T.D. Jakes Foundation Launches Free Virtual Financial Empowerment Forum for Young Adults

The T.D. Jakes Foundation has announced Life Forum 2025, a free virtual financial education experience designed to address the growing financial pressures facing young adults. With 36 states now requiring personal finance courses for graduation compared to just 21 in 2020, according to The Washington Post, many young people still lack the practical knowledge needed to manage debt, build wealth, and plan for their financial futures.

Scheduled to begin in September and culminate with a main event on October 4, 2025, Life Forum 2025 focuses on the theme "Leveraging Income for Financial Empowerment." The program aligns with the Foundation's core pillar of Financial Inclusion and aims to provide culturally relevant financial education tailored to the realities young adults face, including student debt, side hustles, career transitions, and economic uncertainty. Participants can register for the free event at https://life.vfairs.com/.

Presented in partnership with Wells Fargo and Paul Quinn College, the forum will cover essential topics such as budgeting, credit management, entrepreneurship, investing, and generational wealth building. Kelley Cornish, President and CEO of the T.D. Jakes Foundation, emphasized that financial literacy extends beyond numerical skills to include access, confidence, and opportunity. "Through Life Forum 2025, we are bringing together some of the most powerful voices in financial education to show young adults that they have the tools and the talent to take control of their futures and build lasting wealth," Cornish stated.

The event features prominent financial educators including Wallo267, who will join Chairman T.D. Jakes in exploring how cultural awareness and mindset shifts can transform financial struggles into opportunities. Milan Griffin, Executive Vice President of HomeFree-USA, will share strategies for building generational wealth through real estate, while New York Times bestselling author Tiffany "The Budgetnista" Aliche will demonstrate intentional budgeting techniques. Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, founders of Earn Your Leisure and InvestFest, will guide attendees on leveraging online platforms for income generation, and Teri Ijeoma of Trade and Travel will offer practical trading strategies for beginners. Egypt Sherrod will also teach methods for acquiring, protecting, and transferring assets.

Tozyea Reed, Vice President of Programming and Outcomes at the T.D. Jakes Foundation, highlighted the transformative potential of the program, noting that Life Forum 2025 enables participants to view income as a tool for freedom rather than mere sustenance. "When people learn how to leverage their money, they do not just manage it. They multiply opportunities for themselves and their communities," Reed explained. Additional information about the Foundation's initiatives is available at https://tdjfoundation.org/.

Beyond the live event, Life Forum 2025 will serve as an enduring resource, with all sessions accessible on-demand after October 4. This approach ensures that young adults can continue to benefit from the forum's expert guidance long after the main event concludes, supporting ongoing financial education and empowerment. The initiative represents a critical step toward closing the financial literacy gap and fostering economic mobility among underserved populations.