Empowering Communities through Financial Literacy | Sharron Tendai

Sharron Tendai, a passionate individual with a heart for community service, has been making a significant impact in Washington D.C. for the past 15 years. Originally from Philadelphia, Sharron found herself in the nation's capital after completing a year of service with AmeriCorps VISTA, where she focused on poverty and community issues. Driven by her desire to give back, Sharron embarked on a journey that led her to establish a project centered around financial empowerment, particularly for women and youth of color.

Turning Passion into Action

From her early days in D.C., Sharron was determined to find a way to combine her passion for community service with her background in nonprofit work, training, and connecting people. Over the pandemic, Sharron also learned a lot about the black wealth gap and how much wealth was not in the black families as well as the importance of long-term investing to build generational wealth. Living in Washington D.C. she saw this wealth disparity in her community. 

Inspired by a friend's suggestion, Sharron began exploring the possibility of utilizing grants provided by the city to address community needs. Her focus naturally gravitated towards economic empowerment and how she can bring awareness to the growing wealth disparity in D.C. With a deep-rooted desire to make a difference, Sharron leveraged her extensive network and professional connections to bring together experts in financial management, literacy, and leadership. She collaborated with the Congress Heights Arts and Culture Center to maximize the outreach efforts, benefiting from the center’s mailing list of approximately two thousand individuals, as well as leveraging social media and her own personal network to advertise the event and reach a wider audience. 

By harnessing her expertise in organizing various trainings and learning events, Sharron established a platform for financial empowerment. Sharron acknowledges that she is not a financial expert herself, but her vision was to gather professionals who could contribute their knowledge and skills to create a meaningful impact. Sharron hosted her first financial literacy workshop in February. Since then, she was able to obtain increased funding to host the Spring Sessions, which was partially funded by Let’s Choose Love. While open to all, the sessions aimed to target women and children, recognizing the significance of engaging parents by providing childcare options. The workshops covered topics such as savings, investments, credit management, and different saving mechanisms. The initiative's impact is not limited to the events themselves, as a dedicated Facebook group serves as a platform for ongoing conversations, resource sharing, and support.

A Holistic Approach

To go beyond financial literacy, Sharron incorporated elements of wellness and community building into the initiative. The program now includes sessions on health and wellness which incorporates meditation, fitness, healthy eating, and self-care through art therapy. Moreover, a strategic planning webinar is being planned for non-profit leaders serving communities in the target areas to foster collaboration and raise capacity within the community. Sharron's vision encompasses empowering individuals in all aspects of their lives, recognizing that overall well-being is closely tied to financial stability.

Looking Ahead

Although still in its infancy, “Get Her to the Bag,” has already demonstrated great potential. As Sharron plans for the future, she envisions maintaining the financial literacy component while exploring additional opportunities such as career conferences for youth to explore all their options and focusing more on strategic planning. Despite the challenges of funding and capacity, Sharron remains grateful for the opportunity to make turn her passion and skills into making a meaningful contribution in her community. 

Sharron is excited to partner with Let’s Choose Love, recognizing the importance of coaching and guidance that Let’s Choose Love Volunteer Coaches can provide to further refine her goals and vision for her project. 

As a creative person, Sharron Tendai loves to write short stories, travel, and aspires to be a YouTube content creator in the future. She loves working with kids, especially young girls, drawing inspiration from raising her daughter, and watching reality TV to unwind. 

Sharron’s next event “Care for Your Bag: a Self-Care Workshop” is hosted on Sunday, June 4th from 10:30am – 3:30pm at the Congress Heights Arts and Culture Center. You can also 

You can also interact with Sharron and her project via instagram @HerBigBag and join her Facebook Group: Get Her to the Bag Academy Community.