People have told us they're using our sisterly banter to start conversations with others (family, friends, and even in classrooms), so Black created "Conversation Starters".
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When my husband got fired, I was scared. Not just for me, but for my family. Why? Not
only the obvious reasons but having to deal with personal finance for the first
time (during a crisis, no less) was overwhelming. Especially because I thought you needed a
finance degree to figure it out. I knew that we were in a huge financial mess,
not because of the specific details of our situation, but because neither my
husband nor I knew where we stood. How
could two highly educated people be so clueless about their finances?! It may be human nature to fear the unknown, but feeling you have to face things alone makes it even worse. I knew my husband wasn't going to be much help, so I turned to my sister, the one with the M.B.A., hoping that she'd tell me what to do. Instead, she insisted that I had to learn to do it myself, not only for my own good but so that I could then "teach" my daughters. Luckily, she guided me step-by-step, although the last thing I ever expected was that she was keeping notes and would turn my crisis into a book! (She thought it would make a great sitcom!) |
| What are big sisters for? Anyway, fast forward to the first time I remember hearing the term "financial literacy." It was when
we were asked to "teach" it at
KIPP Houston High School, and although they explained it as understanding
money and personal finance in order to make smart financial decisions, I did
not like the term. It immediately made
me think that the opposite of being financially "literate" is being "illiterate," which has a
negative connotation of being uneducated or ignorant when, in reality, it is a
function of never having been exposed to the subject matter and/or recognizing
its importance.
Red and I are perfect examples. She had been a straight-A student who went to a prestigious college yet managed to avoid learning about money and personal finance until she was almost 40. My situation was even more extreme. I have an undergraduate degree in Economics, and an M.B.A. in International Finance, yet did not apply what I learned about money (on a macro, or big picture, level) and corporate finance to my finances until I was almost bankrupt. |
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Black
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THE CONVERSATION STARTERS
- Have you or your family been personally affected by financial literacy issues or challenges? If so, how have they impacted your life?
- Why do financial matters and topics seem so daunting?
- How is it possible that Red and Black, both highly educated people, could be "so clueless" about their own finances?
- Obviously, becoming financially literate has a profound effect on the individual. What are potential ripple effects?
P.S. – You might be interested in this animated video on Personal Finance we did as part of a soft skills series for The Greater Houston Partnership's UpSkill Houston initiative.
People have told us they're using our sisterly banter to start conversations with others (family, friends, and even in classrooms), so Black created "Conversation Starters".
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I’ll admit that I hate technology
and prefer to keep my ostrich head in the sand. But although I’ve slowly gotten better and try not to immediately
default into freakout mode, all this talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI) not
only confuses me but scares me. It
reminds me of the 1968 movie “2001 A Space Odyssey,” the
computer named HAL,
and the potential of machines to harm vs. help us. (Yes, I’m being a bit dramatic, but then again,
maybe not …)
Black and I have talked about how it can be used to help solve some of the world’s most challenging problems, like cancer, but wherever there’s opportunity for good, there can also be bad actors. And it’s all happening so incredibly fast as it seems like there’s some new development almost daily, and I don’t want to have to understand it, let alone learn how to use it. |
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It is already impacting society, and although many people play
with it like a toy, early adopters see its value as a powerful tool – for good
and evil. It does not help that the “Godfather
of AI”, as well as one of the creators
of ChatGPT (a leading AI
system where users can pose questions), are warning us of the
potential dangers of the technology and the need to slow things down and have
guardrails in place. It is critical to remember that denial does not change reality. AI will become increasingly important for businesses that want to stay competitive and will dramatically impact the labor market by automating some tasks. But, it will mean critical thinking skills will be more important than ever. And, as AI becomes more integrated into our personal lives, it will be essential for us to understand the basics – both what it can and cannot do. |
red head
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THE CONVERSATION STARTERS
- What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? How does AI “learn” (get its information)?
- Does AI scare or excite you? Why?
- What are the benefits of AI? What are the challenges or risks associated with AI?
- Do you think AI will impact you personally and/or professionally? If so, how do you plan to be prepared?
People have told us they're using our sisterly banter to start conversations with others (family, friends, and even in classrooms), so Black created "Conversation Starters".
Sometimes it takes a celebration to get us to stop and think about something. Hopefully, Celebrate Diversity Month will get all of us to think about diversity differently. Especially since too often people focus on differences and who’s “better” instead of realizing that different is … merely different.
Plus, as Black points out below, wouldn’t it be boring if there were only two flavors of ice cream?
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Growing up on Long Island in a Jewish home, I didn’t think
twice about my best friend (who’s still a close friend) being Italian, although
we did have different cultural and religious beliefs. And although we lived close to New York City,
it wasn’t until I went to college in North Carolina that I met a Black person
(and a Southerner, no less). She and I
quickly became good friends and laughed at the fact we had the same last name,
but that’s where the similarities ended. Yet, I had never really thought about
diversity,
or to be honest, even heard of the term, until you had us working on
Career & Technology Education
(CTE) curriculum, and we did a soft skills worksheet
on it. That’s when I discovered that
“diversity” was actually a “thing”, although lately, it seems to have become a
political
topic
.
But once I was aware of it, I realized how much I learned from being friends with people who have different perspectives and experiences than I do. Of course, having a sister who at times seems more like a Vulcan, likes to push me outside my comfort zone, and makes me look at things from different viewpoints, has made me a better person – both in terms of newfound knowledge as well as a greater appreciation for how and why others may see things differently . |
| Vulcan or otherwise, there were things to learn from Spock, which highlights the importance of diversity. In the broadest context, diversity introduces us to unique experiences and perspectives. In the workplace, it is often referred to as Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), but I will stick with diversity (for now), which includes not only race, sex, and age, but also gender and sexual orientation, disabilities, religious beliefs, and socioeconomic status, and I am guessing there are other differentiators. I think it is as simple as accepting that not everyone is alike. (How boring would that be? It would be like only having vanilla and chocolate ice cream.) And recognizing that differences are not right or wrong; they are differences. From a business perspective, the more you look at things from different angles and perspectives, the more fully (and more creatively) you will see things, which in turn, helps you better understand and provide value to your target market. I know I said I would not get into equity and inclusion, but I love this quote from Vema Myers, “Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.” |
THE CONVERSATION STARTERS
- Define diversity. What does diversity mean to you? What are its challenges and benefits?
- The concept of diversity in the workplace encompasses acceptance and respect. But that also applies to your personal life. How can your actions and behavior help or hinder the situation?
- Are your friends and workplace associates a diverse group of people? If so, what have you learned from them? If not, why not? And would you be willing to proactively get to know people outside your "usual” circle?
- Do you think “diversity” is seen differently by different generations? Why?