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

The T.D. Jakes Foundation has launched 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, up from just 21 in 2020 according to The Washington Post, many young people still lack the practical knowledge needed to manage debt, build wealth, or plan for their financial futures. The forum, which begins in September and culminates with a main event on October 4, aims to close this critical knowledge gap through comprehensive sessions covering budgeting, credit management, entrepreneurship, investing, and generational wealth building.

Aligned with the Foundation's core pillar of Financial Inclusion, Life Forum 2025 partners with Wells Fargo and Paul Quinn College to deliver culturally relevant financial education tailored to the realities young adults face while navigating student debt, side hustles, career transitions, and economic uncertainty. The event carries the theme "Leveraging Income for Financial Empowerment" and focuses on equipping participants with both knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions. Foundation President and CEO Kelley Cornish emphasized that "financial literacy is about more than numbers, it is about access, confidence, and opportunity" through programs available at https://tdjfoundation.org/.

The forum features influential voices in modern financial education, including Wallo267 joining Chairman T.D. Jakes to explore 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 teach attendees how to convert online platforms into income streams, and Teri Ijeoma of Trade and Travel will provide practical trading strategies for beginners.

Egypt Sherrod will instruct participants on asset acquisition, protection, and transfer strategies, ensuring comprehensive wealth management education. Vice President of Programming and Outcomes Tozyea Reed states that "LIFE is more than a program. It is a chance to discover how every dollar you earn can become a tool for freedom" through registration at https://life.vfairs.com/. Unlike traditional single-day events, Life Forum 2025 provides lasting value by making all sessions available on-demand after October 4, creating an ongoing resource for young adults seeking accessible financial guidance.

The initiative represents a significant step toward addressing systemic financial education gaps that disproportionately affect young adults from underserved communities. By providing free, expert-led financial education that acknowledges cultural contexts and contemporary economic challenges, the forum empowers participants to transform their financial behaviors and outcomes. This approach recognizes that effective financial literacy extends beyond technical knowledge to include psychological readiness and practical application skills necessary for long-term economic mobility and community wealth building.