Open Road Fund is hosting a Black Wealth Community Education Series from January to May 2024, covering financial wellbeing, housing, health and healing, and more. Financial Wellbeing: Exploring the Impact of Trauma and Triumphs behind Money Habits took place on Thursday, January 11th. The recording, study guide, and evaluation form are all located below.
Katherine Lankford of Finance and Affirmations hosted this panel featuring Kenya McKnight Ahad from Black Womens Wealth Alliance and David McGee from Build Wealth MN.
Guiding Questions
The guiding questions can be used to reflect and set goals around your own individual/family financial goals. The questions are meant to serve as a guide and to help you begin identifying emotions and beliefs around money, and to begin unpacking the traumas that may affect your financial well being. We understand and acknowledge that not everyone share the same experiences when it comes to finances and not everyone experiences trauma as it is related to money. These questions can still be helpful to help identify where money beliefs start and how we pass them down generationally.
As Kenya McKnight-Ahad mentioned in the session, “money is a tool to building wealth. It is not the full scope of how we measure wealth.” We also want to emphasize that there are oppressive systems that were created and some that still exist today that hinders Black folks from building wealth and obtaining financial freedom. As you reflect on these questions, please be aware of how certain feelings and emotions may show up in your body and allow yourself grace to feel them when doing so.
Lastly, we ask that you begin having these conversations with your children, family, and community in a way that feels comfortable and safe for you.
- What was the atmosphere surrounding money in your family?
- What were the specific financial struggles and/or success in your family?
- How did your family discuss or avoid discussions around money?
- Where did that belief come from?
- Where do I want to see myself financially in the next six months, one year, and five years from now?