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	<title>Kris Allen &#8211; Akiit.com</title>
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	<title>Kris Allen &#8211; Akiit.com</title>
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		<title>Black Families Need More Conversations About Wealth.</title>
		<link>https://www.akiit.com/2026/05/17/black-families-need-more-conversations-about-wealth/</link>
					<comments>https://www.akiit.com/2026/05/17/black-families-need-more-conversations-about-wealth/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Kris Allen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2026 22:03:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Money/Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Weekly Columns]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.akiit.com/?p=15406</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[(Akiit.com) A lot of families across the South know how to get through hard times. That knowledge got passed down from grandparents, aunties, uncles, and parents who learned how to survive with very little. Folks figured out how to make meals stretch another day. Lights stayed on somehow. Children still went to school clean even [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>(<strong>Akiit.com</strong>) A lot of families across the South know how to get through hard times. That knowledge got passed down from grandparents, aunties, uncles, and parents who learned how to survive with very little. Folks figured out how to make meals stretch another day. Lights stayed on somehow. Children still went to school clean even when money looked funny behind closed doors. That kind of strength deserves respect. Still, surviving and building wealth are two different things, and many homes never truly had open conversations about the second part.</p>
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<p data-start="541" data-end="1078">For years, money talk carried tension inside many households. Sometimes people avoided those conversations because they felt embarrassed. Sometimes there simply was not enough extra cash to even think beyond next week. A lot of Brothers grew up hearing adults argue over bills, rent, or overdue notices, but rarely heard calm discussions about investments, land ownership, savings accounts, or credit. Many Sisters quietly carried financial pressure while trying to protect children from stress. That silence became normal after a while.</p>
<p data-start="541" data-end="1078"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15408" src="https://www.akiit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Black-Families-Need-More-Conversations-About-Wealth.jpg" alt="Black Families Need More Conversations About Wealth." width="612" height="408" srcset="https://www.akiit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Black-Families-Need-More-Conversations-About-Wealth.jpg 612w, https://www.akiit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Black-Families-Need-More-Conversations-About-Wealth-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.akiit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Black-Families-Need-More-Conversations-About-Wealth-450x300.jpg 450w" sizes="(max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px" /></p>
<p data-start="1080" data-end="1618">Living in the South teaches you pride early. Many people would rather struggle privately than admit they need guidance. A man might work himself into exhaustion trying to hold everything together while secretly drowning mentally. He keeps smiling outside because he believes weakness should never be shown openly. Meanwhile, younger boys watching him grow up believing suffering in silence is part of being a man. That mindset hurts families because financial wisdom cannot spread properly when nobody feels comfortable speaking honestly.</p>
<p data-start="1620" data-end="2165">One thing that slowed many communities down is constantly starting over. Somebody passes away and leaves no plan behind. Family members start arguing over property or belongings. Land gets sold cheap because nobody understood its value. Insurance policies missing. Important paperwork gone. Wealth disappears before the next generation even gets a chance to build from it. Stories like that happen far too often. Older folks sometimes believed talking about death or finances brought bad luck, but preparation actually protects loved ones later.</p>
<p data-start="2167" data-end="2695">Another problem comes from the pressure to appear successful. Social media amplified that issue badly. Everybody feels expected to look like they winning all the time. Expensive shoes. Fancy cars. Jewelry. Designer outfits. Vacations. Folks posting highlights while debt quietly stacks in the background. Young people see all that and start believing image matters more than peace. Some Brothers spend money trying to impress strangers instead of creating stability at home. Then when emergencies happen, there is nothing saved.</p>
<p data-start="2697" data-end="3247">Back in the day, many Southern grandmothers knew how to stretch every dollar possible. They kept cash hidden away for difficult moments. They bought what was needed first before thinking about luxury. Some of them never made huge salaries, yet somehow kept households standing through rough seasons. There was wisdom in how they moved. Many Sisters today still carry that same careful mindset, but modern life became expensive in ways older generations never imagined. Groceries alone can make somebody shake their head walking through the store now.</p>
<p data-start="3249" data-end="3732">The younger crowd needs more real conversations about ownership. Too many kids believe success only lives inside music, sports, or internet fame. Nobody explains enough about trucking companies, landscaping businesses, repair shops, vending machines, real estate, or trade work. A young Brother should hear more stories about regular people building steady income without becoming celebrities. Those examples matter because not everybody going to the league or signing a record deal.</p>
<p data-start="3734" data-end="4238">Credit also needs more discussion inside families. Plenty of adults learned lessons the hard way because nobody taught them early. One mistake at nineteen can follow somebody deep into adulthood. High interest loans, unpaid bills, repossessions, and bad spending habits trap many people for years. Yet schools barely teach practical money management. Families often assume children will somehow figure everything out alone. That approach leaves too many young adults entering the world blind financially.</p>
<p data-start="4240" data-end="4664">Churches could help more too. Imagine more community events centered around financial literacy instead of only talking about prosperity in vague terms. Teach young couples about budgeting. Teach teenagers about taxes. Teach families about wills and property ownership. Teach people how to protect what they build. Real community support should involve practical knowledge that improves lives outside Sunday morning services.</p>
<p data-start="4666" data-end="5215">The emotional side of money struggles also deserves attention. Constant financial pressure changes people mentally. It creates arguments. Sleepless nights. Frustration. Depression. Some relationships collapse under stress that never gets addressed honestly. A father worried about bills all day may become distant emotionally without even realizing it. A mother carrying everything on her shoulders eventually becomes tired spiritually. Better conversations inside homes could ease some of that weight because silence usually makes fear grow larger.</p>
<p data-start="5217" data-end="5653">Many Black families already possess resilience, creativity, and determination. Those qualities helped generations survive impossible situations throughout history. Imagine pairing that same strength with stronger financial education and long term planning. Imagine children growing up hearing discussions about ownership naturally instead of only hearing panic during emergencies. That shift alone could change futures slowly over time.</p>
<p data-start="5655" data-end="6063">Nobody saying wealth means becoming rich overnight. That fantasy fools too many people already. Sometimes real progress simply means leaving children in a better position than where things started. Maybe it means owning property instead of renting forever. Maybe it means having savings for emergencies. Maybe it means passing down a family business one day. Little steps matter more than flashy appearances.</p>
<p data-start="6065" data-end="6609" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">At some point, families must become more comfortable speaking openly about finances without shame attached. There should be no embarrassment in learning later in life either. Plenty of adults never had anyone guide them properly growing up. The important thing is starting now. Brothers and Sisters alike deserve opportunities to build stability that lasts longer than one generation. Future children deserve more than survival stories alone. They deserve foundations strong enough to help them breathe easier while chasing dreams of their own.</p>
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<p>Staff Writer; <strong>Kris Allen</strong></p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="279">This man talks about money, tech, local happenings, and things people around the community deal with every day. Some pieces may focus on business or financial pressure. Other times he may touch on neighborhood issues, current events, or changes taking place in the world around us.</p>
<p data-start="283" data-end="318" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">To reach him, email; <strong><a href="mailto:KrisA@Akiit.com">KrisA@Akiit.com</a></strong>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Black Communities Need Stronger Support For Local Businesses.</title>
		<link>https://www.akiit.com/2026/05/17/black-communities-need-stronger-support-for-local-businesses/</link>
					<comments>https://www.akiit.com/2026/05/17/black-communities-need-stronger-support-for-local-businesses/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Kris Allen]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2026 21:22:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Money/Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Weekly Columns]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.akiit.com/?p=15400</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[(Akiit.com) Living in Charlotte, NC long enough will make you notice something real quick. The city loves talking about growth, but everybody is not growing with it. Every year another luxury building goes up. Another expensive apartment pops up near neighborhoods where regular Black working folks been staying for decades. Folks from outside move in, [&#8230;]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>(<strong>Akiit.com</strong>) Living in Charlotte, NC long enough will make you notice something real quick. The city loves talking about growth, but everybody is not growing with it. Every year another luxury building goes up. Another expensive apartment pops up near neighborhoods where regular Black working folks been staying for decades. Folks from outside move in, property values shoot up, and suddenly the same people who helped keep certain areas alive start feeling pushed out their own surroundings. Meanwhile, many Black owned spots still fighting every month just to keep the lights on.</p>
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<p data-start="830" data-end="1372">A brother can have a solid business idea and still struggle harder than he should. That part does not get discussed enough. People see somebody with a food truck, a barbershop, clothing line, pressure washing company, or small restaurant and assume money rolling in every day. Most times that is far from reality. A lot of owners in Charlotte, NC are one slow month away from real trouble. Rent high. Supplies high. Insurance high. Gas high. Everything costs more now. You can grind every single day and still feel like you barely moving forward.</p>
<p data-start="830" data-end="1372"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15401" src="https://www.akiit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Black-Communities-Need-Stronger-Support-For-Local-Businesses.jpg" alt="Black Communities Need Stronger Support For Local Businesses." width="612" height="408" srcset="https://www.akiit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Black-Communities-Need-Stronger-Support-For-Local-Businesses.jpg 612w, https://www.akiit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Black-Communities-Need-Stronger-Support-For-Local-Businesses-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.akiit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Black-Communities-Need-Stronger-Support-For-Local-Businesses-450x300.jpg 450w" sizes="(max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px" /></p>
<p data-start="1374" data-end="1932">What makes it worse is watching giant companies come into the city and immediately get support, attention, and money behind them while local people scrape together whatever they can find. Some brothers use their tax refunds to start businesses. Some max out credit cards hoping things work out later. Others borrow from cousins, parents, old friends, or anybody willing to believe in them. That takes courage. Most people talking online would never take that kind of risk because failing in public is scary. Especially when you got children depending on you.</p>
<p data-start="1934" data-end="2505">Growing up around Black businesses always felt different to me anyway. Those places carried energy. The old barber shop was not just somewhere to get cleaned up. Brothers talked life inside there. Sports. Bills. Women. Politics. Church. Hard times. Good times. Young dudes learned by sitting quietly listening to older men speak. Same thing with soul food spots or corner stores owned by somebody from the neighborhood. Folks looked out for each other. You cannot replace that feeling with another chain restaurant where nobody even speaks when you walk through the door.</p>
<p data-start="2507" data-end="2999">Charlotte, NC is changing fast too. Areas that people once ignored suddenly became “hot” after developers saw money potential. Funny how that works. Communities can struggle for years and nobody important seems to care. Soon as wealth enters the picture, everybody shows up wanting property. Then prices rise so high the original residents can barely afford staying there anymore. A lot of Black folks around the city see that happening and already know what time it is. They seen this movie before.</p>
<p data-start="3001" data-end="3488">Another thing people overlook is the mental pressure that comes with ownership. Running a small operation is stressful. Some people smiling publicly while privately wondering how they going to pay employees or cover next month expenses. There are owners waking up before sunrise every morning trying to figure everything out alone. They still show up with a smile because customers do not want to hear problems. Pride keeps many brothers quiet even when things getting rough financially.</p>
<p data-start="3490" data-end="3960">Social media also fooled many young people into believing entrepreneurship always looks flashy. Everybody posting luxury cars, stacks of money, expensive trips, and motivational quotes. Real business usually looks like exhaustion. Long nights. Missed sleep. Constant worrying. Handling rude customers without losing composure. Learning taxes on the fly. Fixing problems nobody prepared you for. A lot of successful looking people online leave those parts out completely.</p>
<p data-start="3962" data-end="4473">The Black community talks often about ownership, but support has to become more consistent. A person cannot survive off hashtags alone. Too many people scream “support Black business” one weekend then disappear afterward. If the food good, come back. If the service solid, tell somebody else. Word spreads fast inside the city. One loyal customer can bring five more through the door without even realizing it. That matters more than fake online praise from strangers who never planned on spending money anyway.</p>
<p data-start="4475" data-end="4971">Young brothers especially need stronger examples around them. Everybody should not feel forced into sports, music, or entertainment chasing survival. Charlotte, NC got Black men running real companies right now. Trucking businesses. Cleaning services. Construction crews. Fitness brands. Repair shops. Restaurants. Clothing stores. Those stories deserve more spotlight because somebody growing up on the west side or north side may need to see another path besides what social media pushes every day.</p>
<p data-start="4973" data-end="5595" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">At the end of it all, many Black entrepreneurs are simply trying to build stability for their families. That is it. They are trying to create something their children can inherit one day instead of starting from zero all over again. There is honor in that. The city should value that more. Real support changes neighborhoods. It creates jobs. It keeps culture alive. It gives younger people hope that ownership still possible even during difficult times. Without stronger backing, too many good businesses will continue disappearing while outsiders profit from communities they never truly connected to in the first place.</p>
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<p>Staff Writer; <strong>Kris Allen</strong></p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="279">This man talks about money, tech, local happenings, and things people around the community deal with every day. Some pieces may focus on business or financial pressure. Other times he may touch on neighborhood issues, current events, or changes taking place in the world around us.</p>
<p data-start="283" data-end="318" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">To reach him, email; <strong><a href="mailto:KrisA@Akiit.com">KrisA@Akiit.com</a></strong>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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