Invest Fest 2025: A Celebration of Culture, Wealth, and Liberation

Atlanta Becomes a Financial Empowerment Ground Zero

From August 22–24, 2025, the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta served as a pulsating hub of wealth, culture, and inspiration. Invest Fest, now in its fifth year, drew over 25,000 attendees per day, elevating the event beyond a conference into a global movement centered on financial empowerment for Black and Brown communities.

Since its 2019 inception, the festival has grown from a modest 5,000-person gathering to a sold-out spectacle fused with “edutainment.” It celebrates the seamless intersection of investing, entrepreneurship, pop culture, and legacy-building.

Culture and Commerce: A Powerful Symbiosis

The festival’s opening VIP night set the tone for the weekend: music, glamour, and entrepreneurial energy. Keyshia Cole’s electrifying performance, alongside appearances by Jayda Cheaves, Terrence J, and Issa Rae, created an immersive cultural experience. Guests raised glasses featuring A$AP Rocky’s Mercer + Prince whiskey and Issa Rae’s Viarae Prosecco—demonstrating that financial literacy can be stylish and culturally rooted.

A Constellation of Trailblazers

Invest Fest 2025 aligned heavyweight speakers with cultural influence. Magic Johnson shared his legacy mindset—“You build now, they live later”—while Jack Dorsey, Issa Rae, Tabitha Brown, Fawn Weaver, Charlamagne tha God, Steve Harvey, and others delivered insights on brand ownership, investing, and generational wealth.

Among the most resonant moments was the fireside chat between Steve Harvey and Charlamagne tha God: a candid exchange on legacy, cultural accountability, and authenticity that sparked viral social media attention.

Startups Get a Launch Pad—and Capital

The Open Pitch competition, powered by Earn Your Leisure and Open Opportunity Fund, brought early-stage founders center stage. Two winners—Lola Vision Systems, focused on AI chips and STEM education for BIPOC communities, and Swish Vo, a holistic health platform—each walked away with $125,000 in funding.

Beyond that, the Marketplace—home to over 400 small businesses—served as the network’s dynamic soul. Entrepreneurs described it as “the heartbeat of Invest Fest,” where deals are struck and culture and commerce thrive.

Youth Access and Real Financial Impact

A defining moment came when 40 Bronx students from the Roads to Success program were invited to attend the festival – all expenses paid. Their awe and enthusiasm became a viral symbol of access translating into aspiration.

Financially, the weekend awarded more than $275,000 in direct capital, through funding, scholarships, and a $25,000 grant in partnership with Bevel. But the true ripple effect lies in the momentum, exposure, and confidence fostered within communities.

Art, Resilience, and Storytelling

Carlos Walker—artist, author, and formerly incarcerated visionary—embodied the intersection of creativity and triumph. Presenting his book What If and powerful artwork, Walker spoke authentically about rebuilding his life post-incarceration, emphasizing faith, resilience, and storytelling. His message brought emotional depth to the festival’s cultural backbone and reminded attendees that financial freedom is deeply bound to personal and cultural narratives.

Why Invest Fest Matters for African American Financial Liberation

1. Cultural Resonance: Invest Fest proves that financial literacy can be immersive, vibrant, and culturally affirming—not academic or alienating.

2. Representation and Access: With speakers who reflect the community and programs like Roads to Success, Invest Fest makes ownership visible and achievable.

3. Real Capital, Real Change: Pitch awards, scholarships, and grants reflect Invest Fest’s commitment to moving beyond rhetoric into tangible support.

4. Legacy Mindsets: Conversations around legacy, generational wealth, and cultural accountability reinforce that economic planning is community building.

5. Transformative Stories: Figures like Carlos Walker remind attendees that the path to financial independence is also a path of healing, creativity, and self-belief.

Envisioning the Path Forward

Invest Fest 2025 wasn’t just an event—it was a declaration: financial freedom is not just a goal—it’s a collective necessity. By uniting culture, education, capital, and inspiration, it continues to galvanize African Americans toward ownership, generational wealth, and community empowerment.