Empowering Future Leaders and Financial Literacy: Young Black Leadership Alliance

In celebration of our partners and the great work they do to advance economic progress for all, we interviewed some of our Nasdaq Foundation quarterly grant recipients about their roles, backgrounds, and the importance of their work. We spoke with Tammy Martin, Chief Program Officer, and John Martin, Chief Executive Officer of Young Black Leadership Alliance (YBLA), on their mission to develop young Black leaders who create positive, lasting impact in their communities and beyond. 
 

Tell us about Young Black Leadership Alliance. What is its core mission?
Young Black Leadership Alliance (YBLA) is committed to developing young Black leaders who create positive, lasting impact in their communities and beyond. Our mission is to build purpose-driven leaders who lead with integrity, serve with humility, and use their influence to drive meaningful change. Through a combination of leadership development, service, education, and wealth-building, we empower the next generation of changemakers to rise as confident, community-minded leaders.

Can you share a story that illustrates the impact of Young Black Leadership Alliance?
Dominique, a young professional in our YoPro Wealth Building Program, came to YBLA with curiosity but little knowledge about investing. Like many of her peers, the world of stocks and wealth-building felt unreachable. But that changed when she joined our stock market challenges. 

Through our hands-on, fun and engaging approach, Dominique didn’t just learn how to buy and sell stocks, she gained the confidence to make smart financial decisions. What began as a friendly competition became a turning point in her financial journey. In her own words:
“Participating in stock market challenges with YBLA YoPros has transformed my understanding of stock trading, teaching me how to buy and sell stocks, set stop-losses, work collaboratively, analyze market data, and make informed decisions with patience, while sparking my interest in further learning and building my own investment portfolio. I am truly appreciative of these opportunities to learn about such valuable topics, and this is one of the many great features of being part of this amazing organization.”

Can you tell us more about The YoPro Wealth Building program? What impact are you hoping the Nasdaq Foundation’s Quarterly Grant will have on its success?
The YoPro Wealth Building Program equips underrepresented professionals, ages 21 to 35, with the financial tools, knowledge, and confidence to build long-term wealth. The program includes expert-led workshops and hands-on investment challenges with embedded gamified investment experience.

Thanks to the Nasdaq Foundation’s support, we’ve been able to expand the program’s reach in Charlotte, launch it in Atlanta, and offer financial incentives like matching on first investments. Our goal is to help young professionals develop healthy financial habits in a safe, empowering environment. This grant has allowed us to create meaningful, community-based learning experiences that transform how our participants view and manage money—shifting from short-term survival to long-term financial growth.

What’s on the horizon in 2025 for Young Black Leadership Alliance?
2025 is shaping up to be a year of powerful momentum and meaningful expansion for YBLA. One of the most exciting milestones on the horizon is our Global Leadership Forum in Ghana (GLF25), where we will bring together young professionals from the U.S., Africa, and Europe for an immersive, cross-cultural experience. The Forum will feature leadership development sessions, global collaboration, and innovation workshops—empowering participants to address real-world challenges through a global lens. A key element of the experience is a transformative service project, where participants will help bring clean water to a local village by constructing a fresh water well. 

In addition to GLF25, we’re laying the groundwork to expand our YoPro Wealth Building programming to new cities, including San Francisco and potentially Washington, D.C. This growth will bring our proven model of financial education, leadership development, and community impact to a broader network of young Black professionals—empowering them to lead, invest, and serve at a higher level.