means influencers are needed even more than before.
- The conversations that we had via the conference app. I would love for the virtual doors of the app to open even earlier next time so that we can hang out longer with other attendees.
- The content was literally some of the best content I’ve ever received at an event.
- Seeing people who look like what my world looks like now headlining this type of event. There were Black, Hispanic, White, and Asian speakers and it was glorious.
- The incredible amount of impact that the content left me with after each session.
- How the attendees responded to the content.
- The emphasis on how we as personal finance influencers can uplift one another in this space. We’re not competitors we’re colleagues and collaborators.
- In this moment now here are some numbers to consider.
- 55 million people filed for unemployment since March 2020.
- 40% of the jobs lost due to the pandemic will not return
- The pandemic accelerated an ongoing trend towards automation
- The $600 additional unemployment benefit has expired
- 1.8 million jobs were allegedly added to the US economy but many of them were the jobs that people were previously working or part-time gigs
- 40% of US renters may be at risk of eviction sometime this year
- These are hard numbers to share but they are a wake up call for those of you who are being called to serve in whatever way you imagine it in the personal finance space. People are hurting and they need your guidance and support.
- What I was left with after attending was a reaffirmation that I was on the right path with my mission. That there is more than enough space for everyone to serve and that there is no need to worry that there are a number of people who look like me in the personal finance space. My unique story, platform, and community will resonate with whomever it needs to and I can be of service to them.
Should You Attend?
My answer is 1,000% yes! If you’re a POC personal finance influencer or ally serving communities of color or would like to better understand financial issues as they relate to people of color in the United States-this is a non-negotiable must attend event. Want to support Elevate Influencer? Go to the following websitefor more information.
Segregated By Design
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