FinFe$T 2025: A Full Circle of Financial Freedom, Health, and Community Power in Newark, New Jersey

As the founder of We Are Jersey, it was both a pleasure and an honor to attend and support FinFe$T 2025, hosted by the DFree® Financial Freedom Movement on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at NJIT in Newark, New Jersey. This year’s event, themed “Wealth Protected by Health,” offered a full day of critical resources, knowledge, and inspiration aimed at empowering our community financially, mentally, and physically.

The energy at NJIT was electric. Leaders, families, entrepreneurs, students, and change-makers all came together, unified by one purpose: to build stronger, healthier, and wealthier futures. It was truly a divine day to remember!

From start to finish, the day was a powerful reminder that when we come together with the right tools and resources, there’s nothing our communities can't achieve.

A Full Day of Impactful Sessions, Workshops, and Resources

The day was packed with an impressive lineup of keynote speeches, youth sessions, workshops, and panel discussions. Every single workshop and discussion gave gems of information and knowledge for attendees to take home. Here’s a breakdown:

9:00 AM – 9:55 AM | Registration Check-in & Breakfast

Attendees were welcomed with a delicious breakfast and the opportunity to connect with sponsors, vendors, and community partners before the day officially began.

10:00 AM – 11:45 AM | Welcome & Opening Session – Ballroom A

KEYNOTE and 3 Health Subsessions:

• RWJBarnabas Greeting (10:30 AM – 10:35 AM) Speaker: Indu Lew, PharmD

  • Welcoming remarks emphasizing the importance of holistic health in financial empowerment.
    

• Improving Health in the Black Community: Educating a Medically Underserved Community (10:35 AM – 10:55 AM) Speaker: Omar Bey, M.D., FCCP

  • Highlighting the urgent need for healthcare advocacy and education in underserved communities.
    

• Let’s Talk About Diabetes & Latino Health (10:55 AM – 11:15 AM) Speaker: Thomas R. Ortiz, MD, FAAFP

  • Discussing diabetes prevention and wellness strategies tailored to the Latino community.

    
    

  11:00 AM – 11:25 AM at Kupfrian Hall - Youth Stage Start Now: Building Confidence, Business, and Your Financial Future

  • Speaker: Sienna Sage

  • Sienna inspired 10th-grade students by sharing her journey from East Orange to launching her natural hair care brand, Flourish By Sage. Students learned about entrepreneurship, financial freedom basics, resilience, and leadership.
    

  11:20 AM – 11:35 AM at Kupfrian Hall - Youth Stage From Student to CEO: How I Turned My Hustle Into a Wealth Code for Teens

  • Speaker: Isaiah Stewart, Teen Entrepreneur, and Tania Stokes, Publicist

  • Isaiah shared how he co-authored Money Moves: The Official Wealth Code for Teens and emphasized why financial literacy is critical for youth today.

    
    

  11:25 AM – 11:50 AM | Financial Family Conversations – Ballroom A

  “Let’s Break the Silence: A Guide to Family Money Conversations”

  • Speaker: Olympia ILiou Perry, Financial Professional at Prudential

  • Olympia gave practical advice on how to start meaningful financial discussions with family to build generational wealth.

11:36 AM – 12:01 PM | Youth Social Media Workshop – Kupfrian Hall

“How to Use Social Media Influence to Build Financial Freedom and Opportunities”

• Speaker: Destiny Wiggens, Social Media Strategist

• Destiny shared how young entrepreneurs can monetize their platforms, build personal brands, and promote financial literacy through digital media.

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Fireside Chat – Ballroom A

“A Discussion of Economic Empowerment and News of the Day”

• Speakers: Karen Hunter, Creator of Knarrative LLC, and Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

• This powerful conversation covered the importance of ownership, authenticity, and media influence, emphasizing storytelling and creating space for Black voices.

Lunch

12:30 PM – 1:10 PM | Lou Gallery

Afternoon Breakout Sessions (1:05 PM – 2:40 PM)

(Please note: Some workshops offered Part II sessions available until right before Closing.)

Youth:

• Teddy Bear Clinic 1:05 PM – 1:45 PM | Kupfrian Hall - Hosted by: Children's Hospital of New Jersey Child Life Team
  

• Cooking Demonstration 1:05 PM – 1:45 PM | Kupfrian Hall - Speaker: Molly Fallon Dixon
  

• Developing a Financial Plan I 1:05 PM – 1:45 PM | Kupfrian Hall - Speaker: Tierra Willis
  

• A NEW PARTNERSHIP: Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) Student Athletic Policy and Financial Literacy/Stock Market 1:05 PM – 1:45 PM | Kupfrian Hall - Speaker: Deborah Reynolds
  

• Credit & Equity: The Smart Teen’s Guide to Owning the Future I 1:05 PM – 1:45 PM | Kupfrian Hall - Speaker: Crystina Cardozo
  

Adult Sessions and Masterclasses:

• Unlocking Real Estate Success: Strategies for Every Level 1:15 PM – 2:40 PM | Speaker: Will Holly
  

• Creative Entrepreneurship 1:15 PM – 2:40 PM |
  

• Passion to Profit Blueprint™: Transform Your Gift into a Scalable Business 1:15 PM – 1:55 PM | Speaker: Jackie Taylor
  

• Follow-up: Grow with Google - Leveraging AI Tools After Passion to Profit | Speaker: Sandy Garcia
  

• How to Get Out of Debt and Stay Out of Debt (A) 1:15 PM – 1:55 PM | Speaker: Luke Pelger
  

• Mastering Social Security and Medicare; Seniors Against Scams (A) 1:15 PM – 1:55 PM | Speaker: Gina McKinney
  

• How to Build a Solid Foundation in Shaky Times 1:15 PM – 2:40 PM | Speakers: Sylvia K. Alston & Tiffany Aliche (The Budgetnista)
  

• The State of the Creative Industry: How Creators Make Money in 2025 1:15 PM – 2:40 PM | Speaker: Tara Griggs-Magee
  

• The Power of Capital: Leveraging Other People's Money Pt. I 1:15 PM – 1:55 PM | Speaker: Sherkera Greene

Closing Session

Newark Women Moving Forward dfree® Graduation Ceremony

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Ballroom A

Graduation Ceremony Start:3:05 PM – 4:00 PM | Ballroom A

A True Movement, Not Just an Event

FinFe$T 2025 wasn't just another conference — it was a movement. It reminded all of us that with the right information, support, and action, we can reclaim our financial freedom, protect our health, and build legacies that last for generations.

At We Are Jersey, we are proud to support and uplift initiatives like DFree® that truly transform lives. Events like these plant seeds of empowerment that will continue to blossom in our community for years to come.

For more about upcoming events, tools, and resources, visit dfree.com/finfest and stay connected with We Are Jersey at wearejerseyent.com.