Howard Alumna, Ashley M. Fox Honored For Advancement In Financial Education
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Posted By: How May I Help You NC on March 15, 2026 Howard alumna Ashley M. Fox, a former Wall Street analyst and founder of Empify, a financial literary company, was recently recognized by Black Enterprise’s 40 Under 40 and featured on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list for her advocacy in Financial Education. The award-winning economic expert’s journey to financial literacy started at the early age of 10. “Growing up, I did not get exposed to financial literacy. We grew up middle class. No one really taught me how to invest. I learned a lot through trial and tribulation.” Fox said. Fox, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., attributes her time at Howard’s School of Business for ushering her into a career on Wall Street. “The exposure to the companies, the business etiquette, the interviewing infrastructure, really positioned me to get four internships while I was at school, three of them at Wall Street banks,” she said. “Howard helped me become a better woman in the business world.” During her time on Wall Street, Fox’s experience wasn’t without its trials. Often being the only Black person on the floor, Fox had to navigate not only the intense fast-paced demands of the financial world but also the challenges of working in a predominantly white male space. Despite these obstacles, Fox persevered and used her time on Wall Street to learn firsthand how to “create wealth, pass it down, [and] to preserve it.” In 2013, however, she left Wall Street to begin her own business. “I wanted to be able to expose the world to the 99 percent that Wall Street often overlooks. I wanted to give them Wall Street knowledge, but I wanted to give it to the everyday person,” Fox said. Fox decided to use her financial knowledge and founded the app Empify. Empify utilizes online courses and workshops to advise individuals on financial literacy and how to build generational wealth. The company’s mission is to bring Wall Street knowledge to the everyday person. Empify’s financial education programs have been integrated into over a hundred K-12 schools across the nation. Fox returned to Philadelphia, her hometown, to a community college to bring the app’s financial tools to college students too. “Being able to provide financial education to the city where I am from meant a lot,” Fox said. “Being able to go into school systems, go into community college specifically, and prepare students for what life will be like when they get their first job when they start to make money.” Janae Goodman, a freshman computer information systems major at the School of Business expressed admiration for Empify. “That’s so cool. [Fox is] teaching financial literacy which is not something that’s taught in our communities,” Goodman said. “It’s hard to know when it’s not passed through generations.” Members of Empify’s Wealth Builders program have expressed personal testimonies of their financial journeys. According to a member of the Wealth Builders program, Bianca Lynch, it gave her confidence that she didn’t have before. She entered the program in 2018, with complete access to an educational network—including financial classes and investment assistance. Reflecting on her participation, she deems the program to be very “special” because of its impact on marginalized communities. “[The program] is so accessible that anybody can join. You are in a community where no one is judging you,” Lynch said. Fox encourages Howard students to take heed of essential financial tips for wise investing. “Don’t be afraid to invest. It starts small,” she said. “So you might not have a lot, but if you have at least $20, you can put yourself in a position to create a passive income. So that by the time you graduate, your money is making money for you.” Copy edited by Anijah Franklin https://thehilltoponline.com/ If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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How May I Help You NC
Management, See Moss Interactive Bellarmine University class of 2021 Member Since January 2011 |
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