Six Months into 2020, Connection, and Pride

We are at the end of June, with a few more days left of the 1st half of 2020. Big Gulp! 

If you feel like I do, these first six months of 2020 have felt more like a few years given ALL that has happened. January feels like it happened in another year. I remain hopeful that the 2nd half of 2020 gives us more to celebrate overall. I feel invoked by the spirit of my Granda Pearl, who passed away over two years ago, and would have turned 93-years-young this past Saturday. My family honored her yesterday and our Zoom gathering has infused hope in me. We all need bursts of hope. If she were here, she would have told us - “Baby, I know it’s hard. You got to keep moving on,” in her sweet Southern voice. I want her hopeful spirit to rest in you too!   

So, through it all, I have reflected back on my state of mind in January, where I named 2020 as the year of Connection. Little did I know that this theme would be fitting for what I would need to get me through it, and also to help to get you through it. I measure my efforts toward Connection on a daily basis by whether the end of the day brings joy to me as a result of my connection with others around me, my wealth pursuits, and my dreams.  

And, I want to ensure that you feel my connection too. So, for this upcoming week, I will have special Charisse TV videos just for you - and these will be less than 2-minute clips to stay in connection with you. Of course, I’ll talk wealthy strategies, both on the tangible and intangible side, and you will get me in real time. If you haven’t signed up already for Charisse TV, you must SIGN UP HERE to get videos directly to your inbox.  

In the meanwhile, I want to leave you with a few articles that I’m sure will add some wealth to your life right now: 

Six Months that Shook the World. I like this WSJ’s comprehensive view of the last 6 months, especially as it relates to the markets. The article purports that “one of the biggest surprises in the first half of 2020 was what didn’t happen: Most individual investors, despite their reputation as nervous Nellies who sell into every panic, didn’t dump their stocks even when the market meltdown was at its worst.” I know that this might have been you, and I’m proud of you! Keep on having a long-term view and not panicking too much amidst these crazy markets. 

The 2% Solution: Inside Billionaire Robert Smith’s Bold Plan to Funnel Billions of Dollars to America’s Black-Owned Businesses. Yes, I love Robert Smith’s plan, which is simply to reallocate corporate profits to black businesses and communities. If we all embraced this notion, we’d move the needle in closing the racial wealth divide and structural racism. 

3 Long (Haired) Months, Barbershops Before and After - In this New York Times article, it is clear that men and women alike are ready to regain their swag with their hair. Whatever you need to do to obtain self-care, please be sure to do it and do it safely.  

Stay safe out here, enjoy the last few days of Pride month, and I hope to stay in connection with you this week and beyond.