Two words: Black. Excellence. They perfectly describe the energy at the UIC Forum this past weekend at the Building Wealth Today for Tomorrow Summit (BWTT), hosted by City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin. The summit featured youth programs and guest speakers including Larenz Tate, Mathew Knowles, and Keke Palmer, all of whom spoke about the importance of financial literacy and generational wealth.

This is especially important in the Black community. The day started with words from Tate, a West Side Chicago native, who discussed group economics and community building. “This is amazing for us to come together,” Tate stated during his opening remarks. “There is a culture of not trusting each other in our community, and we have to learn to dismantle that.” The Tate Brothers keep everything in the family, which we can all learn from.

The summit continued as Beyoncé’s dad Mathew Knowles spoke about the DNA of achievers. Entrepreneurship, work ethic, and strong mindsets clearly run in the family. “We’re taught to think about why we can’t do something, and not why we can,” he explained. As he spoke, Knowles led an exercise that encouraged participants to break out of their mental environments. “Believe it or not, we still hear that noise subconsciously in our heads… It’s up to us to step outside the box.”

Finally, the summit ended with the long-awaited guest: Keke Palmer. How a small-town girl from Robbins used her talents and gifts to make a name for herself is a true testament to faith and determination. “I filed for bankruptcy at 18,” Palmer, who was recently named Chief Brand Officer for Creme of Nature, explained to an eager crowd who hung onto the ends of her every word. “Money management is important — living below your means is how you stay affluent.” She was echoed the entire time by the City Treasurer while disclosing financial advice about investing, entrepreneurship, humble beginnings, and hard work.