Dreams to Reality

A Taste of Stability began as a thought in 2017. In 2019 and 2022, A Taste of Stability was run in two different after school programs (The Boys and Girls Club of Columbia, and Kidz INK) with ages ranging from elementary-high school. Elementary level students learned the basics of counting money, the difference between wants and needs, income vs expenses, and budgeting. Middle-Highschoolers learned about banking, entrepreneurship, investing, budgeting, and more. The goal is to instill financial knowledge into youth that will teach them how to make and manage money while investing into their own dreams and utilizing their time wisely to enjoy financial freedom.  

 

As a young minority girl growing up in a poverty community, many challenges were endured. Witnessing and being a part of the struggle, you see many families living paycheck to paycheck while not being able to afford basic necessities. Minority youth are not taught on how to “reverse the curse” of being caught in a financial trap. Youth are taught to work for other people rather than the awareness of endless opportunities one can create. 

 

Financial literacy is hardly taught in schools if taught at all, especially in minority communities. Therefore, young students are more likely to fall victim to the same traps that their parents stumbled upon. The lack of financial literacy and job opportunities cause many families to fall in a financial hole due to quick loans, credit cards, and having to find ways to survive. 

 

As someone who has been in the forefront of having family live paycheck to paycheck and others living comfortably, I realized that I wanted to become part of the solution for future generations. Between attending the University of Missouri-Columbia and working hard to receive a Bachelor’s degree in Personal Financial Planning, Financial Counseling, I have learned many skills, knowledge, and information about financial literacy. I too have done research and I continue to educate myself every day so that I can help the youth as they are the future of this world. The more students that can learn financial literacy and have an opportunity at exploring different career and life paths, the greater the chance they will be able to live and enjoy life rather than fight to survive. 

 

Though it is an endless journey and I continue to learn as things will continue to change, the basics will always remain.