WS Chronicle

By Busta Brown 

For The Chronicle 

This past Saturday, God used me to make waves far beyond my radio show! My youth organizations, New Cool Movement and Next Level of the Triad, hosted our first Youth and Adult Financial Literacy Camp, sponsored by Lincoln Financial Group and Truliant Federal Credit Union. The camp created an unforgettable atmosphere, where teenagers were locked in on learning how to make, keep and grow their money. Many said lessons would stay with them for a lifetime. 

From the moment young people and their parents walked into the camp, the energy was electric. Excitement, curiosity, and a spirit of possibility filled the air. It was clear to me and all of the speakers that this was more than just a workshop; it was the beginning of a life-changing journey for the youth and their parents.  

Watching the excitement of all the young people was absolutely priceless. My heart was filled with praise and gratitude. All I could do was say, thank you God for using me. I’m already looking forward to next year, our 2nd annual Youth and Adult Financial Literacy Camp. 

The event featured panels and interactive activities that gave youth and their parents real-world financial skills, from budgeting and saving to managing scholarships, careers and credit. But what made the camp truly special was the connection between the youth, volunteers and speakers who created an atmosphere of openness and inspiration. It was a wonderful sight to see. 

Honestly, the best way to show how amazing the camp was is to let you hear it directly from the speakers and the young people who experienced it.  

Kemontra Richmond, who is an audit analyst with Lincoln Financial, captured the moment perfectly. “Saturday’s event was awesome. The atmosphere allowed not only the students but also the volunteers and speakers to be very open and transparent. It was great to see the kids so engaged from start to finish. I enjoyed participating in the career panel. I hope the kids took home some inspiration from any part of the event.” 

Operations manager with Lincoln Financial, Demetrius Noble tapped into highlighting the camp’s power to ignite the imagination. “The magic of the event is its commitment to having the youth imagine themselves in the future as college students and professionals. This kind of collective forecasting allows kids to not only see themselves in the future but also learn how to navigate it productively and successfully.” 

New Cool Movement member Ezekiel Roberts shared, “The event taught me the importance of money in your life, how it can help, and where to get started, even if you start with just one dollar or twenty!” Another member, Thamera Vanel, said, “The presentation that captured my attention the most was Ja’Net Adams’s. What impacted me most was when she told us it’s not just about who you know, but who knows you.” 

Financial strategist, author, and speaker Ja’Net Adams left a lasting impression on the youth. “The students were highly intelligent and engaged,” Adams shared. “Having young people and their parents learning financial literacy at the same time ensures a team effort toward financial freedom.”  

Adams taught the youth and parents the steps she used to pay off $50,000 of debt in just two years. She also shared how she hasn’t used a credit card since 2005 and still managed to buy and pay off three vehicles, own a beautiful home, and travel the world, all by using only her debit card. As she spoke, everyone in the room, even the other speakers, was in awe.  

Another moment that grabbed the young people’s attention was when Adams showed pictures of her children with NBA legends LeBron James and Winston-Salem native Chris Paul. Her son, Jonathan Adams Jr., plays for Paul’s CP3 AAU basketball team, and her daughter, Jocelyn Adams, is a rising tennis star. 

The pictures of Chris Paul and LeBron James got the youth even more engaged. Some of them lit up with questions, asking how they could one day own a team, especially after learning that the owners make even more money than the players. Their curiosity didn’t stop there. With excitement in their voices, a few asked, “What about the lawyers and agents for the players? How much money do they make? They were on fire! You could see the hunger in their eyes, they were thirsty to learn more and more about how to make, keep and grow their money, and how to step into entrepreneurship at their age.  

Truliant Federal Credit Union’s Community Engagement Coordinator Charmiya Elliott, fueled their excitement even more, sharing tips on how to become young entrepreneurs. She also walked them through the important steps of being responsible with credit and budgeting, lessons that could set them up for success for years to come. “Seeing so many young people showing interest in their financial future was inspiring. They were so inquisitive, even asking questions about credit during our budgeting session. There was such a huge, engaged group. It was great to be part of it,” shared Elliott. 

Every smile, every question, and every breakthrough moment confirmed the event’s impact. With so much negative press surrounding our youth, I made sure this camp was about more than just teaching kids how to manage money; it was about planting seeds of confidence, vision and hope for a future full of opportunities.  

“I loved how the speakers, especially Ja’net Adam’s interacted with the audience and kept us interacted, said an excited Jaydah Wom, who is also a member of New Cool Movement. “I also loved the Day in the Life session. We used the papers to do some hands-on work since it really connected with everyone, since everybody learns differently. We learned what our parents deal with daily. How to make important decisions when it comes to paying bills or spending money on unnecessary things like clothes, sneakers and videos games. It was very informative and important to learn as a teenager about starting early college.”   

A big shout out to Evainna Ross for bringing her youth organization, Black Tie Initiative. They were locked in as well. This is the third of many events I’ll be hosting with youth and parents. And every time, I see that same fire light up in our young people, just like it did in me years ago. In that moment, they believe again. They dream again. They leave inspired, empowered and feeling like every dream is possible.  

But then they go back home. Back to communities where hope is hard to find. And little by little, the confidence we built together starts to fade. That light we sparked begins to dim. I was that kid. That’s why my work can’t stop when the event ends. We have to keep showing up. Next Level of the Triad and New Cool Movement have to keep speaking life into them, in their homes, in their schools, in their communities, and most of all, in their hearts. Because no matter what it looks like around them, every young person needs to know their dreams are still possible. This was only the beginning. The journey toward building financially free, empowered young leaders has officially begun, and after witnessing the engagement and interaction between those awesome young people, the future is already looking brighter. I know for sure it’s in great hands.  

If you have a youth organization, we would love to partner with you. Email me at bustabrown63@gmailcom. Together we’re Triad Strong! 

My Phenomenal Event of the Week is New Cool Movement and Next Level of the Triad inaugural Youth and Adult Financial Literacy Camp.