The Office of the City Treasurer has announced that Common, a Grammy, Emmy, and Oscar-winning artist and Chicago native, will headline the fifth anniversary of the Building Wealth Today for Tomorrow (BWTT) Financial Empowerment Summit. The event marks five years of efforts to promote Black wealth, entrepreneurship, and community development in Chicago.
BWTT is recognized as the largest free financial empowerment program in the city. Since its inception, it has gathered thousands of residents, entrepreneurs, experts, and leaders to provide workshops and resources on topics such as small business growth, homeownership, credit building, and financial confidence. The summit aims to connect cultural influence with practical tools for building generational wealth.
Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin emphasized Common's significance at this milestone event. “Common is more than a global icon—he is a hometown leader who embodies the power of using your platform to shift culture and build community,” said Conyears-Ervin. “His presence at BWTT Year 5 signals to the nation that Chicago is at the forefront of financial empowerment, making wealth-building tools accessible to every resident, from our youth to our seniors.”
This year’s summit will include workshops and panels focused on homeownership and entrepreneurship. The main stage lineup will feature discussions on how sports, music, business, and wealth intersect. Common will participate in a conversation about cultural responsibility in building legacy.
Organizers describe BWTT as not just a local achievement but also a national model for cities seeking to address expanding wealth gaps by providing free financial education. The initiative works with community development financial institutions (CDFIs), banks, corporate partners, and nonprofit organizations to help individuals break cycles of debt and secure long-term stability.