Youth Expo 2007

As a youth myself, it was amazing to see the enormous amount of people that supported the event, and very reassuring to see how many individuals in Brooklyn desire to encourage the youth of this community. Positive events like the Youth Expo prevent the negative perception of today’s youth and push them to excel and go beyond expectations.

The Central Brooklyn Youth Summit and Information Expo took place on Saturday, September 8th at Long Island University.  Anthony Herbert, community advocate and President of The Professionals Network Organization created and hosted the Youth Expo.  The event, the first ever, was sponsored by Congressman Ed Towns and NYPD. In addition to exposing the youth to the resources that are available to enhance their growth and development, it was very successful in empowering and edifying the youth of Central Brooklyn and beyond. Elements ranging from financial literacy, youth employment, physical fitness, leadership, health care and work force development were discussed. As a youth myself, it was amazing to see the enormous amount of people that supported the event, and very reassuring to see how many individuals in Brooklyn desire to encourage the youth of this community. Positive events like the Youth Expo prevent the negative perception of today’s youth and push them to excel and go beyond expectations.

Optimum’s All About Business (AAB) teenage financial literacy group participated in this notable occasion. While demonstrating knowledge of comprehensive content, AAB astonished audience members by thoroughly explaining Optimum’s Seven Steps to Financial Freedom as well as the importance of economic empowerment. AAB has a lofty goal of increasing financial awareness within the community. They also desire to help residents within the community understand that financial literacy is not a principal that should only be implemented by the wealthy. Following the Youth Expo, AAB made such an impression that they were requested to be interviewed by Brooklyn Central Access Television (BCAT).

Marquise Terry, a senior AAB member, also delivered a powerful and motivating speech. He emphasized the power of today’s youth and encouraged them to press forward to achieve their full potential. He challenged the adults to expect more from the youth and to not prejudge them based upon age. Referring to 1 Samuel 16:7 in The Holy Bible, he stated, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” He went on to say, “How are we expected to achieve success and have high expectations for ourselves if our leaders and parents don’t expect us to achieve much? Parents…I challenge you to raise the bar of expectations for your children. Youth…I challenge you to raise the bar for yourselves.”

Ryan Mack, President of Optimum and Founder of AAB stated, “All About Business demonstrated their knowledge of financial literacy principles by administering a dynamic and holistic economic empowerment seminar. Most of the attendees of the youth expo, youth and adults, watched in awe as these young brilliant minds spoke about complex financial planning principles. This seminar was just as good, if not better, than any financial literacy seminar that I have seen administered by professional financial planners in the New York area.”

In viewing the efforts of AAB, I am reminded of a quote by renowned author, Pearl S. Buck, who stated, “The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible, and achieve it…generation after generation.” AAB has developed into a strong solid group making a positive change in their community and beyond. This motivated group will continue to spread their advanced technical knowledge to adults and the youth throughout the U.S. and are starting to receive national recognition for their efforts. As a result they will be featured in an article in Black Enterprise Magazine’s upcoming November issue. I am truly honored to be a part of AAB and look forward to sharing economic empowerment principles with my community for many years to come.

About Optimum Capital Management, LLC
Optimum Capital Management is committed to providing highly-skilled, full-service financial planning in the most cost efficient means for our clients. We realize that our clients’ objective is to save money and not waste it on hidden expenses and excessive commissions that accomplish nothing but long-term return erosion.

As the financial planning industry has shifted to a more product driven strategy, Optimum remains steadfast of purpose by continuing to focus on a service-oriented strategy. Optimum is a fee-only advisor which means that service will continue to be our focus. Our clients need not worry about being placed in inappropriate products that don’t fulfill their needs or being given inappropriate advice. Due to its fee-only advisory status, Optimum has removed the conflict of interest that is often involved with security selection.

Website: http://www.optimumcapitalmanagement.com
Optimum Capital Management, LLC
Ryan Mack
President
Email:
[email protected]
Phone: 718-623-3423  

Optimum Capital Management, LLC
Lloyd Cambridge
CFO
Email:
[email protected]
Phone: 718-623-3423

Claressa Garcia, Age 17,  is an All About Business (AAB) participant and a promising writer.

Note from Tony Herbert, Founder of the Central Brooklyn Youth Summit & Information Expo

As I positively reflect on the days events, I am elated to have had the opportunity to witness what could be the long term effects of how The Village came together. I would like to say Thank you to those of you who took the time to join us, and wish all the best to those who would have liked to have joined us but couldn’t. I also wish to thank the Information Vendors who joined us and stayed throughout the proceedings and provided much needed information to our future stake holders.

Our panelist were phenomenal, as was the moderators who convened these panels such as, Mrs. Pamela Minyard/ Founder of Tomorrow Leaders, Inc….. thank you for your seminar entitled R.E.S.P.E.C.T Me and your dynamic panelist who spoke directly to the young woman in our community, about respecting themselves as well as the many aspects of developing themselves into strong positive woman of color.

Dr. Owen Brown/ Executive Director Debois Bunche Center for Economic Policy at MECC, thank you for your seminar entitled: Can We Talk?. This panel opened the door for future dialog with the NYPD and our Youth, so as to bridge the divide of respect for both entities. (We will be expanding on this panel in the very near future…) Not mention the panelist who had overcome years of adversity with drug dealing,gang banging and jail, and are now holders of bachelor and master degrees and currently attending courses in MECC and going around the country talking to our youth.

Ryan Mack and the (AAB)-All About Business Financial Literacy Youth  Group, your young group of ladies and gentleman, were fantastic with regard to your presentation about economics and the fiduciary responsibility of our youth to create a better tomorrow for themselves through responsible economics. these young folks were dressed to kill, they exude the examples of why we do what we do.

We had a lot of guest and speakers who shared some very strong words of encouragement and support to our youth such as but not limited to:

Congressman Ed Towns, Our Network and Youth Summit Partner, Assemblyman, Rev. Karim Camara, Carl Luciano (Office of Councilman Al Vann), Sadique Wai (NYPD Civilian Community Affairs Unit), Raymon Dejon (Videomusic Box TV Personality), James Lisbon (AMAG Awareness Magazine), Dennis Rahiim Watson (Motivational Speaker), Kevin Powell (Author, Hip Hop/Community Activist), Barry Mason ….98.7Kiss Fm (Radio Personality), Patrick Goody (Got Your Back Productions/BCAT Presents), Saadia Adossa Kings County DA Office, Shelawn Langhorne, Community Counsel & Mediation, Nettie Paisley, Chairperson for the Life & Ethics Committee or the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, Denise Adams (AVP, North Fork Bank), Mary Alice (Writer/Our time Press), Cesar Gomez (Small Biz Specialist, Bank of America), Sophia Williams and our Honor Guard The Cadet Academy of Honor & Excellence, BlackBrooklyn.net, Darnell Canada (Re.B.U.I.L.D), and Celeste & Bitta Sweet (Teenage Performing Artists).

For those whom we have missed, please charge it to the mind and not the heart, it was not done intentionally.

We will be forwarding you all a request shortly to ask you all to join us in our NYC Professionals “It takes A Village Tour”.  This six month youth uplifting tour will take a host of professionals of color into the NYC Public School system, where we propose to host a series of panels and workshops that will open dialog  directly with the most important issues that affect our young leaders of tomorrow with our youth. This tour will also go to show our youth that you don’t have to be just a ball player or music artist to succeed in life. We will showcase professionals whether they are blue collar or white collar workers, to business owners that need to be heard and seen by them.

We will also be presenting Part II of Central Brooklyn Youth Summit in April 2008, and invite all to participate in helping to prepare and supply our youth with the tools they will need to meet the challenges that tomorrow brings.

We look forward to all professionals to make a commitment to participate in the development of our Youth as our families are the stake holders who need to know that there are brighter days ahead tomorrow for the survival of our community.

Until then, stay tuned  and stay connected, With warmest wishes as I remain

Sincerely,
Tony
Tony Herbert
Chairman, CEO-Founder
The Professionals Network Org.
www.myspace.com/tpno

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