NOVA LABS

I've been a Hip Hop educator for more than 15 years with a current focus on the social/emotional aspects of personal finance with students (kindergarten to infinity), families, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Together we discover learning styles, money personalities, and define what is valuable to us. We get frank about predatory systems and the racial wealth divide. We often end up making art & money because those are the only forms of free speech available. PC has students across the country and my creative collaborations span the globe.

What is one piece of financial advice that you wish you knew earlier?

Figure out what enough means for you, and make sure you get there before you find that for others. It will make things easier for you and then.

What is one piece of financial advice that you would give to someone else?

Where you spend your money is a representation of what you value. What matters to you? What really matters to you? Focus time, money, and energy on that and you won't go unfulfilled.

At Pockets Change, we use Hip Hop pedagogy to help students understand their relationship with money.

http://www.PocketsChange.com

http://www.museumofdeadwords.com

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You can’t talk about money without talking about race. We dove deep in the last 5+ years into both the personal finance space and the racial wealth divide research to create a financial planning & coaching practice done through a racial wealth equity lens. The financial services industry is a murky place, purposely designed to obfuscate and misdirect. The industry perpetuates an entire economic system that ignores or takes advantage of marginalized communities. Our mission is to be the catalyst for a power shift and give POC a voice and space in the financial system to thrive.

What is one piece of financial advice that you wish you knew earlier?

You don't have to buy everything on sale! I was taught that you should only buy something if you're getting a deal or it was on sale. One day, I looked around my apartment and realized everything I owned was on sale, but I actually didn't like or want any of it.

What is one piece of financial advice that you would give to someone else?

The best piece of financial advice I ever received is where you spend your money is a representation of what you value. We're taught to spend money and also feel bad about spending money. When you take the time to figure out what matters to you and what you value, you can actually feel GOOD about your money.

Brunch & Budget is a financial planning practice, podcast, and workshop company where we take all the ingredients of your financial life and create your recipe for wealth.

http://www.brunchandbudget.com

http://www.pocketschange.com

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My interest in personal finance started when I was $20,000 in credit card debt at the age of 23. I read one book about money and never stopped learning. I transitioned out of being a classroom teacher and began creating content about saving, budgeting, banking, credit, and investing. Then, I joined Next Gen Personal Finance as the Director of Educational Outreach to work towards the mission of ensuring that public high schools in all 50 states guarantee access to a personal finance semester course for all students!

What is one piece of financial advice that you wish you knew earlier?

I wish I was told that if I had credit cards with no annuals fee, and I paid my credit card bills in full and on time every month, then I would be able to use them for free with no interest fees.

What is one piece of financial advice that you would give to someone else?

Investing is like a race. The people who start the earliest are the ones who get a huge advantage! Start early and invest often, even if it is simply via index funds and exchange traded funds. Just keep buying!

I create educational content about personal finance and train teachers so that they have the confidence and competence to teach this in high schools.

https://www.youtube.com/missbehelpful

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