( ENSPIRE Business ) Wealth Summit Had Its First Youth Wealth Summit On November 18th, 2025
Wealth Summit LIVE was an event that brought together attendees from across the DMV. Launched in 2023 by Raven and Tony Parker, this event taught the commitment to investing in oneself and one’s community. This year’s summit began on September 2nd and ended on September 7th. The Assembly Room hosted the event. The event featured finance specialists, local restaurant owners, event curators, and more. Wealth Summit taught attendees how to build wealth through a series of virtual and in-person sessions. It included a dynamic three-day summit on fostering community and redefining what wealth building looks like. In addition, Wealth Summit featured hands-on workshops on credit repair, AI for small businesses, paid ad strategies, and high-stakes pitch competitions awarding up to $100,00.
The Wealth Summit Live event also featured an EDAC Pitch Competition for the chance to win $5,000. An impressive lineup of speakers and special guests included Imani Ellis, founder of CultureCon and The Creative Collective NYC; Lisa Summers, travel influencer and content creator; and Simone Phillips, the food influencer behind “Charm City Table.” Furthermore, other honorable guests included Robyn Murphy, CEO of the Baltimore Office of Promotions and the Arts (BOPA); Chef Tobias Dorzon, host of ESPN and Hulu’s Time Out with Tobias and owner of HunchoHouse; Marcus Allen, co-founder of Broccoli City Festival; and Brandon Scott, mayor of Baltimore. Lastly, the Parkers announced, “We’ve noticed the growing need for financial education and accessible resources. With the continued success of Wealth Summit LIVE, we’ve decided to allow the next generation of leaders to feel supported with our first-ever Youth Wealth Summit on November 18.”
Could you discuss the philosophy behind launching the Wealth Summit and how your vision has evolved in light of the growing need for financial education?
The philosophy behind launching Wealth Summit Live was simple: wealth shouldn’t be a secret. In Baltimore and many communities like ours, people are talented, hardworking, and full of ideas—but often lack access to the tools, conversations, and networks that make wealth-building feel possible and realistic.
We created the Wealth Summit to make financial education accessible, relatable, and culturally relevant, while also being practical. We didn’t want people to just feel inspired—we wanted them to walk away with a plan, resources, and the confidence to execute.
As the need for financial education has grown, our vision has evolved from being “just an event” to becoming an ecosystem—a movement that supports youth, families, and entrepreneurs through workshops, mentorship, and real-world experiences. Now, we focus on building wealth through multiple lanes: mindset, money, business, and community impact, because true wealth is about sustainability and legacy.
What is your process for designing the workshops, events, and keynote speakers that provide attendees with the hands-on tools to build generational wealth?
Our process is both strategic and community-driven. We design every Wealth Summit experience by starting with the real needs of the people we serve. That means we pay attention to what our audience is asking for, what challenges they’re facing, and what tools they’re missing.
From there, we build workshops that are:
- Hands-on and interactive (not lecture-style).
- Action-based (attendees leave with steps they can apply immediately).
- Beginner-friendly while still valuable for more advanced entrepreneurs.
- Rooted in real life, not just theory.
When selecting keynote speakers and facilitators, we look for people who are not only successful but who can teach—leaders who can break things down clearly, share real stories, and connect with our audience authentically. We prioritize speakers who bring both expertise and relatability, because generational wealth starts with education that people can actually understand and use.
Beyond personal financial growth, how do you measure the success and impact of the Wealth Summit on attendees?
We measure success beyond just what someone earns—we measure it by what they activate after the summit. Some of the biggest indicators of impact for us include:
- Attendees are taking immediate action (starting businesses, improving credit, opening accounts, building budgets).
- Over 300 youths increased confidence, leadership development, and financial awareness.
- Over 50 connections made, including new business partners, mentors, and community resources.
- Over 30 youth opened bank accounts starting at $100.
- Community visibility and reach of over 1 million impressions.
We also look at the ripple effect: when one person becomes financially empowered, it often impacts their household, their children, and their community. That’s how we know we’re not just hosting events—we’re helping shift mindsets and build long-term change.
You launched the first-ever Youth Wealth Summit in November. What specific outcomes did you achieve with the youth initiatives, and how will the approach differ from the main adult Wealth Summit?
Launching the first-ever Youth Wealth Summit was a major milestone for us because it proved what we already believe: young people are ready to lead—and they deserve a seat at the table when it comes to wealth, opportunity, and future planning.
Youth participants engaged in workshops focused on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and personal development, while also connecting with mentors and community leaders who poured into their growth.
What truly sets the Youth Wealth Summit apart is that it is youth-led. The summit is designed and powered by our Youth Advisory Board (Y.A.B.), in partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools. Y.A.B. members help create the programming, develop the theme, and choose the topics they want to learn—making it a summit built from the youth perspective, not just for youth.
For adults, we focus on scaling businesses, strategy, funding, and systems. For youth, we emphasize foundation, exposure, and mindset—helping them see themselves as future CEOs now.
Based on the 2025 Wealth Summit and the evolution of financial literacy, how does it shape the future of entrepreneurship and financial empowerment going forward in 2026?
The 2025 Wealth Summit showed us that financial literacy is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. People are seeking structure, access, and strategy.
Looking ahead to 2026, entrepreneurship and financial empowerment will continue to evolve toward:
- Education that leads to execution.
- Multiple income streams and ownership pathways.
- Earlier exposure for youth to business, investing, and credit.
- Increased focus on tech, AI, and digital wealth-building opportunities.
- Community-based learning and collective growth.
Our focus in 2026 is expanding the Wealth Summit beyond a single event into a year-round pipeline of learning, mentorship, and action—supporting adults while building the next generation of leaders.
Wealth Summit was recognized by the Mayor’s Office in 2024, drawing over 700 attendees year after year across the country to learn, connect, and collaborate. A platform to advance financial literacy and economic empowerment, its grant partners for this event included EDAC, Urban Venture Fund, and the PNC National Center for Entrepreneurship. The Youth Wealth Summit will have the Baltimore City youth have partnerships with local schools and youth-serving organizations. Students will earn service-learning hours and stipends by participating in student-led workshops, a youth council, and interactive sessions focused on financial literacy and entrepreneurship. “With Wealth Summit LIVE, we’ve created an ecosystem to give youth and adults the tools, connections, and inspiration to build lasting wealth,” says co-founder Raven Parker. “This year’s summit is designed to be both impactful and unforgettable, giving attendees intimate spaces to connect, gain actionable strategies, and walk away with real tools to grow.” For more information on future events, sponsorship, and VIP, click https://www.ceo-en.org/wealthsummitlive.
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