WEBVTT - Career Change: Her partnership with Google is creating life-changing access to free tech field certifications. 0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:03.520 My guess has been instrumental in providing resources that help 0:00:03.640 --> 0:00:09.680 individuals make inform financial decisions, optimize their resources, and develop 0:00:09.800 --> 0:00:15.640 healthy financial habits. Under her leadership, Grow Give Prosper has 0:00:15.720 --> 0:00:19.760 partnered with initiatives like Grow with Google to offer certification 0:00:19.880 --> 0:00:25.880 scholarships aiming to enhance career opportunities for underserved communities. Please 0:00:25.880 --> 0:00:29.360 work with the Money Making Conversation Masterclass, Cassandra Lester. 0:00:29.560 --> 0:00:33.239 How you doing, Cassandra, I'm doing swell rashon. How are 0:00:33.240 --> 0:00:34.000 you pretty good? 0:00:34.080 --> 0:00:34.280 Now? 0:00:34.360 --> 0:00:37.320 Let's get this. Give us the name of your Is 0:00:37.360 --> 0:00:38.160 it a nonprofit? 0:00:39.240 --> 0:00:41.400 It is a nonprofit, Grow Gives. 0:00:41.640 --> 0:00:42.840 How did you come up with that name? 0:00:44.360 --> 0:00:47.360 You know what? Actually, because that's what I want to 0:00:47.400 --> 0:00:51.159 see my community do. I want us to grow together 0:00:51.680 --> 0:00:53.840 so that we can give to each other and then 0:00:53.960 --> 0:00:56.720 prosper as a collective. So that's how I came up 0:00:56.760 --> 0:00:57.360 with that name. 0:00:57.720 --> 0:00:59.640 How long you long have you had the foundation? 0:01:01.000 --> 0:01:05.679 I have been in the financial education since about twenty 0:01:05.720 --> 0:01:09.039 seventeen and I started the nonprofit in twenty twenty three. 0:01:09.120 --> 0:01:09.640 Okay, cool. 0:01:09.640 --> 0:01:11.880 So when you said financial education, can you give us 0:01:11.880 --> 0:01:15.360 a little of your background from a financial literacy standpoint 0:01:15.640 --> 0:01:17.160 before we get into the infield. 0:01:18.400 --> 0:01:22.720 Okay, sure. So it all started when I was a 0:01:22.800 --> 0:01:28.120 human resource an office manager at a very prominent medical 0:01:28.160 --> 0:01:30.840 facility here in the state of Georgia. And one thing 0:01:30.920 --> 0:01:34.160 I noticed, from the people who had the PhDs to 0:01:34.240 --> 0:01:37.320 the ones who had the GEDs, every time we sat 0:01:37.360 --> 0:01:40.639 down and do that tax paperwork, it leveled the playing field. 0:01:41.040 --> 0:01:45.680 So that's when I realized that financial education doesn't matter 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:48.320 who you are, what you look like. It's a matter 0:01:48.440 --> 0:01:49.960 of accessibility. 0:01:50.200 --> 0:01:53.760 If you got halfway listening to the show, I want 0:01:53.800 --> 0:01:57.000 you to stop and focus on the show because this 0:01:57.120 --> 0:01:59.240 is the reason of one of the many reasons I 0:01:59.280 --> 0:02:01.920 brought her on the S Show for this interview her 0:02:02.040 --> 0:02:04.200 partnership with Grow with Google. 0:02:04.280 --> 0:02:06.520 That's the name of it. Grow with Google. 0:02:06.600 --> 0:02:10.040 Now, Google is what we're about to concentrate on and 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:12.400 what they're doing with your foundation. 0:02:12.960 --> 0:02:15.960 Talk to us about what is Grow with Google. 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:24.880 Grow with Google is a tremendous outreach initiative that Google 0:02:25.080 --> 0:02:30.360 has delivered to community partners like myself, where we are 0:02:30.400 --> 0:02:39.320 delivering career certifications, scholarships to any and everyone who wants it, specifically, 0:02:39.880 --> 0:02:46.240 justice impacted, specifically economically impacted communities that may not have 0:02:46.480 --> 0:02:52.760 access to that level of education due to financial restraints. 0:02:53.000 --> 0:02:55.959 So Google is now saying that, hey, we want to 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:58.520 give you a chance to thrive to So we're going 0:02:58.600 --> 0:03:01.639 to give you a chance to get a career certification 0:03:02.120 --> 0:03:09.160 entry level into cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing, e commerce, 0:03:09.720 --> 0:03:15.200 IT support, project management, or UX design, which is user design, 0:03:15.240 --> 0:03:18.600 which is those apps and websites. So Google is now 0:03:19.240 --> 0:03:21.800 leveling the playing field. They're saying, you don't have to 0:03:21.840 --> 0:03:25.239 have an Ivy League education in order to make an 0:03:25.320 --> 0:03:27.280 earnable a livable. 0:03:26.919 --> 0:03:30.480 Wage, not just beyond livable wage. I'm just let everybody 0:03:30.520 --> 0:03:33.680 know that. Just go through, just go to the internet. 0:03:33.200 --> 0:03:37.800 Google indeed and Google salaries of all the job titles 0:03:37.840 --> 0:03:41.200 that she listed, you'll see that these are game changing 0:03:41.280 --> 0:03:46.880 opportunities that this foundation that Cassandra Lester created that is 0:03:46.960 --> 0:03:49.120 partnered with Google. And I want to hang on this 0:03:49.120 --> 0:03:50.920 for a minute because I don't want to blow past it, 0:03:50.960 --> 0:03:53.119 because I want people to be able to reach out 0:03:53.160 --> 0:03:53.520 to you. 0:03:54.440 --> 0:03:56.120 Do you have a website that they can visit? 0:03:57.520 --> 0:04:01.640 Certainly if they go to row with I'm sorry, grow 0:04:01.680 --> 0:04:06.280 gifprosper dot org and scroll to the bottom, you're gonna 0:04:06.280 --> 0:04:10.040 see the Google scholarship link, and the barrier to entry 0:04:10.200 --> 0:04:12.520 is very low. We don't want to make it difficult. 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:16.200 If you have a commitment to yourself and if you 0:04:16.279 --> 0:04:19.440 want to increase your earning potential, all you have to 0:04:19.440 --> 0:04:22.440 do in the state of Georgia, no matter where you're located, 0:04:23.080 --> 0:04:26.679 is go to this website, grow give prosper dot org, 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:31.000 scroll to the bottom Google Certifications, read the information. If 0:04:31.000 --> 0:04:35.799 it's what you want for yourself, then enroll and Coursera 0:04:36.000 --> 0:04:38.000 is going to send you the link and you can 0:04:38.040 --> 0:04:39.440 start learning today. 0:04:39.600 --> 0:04:42.680 Now, let's go over those job opportunities that are available 0:04:42.720 --> 0:04:43.920 on your website. 0:04:45.720 --> 0:04:52.159 Okay, so cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing, and e commerce 0:04:52.640 --> 0:04:54.800 and this. I kind of want to just really touch 0:04:54.839 --> 0:04:55.599 on them really quickly. 0:04:56.640 --> 0:04:58.719 Slow it down because I want people to understand that, 0:04:59.160 --> 0:05:01.359 you know, let me also say. 0:05:01.160 --> 0:05:04.039 This, you say the worst scholarship is their fee. 0:05:05.800 --> 0:05:08.720 No fee, There's no fee. The only fee is that 0:05:08.760 --> 0:05:10.919 you have to commit to doing it because we have 0:05:11.080 --> 0:05:14.960 to give data at the end of the program right, which, 0:05:15.000 --> 0:05:17.799 by the way, was scheduled to end in December twenty 0:05:17.839 --> 0:05:21.159 twenty five, and Google has extended it to December twenty 0:05:21.279 --> 0:05:24.760 twenty six. So since These courses take three to six 0:05:24.800 --> 0:05:27.200 months to complete. You have a chance to go in 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:31.600 and roll and get several certifications between now and December 0:05:31.600 --> 0:05:32.360 twenty twenty six. 0:05:32.600 --> 0:05:35.800 This level is the plan field for anybody that these 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:40.520 scholarships that's being offered through your foundation through Google. You know, 0:05:40.880 --> 0:05:42.880 I'm sure I have a college degree on my wall, 0:05:43.080 --> 0:05:45.680 a math degree, and I always tell people you can't 0:05:45.720 --> 0:05:47.760 repoll that degree, which means you can't take that. But 0:05:48.000 --> 0:05:49.760 once it's on that wall, you can't take it back. 0:05:50.080 --> 0:05:52.560 And it's not like a car, it's like a house. 0:05:52.920 --> 0:05:57.080 Once you've been certified or degree, that's yours for life. 0:05:57.200 --> 0:06:00.640 And it also gives you a sense of empowerment that 0:06:00.720 --> 0:06:03.320 you can change your life and the surroundings around you. 0:06:03.640 --> 0:06:05.560 So you're going to give us more detail on each 0:06:05.600 --> 0:06:08.160 one of these job titles that we're doing with I'm 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:11.720 talking with Cassandra Lester. Give us your foundation one more 0:06:11.760 --> 0:06:13.559 time and your website. 0:06:13.200 --> 0:06:16.880 Okay, grow gift Prosper and the website is grow gifprosper 0:06:16.920 --> 0:06:20.159 dot org. And I'm going to dive into what Google 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:25.160 certifications are currently available. We have cybersecurity. You know, if 0:06:25.200 --> 0:06:29.360 you're the kind of person who wants to be the savior. 0:06:29.440 --> 0:06:31.880 You want to be able to come in and you know, 0:06:32.080 --> 0:06:33.880 throw it all of these I think we just heard 0:06:33.880 --> 0:06:36.520 a couple of days ago about a cyber attack that happened, 0:06:36.560 --> 0:06:38.320 you know. I think it was in the city of Atlanta. 0:06:38.400 --> 0:06:39.800 So if you want to be the kind of person 0:06:39.839 --> 0:06:44.240 who can recognize these attacks before they happen, cybersecurity is 0:06:44.279 --> 0:06:47.640 a great feel for you to get into data analytics. 0:06:47.880 --> 0:06:50.720 If you want to tell businesses what's trending, where they 0:06:50.720 --> 0:06:54.480 can find the money. Data analytics is for you. Digital 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:58.280 marketing and e commerce. We're all over the website. We're 0:06:58.320 --> 0:07:02.159 all out here shopping online. Digital marketing and e commerce. 0:07:02.240 --> 0:07:05.279 That's going to tell you, you know previously where I said, 0:07:05.320 --> 0:07:07.920 you're going to show the businesses where the money where 0:07:07.920 --> 0:07:09.960 you are the one that's making the money. You are 0:07:10.000 --> 0:07:13.520 putting your product or products for other people online and 0:07:13.600 --> 0:07:16.080 making it avail and making it available for them to 0:07:16.120 --> 0:07:21.960 purchase it. Support so you can stack it support with cybersecurity. 0:07:22.120 --> 0:07:27.720 You are providing daily maintenance to laptops, phones, computers. It 0:07:28.080 --> 0:07:32.640 support project management. Now, when I mentioned that you can 0:07:33.080 --> 0:07:37.240 get several certifications, these are certifications that you can stack. 0:07:37.560 --> 0:07:42.200 So can you imagine stacking project management with a data 0:07:42.280 --> 0:07:48.480 analytics certification, and then finally UX design. So when I 0:07:48.600 --> 0:07:51.240 say that, it may sound Greek to a lot of people, 0:07:51.560 --> 0:07:55.440 but think about it. These apps, Instagram, all the websites 0:07:55.480 --> 0:08:00.760 that you go to. UX design means user experience design. 0:08:01.240 --> 0:08:04.720 You're designing the experience that the person who's on that 0:08:04.880 --> 0:08:08.760 app is using. So I remember one time with my 0:08:08.920 --> 0:08:12.800 banking app, I had an issue with getting my password. 0:08:13.200 --> 0:08:15.240 Every time I would log out to get the password 0:08:15.280 --> 0:08:17.960 and come back here and the app would close. Somebody 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:20.600 saw that and they fixed it. So that's what that 0:08:20.800 --> 0:08:24.320 user experience design. Along that line, that's what you would 0:08:24.360 --> 0:08:24.880 be learning. 0:08:25.400 --> 0:08:27.280 You don't want to miss an episode of Money Making 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:31.560 Conversations Masterclass, So right now, follow a subscribe to Money 0:08:31.560 --> 0:08:32.880 Making Conversations. 0:08:33.040 --> 0:08:34.720 It's free and you can find. 0:08:34.480 --> 0:08:38.840 It on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 0:08:38.920 --> 0:08:40.240 you get your podcasts. 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:43.960 Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more Money. 0:08:43.760 --> 0:08:50.480 Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to Money Making Conversations master 0:08:50.559 --> 0:08:54.400 Class with me Forshawn McDonald. First of all, thank you 0:08:54.400 --> 0:08:56.520 for coming on Money Making Conversation master Class. 0:08:56.760 --> 0:08:59.000 How have you been this sounds. 0:08:58.679 --> 0:09:01.520 Like a program or your pro seems to be locked 0:09:01.559 --> 0:09:07.319 into Google and providing dream like opportunities for people who 0:09:07.880 --> 0:09:10.840 can get these scholarships by going onto your website. 0:09:11.040 --> 0:09:13.560 How you promoting this or how you spreading the word? 0:09:15.400 --> 0:09:19.080 Ah, mister Raushan, you know I'm country, mister Rashan, I 0:09:19.120 --> 0:09:22.079 am boots on the ground. We are out here, grassroots. 0:09:22.280 --> 0:09:27.800 We are going to every community center that's local. We 0:09:27.960 --> 0:09:31.480 are going to the adult education classes. I am on 0:09:31.640 --> 0:09:35.560 social media pushing this information out. I mean any and 0:09:35.640 --> 0:09:38.200 everybody that will hear me. I'm trying to shout it 0:09:38.240 --> 0:09:40.400 from the rooftops to let them know you don't want 0:09:40.440 --> 0:09:43.079 to miss this. You don't want to miss this opportunity 0:09:43.120 --> 0:09:47.120 to increase your earning potential. So I'm literally out here 0:09:47.920 --> 0:09:50.240 getting in my car I call a Pearl, Me and Pearl, 0:09:50.320 --> 0:09:52.360 driving up and down the highways, trying to get to 0:09:52.440 --> 0:09:55.200 every adult education class that we can get to to 0:09:55.240 --> 0:09:56.640 tell these folks you need to sign up. 0:09:56.679 --> 0:09:58.680 Okay, fure we talk about the classes you're seeing. 0:09:58.760 --> 0:10:01.959 So if someone in New y someone in Chicago, someone 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:05.480 in Los Angeles, someone in Houston or Dallas, they can register. 0:10:06.840 --> 0:10:10.360 They can. You have to be continental US. Wow. And 0:10:10.480 --> 0:10:12.880 you know, of course Google is gonna know if you're 0:10:12.920 --> 0:10:16.600 logging in from outside the US, but Continental US. And 0:10:16.640 --> 0:10:19.560 when I tell you, they were generous, Like I gave 0:10:19.640 --> 0:10:21.720 myself a pat on the back because I wrote that letter. 0:10:21.720 --> 0:10:25.840 Do you hear me? They gave me over three hundred scholarships. 0:10:26.559 --> 0:10:28.800 So I'm ready to deliver it to the comte. 0:10:28.840 --> 0:10:33.719 Okay, cool, listen, So you have three hundred scholarships available nationwide. 0:10:34.600 --> 0:10:37.920 All individuals can do that no charge. 0:10:37.960 --> 0:10:42.000 Jesus scholarships three to six months were for online training 0:10:43.120 --> 0:10:46.480 for an opportunity to change your life. Your life, and 0:10:46.520 --> 0:10:47.920 you're doing the boots on the ground. Now you're on 0:10:48.000 --> 0:10:51.520 Money Make Conversations masterclass. Now we're about to we're going 0:10:51.559 --> 0:10:58.079 worldwide with you. Domestic US, Continental USA opportunities to register. Now, 0:10:58.480 --> 0:11:01.640 let's talk about you, said Rashaw, You and Perl that's 0:11:01.640 --> 0:11:04.120 the name of her vehicle going up and down the road. 0:11:04.640 --> 0:11:06.480 When you go in these classes, what has been the 0:11:06.520 --> 0:11:09.080 reaction or have you been disappointed in the reaction? 0:11:10.640 --> 0:11:14.920 Actually, I am being well received. The program is being 0:11:14.960 --> 0:11:18.079 well received. The thing about it is that you are 0:11:18.280 --> 0:11:23.040 changing I'm changing minds. People are thinking that I'll never 0:11:23.120 --> 0:11:25.880 be able to get out of the situation. I'm robbing 0:11:25.880 --> 0:11:29.120 Peter to pay Paul. And when they realized that you 0:11:29.320 --> 0:11:32.320 have an opportunity, and what I wanted to do was 0:11:32.360 --> 0:11:35.880 be credible. So I did some vetting on the back end, 0:11:36.080 --> 0:11:40.760 and I asked people who are in hiring positions in it, 0:11:41.240 --> 0:11:44.880 would you hire somebody with a GED and a Google certification. 0:11:45.320 --> 0:11:48.840 A couple of people told me who graduated college with 0:11:48.960 --> 0:11:53.440 a master's degree said they lost out on their first 0:11:53.559 --> 0:11:56.480 job because they didn't have a certification to a person 0:11:56.480 --> 0:12:00.920 who did. So it's valid. It's legitimate, and the people 0:12:00.960 --> 0:12:04.959 that I meet, they are overjoyed. Some of them might 0:12:04.960 --> 0:12:07.520 be a little skeptical at first, but once they realized 0:12:07.520 --> 0:12:13.280 that it's legitimate. I initially had about five hundred scholarships, 0:12:13.559 --> 0:12:17.439 so we've had so many people to enroll that now 0:12:17.520 --> 0:12:18.960 that number has went down. 0:12:18.880 --> 0:12:19.560 To three hundred. 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:22.480 Come on, girds, give yourself around, employer, that's two hundred 0:12:22.480 --> 0:12:25.960 potential people. You've changed lives. Now, now let's talk about 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:29.160 a little bit more about you. Because I wanted to 0:12:29.200 --> 0:12:31.400 get that out at the top of the conversation, because 0:12:31.679 --> 0:12:35.440 I wanted people to hear exactly the opportunity that your 0:12:35.480 --> 0:12:38.520 foundation brings to the table and it is changing lives. 0:12:38.840 --> 0:12:43.480 The importance of financial literacy. That's a financial literacy is 0:12:43.520 --> 0:12:48.320 a huge buzzword in the community. What does financial literacy 0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:48.880 mean to you? 0:12:50.280 --> 0:12:54.800 Financial literacy means to me that you understand the words, 0:12:55.280 --> 0:12:58.800 You hear the conversation and it's not Greek to you. 0:12:58.800 --> 0:13:02.160 You have tools that you can use to manage your 0:13:02.600 --> 0:13:06.679 expenses on a daily basis, that you understand how this 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:11.640 applies to you. I heard a song from one of 0:13:11.640 --> 0:13:15.400 our famous young female rappers who says that she doesn't 0:13:15.400 --> 0:13:17.920 give an f about a credit score. I'm sure she's 0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:23.640 changed her mind since it, because she's realized. She's realized 0:13:23.679 --> 0:13:26.280 that you better care about that credit score because that's 0:13:26.320 --> 0:13:29.320 going to make the difference in your borrowing potential and 0:13:29.360 --> 0:13:32.200 how much money you have to pay back. So financial 0:13:32.320 --> 0:13:36.160 literacy means that we understand the conversation and we know 0:13:36.200 --> 0:13:39.200 what it means and how it applies to our daily life. 0:13:39.679 --> 0:13:40.800 So what's a misconception. 0:13:40.920 --> 0:13:43.240 Like you said, you have a rapper out there talking 0:13:43.280 --> 0:13:46.880 to the generation of people telling them don't care about 0:13:46.880 --> 0:13:49.640 the credit card. What you and I know that's a value. 0:13:49.960 --> 0:13:52.600 That's a value proposition to have your credit sCOD anywhere 0:13:52.600 --> 0:13:55.360 above seven hundred. You get in an eight hundred, you 0:13:55.520 --> 0:14:00.319 in as they say, platinum, platinum zone there. Now, talk 0:14:00.360 --> 0:14:02.720 to the audience a little bit about that credit score 0:14:03.320 --> 0:14:06.559 and how they can if you are aware of ways 0:14:06.600 --> 0:14:09.000 they can fix it, but why they should not ignore it. 0:14:09.320 --> 0:14:11.319 You mentioned it a little bit about how it can 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:13.640 impact your loan, But it is a long ways to 0:14:14.000 --> 0:14:18.600 employment opportunities too, because they check everything now, they do. 0:14:18.600 --> 0:14:22.400 And they're looking for reasons to disqualify certain people, you know, 0:14:22.600 --> 0:14:26.400 and sometimes they will use that as leverage to disqualify 0:14:27.640 --> 0:14:30.120 you know, the next person from getting the job. But 0:14:30.360 --> 0:14:38.480 you know, my financial literacy encompasses all earning, you know, saving, borrowing, investing, protecting, 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:43.280 and so among all of those. Credit plays a very 0:14:43.280 --> 0:14:47.359 big part because it's about your borrowing potential. And sometimes 0:14:47.360 --> 0:14:49.320 the best time to get credit is when you don't 0:14:49.360 --> 0:14:52.200 need it. But if you just want some really quick hacks, 0:14:52.240 --> 0:14:55.320 if you're in debt, you know, and there is no 0:14:55.720 --> 0:14:59.360 magic bullet, it's always to try and truth the snowball method, 0:14:59.640 --> 0:15:02.840 you know, pay down your debt gradually over time, and 0:15:02.880 --> 0:15:06.360 then extra credit increases on the cards that you have 0:15:06.480 --> 0:15:09.880 don't close your oldest account. So there are so many 0:15:09.920 --> 0:15:12.720 strategies that we can use to improve our credit. But 0:15:12.760 --> 0:15:15.239 the thing about it is that you have to stay consistent. 0:15:15.680 --> 0:15:19.160 You need to go to the annualcreditreport dot com, pull 0:15:19.200 --> 0:15:22.080 your credit report, see where you stand, and then devise 0:15:22.160 --> 0:15:27.120 a plan from there and move forward consistently. There is 0:15:27.480 --> 0:15:33.240 no magic bullet, there's no overnight pill. Just like losing weight, 0:15:33.720 --> 0:15:36.240 just like managing your health, you have to be consistent. 0:15:36.400 --> 0:15:37.760 I'm talking to Cassandra Lester. 0:15:38.280 --> 0:15:42.800 Her foundation Go Grow Excuse me, Grow Give prosper as 0:15:42.880 --> 0:15:46.280 partnered with initiatives like Grow with Google to offer certifications, 0:15:46.280 --> 0:15:51.480 scholarships aim to enhance career opportunities for underserved communities. So 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:56.560 would you say that's your mission for your foundation? 0:15:56.760 --> 0:16:00.800 Absolutely, yes it is. That's my mission. And a lot 0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:03.360 of people know me. They kind of because I'll go 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:05.520 off on a tangent. In a minute, you know, I'll 0:16:05.520 --> 0:16:09.280 start talking about you know, protection, I'll start talking about 0:16:09.280 --> 0:16:13.120 ways to increase your earning potential. I do workshops twice 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:16.600 a month, and when I go into these workshops, I'm 0:16:16.640 --> 0:16:19.960 not just doing a lecture. I'm really connecting with my 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:23.040 audience and I want them to feel why I'm so 0:16:23.200 --> 0:16:25.800 passionate behind it. So I'm not just sitting up there 0:16:25.880 --> 0:16:28.520 reading a paper. I'm really talking to my audience. I'm 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:31.480 asking them questions, you know, and the green doesn't hurt, 0:16:31.760 --> 0:16:35.480 but definitely I left and I left out of one 0:16:35.520 --> 0:16:37.880 workshop and I was like, dang, I feel like I 0:16:38.000 --> 0:16:40.840 was in the pool pit because I really engage with 0:16:40.920 --> 0:16:44.760 my community partners when they invite me into these sessions. 0:16:44.960 --> 0:16:47.240 I talk to these people like their life depends on it. 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:49.160 You don't want to miss an episode of Money Making 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:53.480 Conversations Masterclass, So right now follow a subscribe to Money 0:16:53.480 --> 0:16:56.600 Making Conversations. It's free and you can find it on 0:16:56.640 --> 0:17:01.120 the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get 0:17:01.160 --> 0:17:01.840 your podcast. 0:17:03.400 --> 0:17:06.399 Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more Money. 0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:12.480 Making Conversations Master Class. Welcome back to Money Making Conversations 0:17:12.520 --> 0:17:14.680 Master Class with me for Shan McDonald. 0:17:15.880 --> 0:17:20.080 So your passion comes from somewhere now, I'm pretty sure 0:17:20.119 --> 0:17:20.359 you have. 0:17:20.640 --> 0:17:23.000 Can you share with us the story because I gotta. 0:17:23.080 --> 0:17:25.560 I want to pull back the curtain to find out 0:17:25.840 --> 0:17:29.280 why did you start this foundation? You saying you're doing 0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:32.119 it for the community, but was it a personal drive 0:17:32.160 --> 0:17:33.160 that got you started. 0:17:34.640 --> 0:17:38.479 Yes, you know, not getting too much into it, but 0:17:38.880 --> 0:17:43.280 I've had a situation where I'm at a very young age, 0:17:43.760 --> 0:17:48.520 my identity was compromised before I was even able to 0:17:48.520 --> 0:17:51.920 get out and get on my own. So aging out 0:17:52.080 --> 0:17:55.479 into life, I had the odds stacked against me because 0:17:55.480 --> 0:17:59.720 my credit had already been ruined. And then realizing that 0:17:59.760 --> 0:18:02.800 I'm paying more for the same services as the next 0:18:02.800 --> 0:18:06.439 person because through no fault of my own, my credit 0:18:06.520 --> 0:18:09.880 got messed up. And then realizing, you know, I had 0:18:09.920 --> 0:18:13.960 my children young, I took several non traditional routes to education, 0:18:14.400 --> 0:18:18.280 but realizing that education is key to bettering your situation. 0:18:19.000 --> 0:18:22.080 So just you know, in a nutshell, I've always been 0:18:22.160 --> 0:18:26.240 able to land in positions where I could see both 0:18:26.280 --> 0:18:28.199 sides of the coins. When I was working at this 0:18:28.320 --> 0:18:31.320 major medical facility, I saw CNA's coming in who I 0:18:31.359 --> 0:18:35.480 resonated with and just wanting to help, you know, housekeepers 0:18:35.520 --> 0:18:37.560 and janitors just kind of help them to get that 0:18:37.720 --> 0:18:42.440 mindset to you know, what you have options. And so yeah, 0:18:42.480 --> 0:18:45.040 it all started from just my own personal experience and 0:18:45.160 --> 0:18:47.520 managing my bills and you know, trying to do what 0:18:47.560 --> 0:18:50.399 I can for my family and realizing that, you know, 0:18:50.440 --> 0:18:51.920 it doesn't have to always be like this. 0:18:52.040 --> 0:18:55.320 So, Cassandra, you know, I've been frustrating in my life 0:18:55.320 --> 0:18:58.240 because I try to bring individuals like you on my show. 0:18:59.040 --> 0:19:00.160 But I'm pretty sure. 0:19:01.600 --> 0:19:06.400 You're cheerleader for change telling us some of the roadblocks 0:19:06.840 --> 0:19:10.280 that you've had to hop over, go around, in fact 0:19:10.359 --> 0:19:13.320 run over to have an interview like this on this show. 0:19:14.480 --> 0:19:22.640 Wow. Some of the roadblocks just encountering people who minimize 0:19:22.760 --> 0:19:28.639 the impact of obtaining financial literacy. And the very first 0:19:28.680 --> 0:19:32.320 workshop I held, I asked them, why don't you want 0:19:32.359 --> 0:19:35.439 to talk about this? And a couple of them, I 0:19:35.440 --> 0:19:38.399 don't want you in my pocket. This is my business. 0:19:38.800 --> 0:19:41.480 You know what you're talking about ain't gonna help me. 0:19:42.240 --> 0:19:45.960 And then also just you know, the community as a whole, 0:19:46.119 --> 0:19:50.960 certain demographics don't like to talk about money. They feel 0:19:50.960 --> 0:19:55.000 like it's intrusive. And then also because I am a 0:19:55.000 --> 0:19:58.200 small nonprofit, a lot of times I'm not taken seriously 0:19:58.320 --> 0:20:00.920 by some of the bigger ones. I remember one time 0:20:00.960 --> 0:20:03.800 I went to apply for a grant and I saw 0:20:03.880 --> 0:20:07.320 one of my constituents apply for the same grant and 0:20:08.359 --> 0:20:10.720 they got the grant, and they told me, oh, sorry, 0:20:10.720 --> 0:20:12.199 we don't do that. And I was like, but I 0:20:12.320 --> 0:20:15.359 just saying, you'll give her like ten thousand dollars. 0:20:14.880 --> 0:20:18.920 Right right, right, right right right, So you. 0:20:18.880 --> 0:20:21.120 Know, but despite it all, and I'm going to tell 0:20:21.160 --> 0:20:24.440 you something. I quit every day and then I'll get 0:20:24.440 --> 0:20:26.679 a phone calls like Ms. Cassandra, are you coming to 0:20:26.720 --> 0:20:29.480 the Senate this weekend? Are you coming on Saturday? Okay, 0:20:29.480 --> 0:20:30.520 I'll be back down there. 0:20:30.840 --> 0:20:33.760 So I know the frustration can lead that. That's why 0:20:33.760 --> 0:20:36.800 I'm offering you. I'm very serious about that. You let 0:20:36.800 --> 0:20:39.080 me know, and I'm gonna put into my calendar and 0:20:39.080 --> 0:20:41.280 I'm gonna come down because you don't take me long 0:20:41.400 --> 0:20:43.919 to preach, and it will not take me long to 0:20:43.920 --> 0:20:46.040 be able to tell these people this side all these 0:20:46.200 --> 0:20:49.520 My degree in mathematage. My minder was in sociology and 0:20:49.720 --> 0:20:52.840 computer science, so I'm a computer Sudus science nerd. 0:20:53.200 --> 0:20:54.120 I were in college. 0:20:54.160 --> 0:20:57.360 I almost went and got my degree in mis management 0:20:57.400 --> 0:21:01.080 information system. So I've always been a person that's aware 0:21:01.160 --> 0:21:04.040 of data management and data security. 0:21:04.400 --> 0:21:08.159 Now, with that being said, let's tell everybody. 0:21:09.119 --> 0:21:13.320 Google didn't come to you with this idea. How did 0:21:13.359 --> 0:21:18.320 this idea come about? Because I always tell people It's 0:21:18.359 --> 0:21:21.520 about the effort you put out that can generate the 0:21:21.600 --> 0:21:23.880 positive things you get back in return. 0:21:24.200 --> 0:21:25.840 Tell us how this relationship started. 0:21:27.000 --> 0:21:29.919 The relationship started because I'm out here for my people. 0:21:30.119 --> 0:21:33.000 You know, you have a person that understands how important 0:21:33.000 --> 0:21:35.200 this is. And even though some people may not quite 0:21:35.280 --> 0:21:37.080 get it yet, that's not going to stop me from 0:21:37.160 --> 0:21:39.760 trying to get stuff that's going to be good for them. 0:21:40.160 --> 0:21:44.600 So I actually was using Google for a different capacity, 0:21:45.280 --> 0:21:48.680 and then I was on a webinar and they were 0:21:48.760 --> 0:21:51.240 just talking about some of the other products that were offered, 0:21:51.760 --> 0:21:54.399 and they you know, it's certain requirements that had to 0:21:54.440 --> 0:21:56.560 be met, and they were like, if you want to 0:21:56.800 --> 0:22:01.320 offer these scholarships to your community to help your community 0:22:01.359 --> 0:22:04.359 increase their earning potential. And I'm going to repeat something 0:22:04.359 --> 0:22:10.640 that I said earlier, Justice impacted communities, low income communities. 0:22:10.840 --> 0:22:15.680 Google is intentionally looking to seek these communities to give 0:22:15.720 --> 0:22:18.719 them an opportunity to level up if you will. So 0:22:19.000 --> 0:22:22.399 once I heard that, I said, this is what we need. 0:22:22.480 --> 0:22:26.720 You know, because you can't talk about managing finances if 0:22:26.760 --> 0:22:31.080 you really don't have anything coming in. You know, it's possible, 0:22:31.520 --> 0:22:35.000 but ultimately being able to earn a living is the 0:22:35.040 --> 0:22:40.359 first pillar in financial literacy, increasing your earning potential. So 0:22:40.880 --> 0:22:44.359 when I heard that that was an opportunity, I jumped 0:22:44.400 --> 0:22:48.119 on it. I you know, like I was obsessed. I was. 0:22:48.200 --> 0:22:51.080 I wrote three, four or five different you know pitches, 0:22:51.119 --> 0:22:54.679 and finally I settled on one. I submitted it, and 0:22:54.720 --> 0:22:57.000 it seemed like forever getting the word back. And then 0:22:57.040 --> 0:22:59.320 when I got the word back, they were like, you're approved, 0:22:59.320 --> 0:23:01.560