Tzedek DC celebrated the newest graduates of its Young Adult Financial Empowerment Program on May 6 and May 8 ceremonies at the Deanwood Library in Ward 7.
Ward 7 Councilmember Wendell Felder and program alumni Lashawn Starkes, Tamia Perry, and YoYo Kebede spoke. In addition, at each event, a former Washington Commanders player shared their perspective and motivating words—at one, wide receiver Josh Morgan, a DC native and alum of both Dunbar and Eastern high schools, at the other, former Commander safety and former All-Rookie Team member Fred Smoot.
This spring kicked off the start of the second year of our Young Adult Financial Empowerment Program, with double the number of sessions being offered. Participants from both the in-person Ward 7 and virtual sessions gathered in person for the graduations to celebrate their hard work with one another. We are so proud of all our program graduates for their engagement and dedication over the past eight weeks!
Launched in 2023, the program provides young DC residents with the tools and knowledge to navigate everyday financial decisions—from budgeting and saving to understanding credit, avoiding scams, and exploring investments.
Each participant receives 16 hours of instruction, free access to credit and financial counseling, and $100 in seed funding for an investment account, plus three years of administrative costs covered, through Stackwell Capital, a Black-owned fintech firm. The funds are intended to help graduates apply what they’ve learned in a real-world setting.
Workshops are led by Tzedek DC financial counselors and attorneys, experts from our partners at Stackwell Capital and Industrial Bank, entrepreneurs from the DC-area business community, and volunteer professionals from the financial services community. We are also grateful to the Deanwood Library for hosting this cohort as well as the Washington Commanders for their continued support of the program.
“This program is about more than financial literacy—it’s about power, confidence, and opportunity,” said Ariel Levinson-Waldman, Tzedek DC’s Founding Director. “We are so proud of these young people who showed up, put in the work, and now leave with the tools to take control of their financial futures.”
For more information about the Young Adult Financial Empowerment Program, including our next cohort beginning in Ward 8 on June 10, visit https://www.tzedekdc.org/empowerment.
About Tzedek DC
Tzedek DC’s name is drawn from the ancient Jewish teaching “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof,” or “Justice, justice you shall pursue.” Headquartered at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law and with offices also in Ward 8, Tzedek DC’s mission is to safeguard the legal rights and financial health of DC residents with lower incomes facing the often-devastating consequences of debt collection and credit-related obstacles. This mission is carried out as anti-racism work in response to the massive wealth gaps tracking race in DC and nationwide. Tzedek DC seeks to serve and empower our client base, which is comprised of 90% Black people, 60% women, and 25% disabled community members. Our strategic approach combines three synergistic activities: (i) free direct services—legal representation and advice and financial counseling; (ii) working in coalition to make systemic change; and (iii) providing bilingual community legal education on debt collection, identity theft, and credit management.