By the time most kids are learning how to open a lunchbox, Gail Perry-Mason’s young “investors” are learning how to open a stock portfolio. Across the city of Detroit, where wealth gaps have long been written off as inevitable, Money Matters for Youth is reshaping the narrative with a blueprint that starts early, builds intentionally, and reaches far beyond bank balances. What Perry-Mason has built goes far beyond a seasonal program thrown together for show. It’s a cultural shift in motion—rooted in legacy, powered by purpose, and fueled by the belief that when Black youth are given the tools of ownership and discipline, they become unstoppable forces in their own right.
Money Matters for Youth is a Detroit-grown financial literacy initiative serving students ages 8 to 18. But this holds much more depth than just teaching kids to count pennies or write a one-off business plan. This is about teaching them how to grow capital, create sustainable wealth, and navigate economic systems that were never designed with them in mind. The program’s annual five-day camp builds more than knowledge—it builds identity, confidence, and community. And that’s what makes it powerful.
“Our students are investors because they are our investment in the future,” shares Perry-Mason. That guiding belief is stitched into every lesson, every spreadsheet, every portfolio and pitch deck created by a child who learns that financial power is cultural power. Money Matters doesn’t just teach budgeting. It teaches vision. It doesn’t just introduce entrepreneurship. It births it. Participants walk away with business ideas, etiquette training, and the foundational tools to become future franchise owners, tech founders, and even venture capitalists.
Gail Perry-Mason has witnessed it firsthand. Some of her mentees have gone on to become CEO’s of Chick-fil-A franchises right here in Michigan. Others now sit at tables in venture capital boardrooms, managing the very kind of investments they once simulated on worksheets as teenagers. That trajectory isn’t accidental—it’s intentional.
Each year, Perry-Mason’s campers are introduced to what it means to have five streams of income, not just one. They map out their own Financial Gardens, learning to sow seeds of abundance with budgeting, saving, investing, and giving. From learning how to write thank-you notes and cook healthy meals to studying public speaking and ballroom dancing, students receive a holistic approach to life and leadership. They not only learn how money works—they learn how power circulates. That’s what makes this program transformational.
And this summer, that transformation reached a new level.
In partnership with One Detroit Credit Union and with support from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Money Matters for Youth awarded $25,000 in surprise scholarships to 25 Detroit-area teens. The scholarships were not just symbolic. They were strategic. Each recipient also received their own One Detroit Collegiate Checking account, developed specifically for young adults pursuing higher education. These accounts offer no monthly fees, no minimum balance, and include credit-building tools, savings features, and financial guidance tailored to students navigating life after high school.
“This partnership created a real impact,” said Perry-Mason. “I’m so grateful to One Detroit Credit Union for banking on our youth and helping us plant seeds that will grow for generations.”
What makes this partnership so groundbreaking is that it doesn’t stop at knowledge—it follows through with real-world application. The scholarship funds were deposited directly into each student’s new account, giving them immediate access to banking tools while reinforcing what they learned during camp. From purchasing books and school supplies to covering transportation costs, students were given the ability to make decisions grounded in financial literacy and backed by institutional support.
Portia Powell, president and CEO of One Detroit Credit Union, underscored that sentiment. “Our youth deserve access to more than just knowledge. They deserve access to financial tools that help them put that knowledge into action,” she said. “By offering education, real-world banking experience and scholarship funding, we are helping them build a foundation for long-term financial success.”
Long-term success has always been the goal. But Perry-Mason knows that before young people can build the future, they have to first be seen in the present. At a time when Detroit youth are often overlooked in economic development conversations, programs like Money Matters for Youth speak directly to that gap. They prove that when resources are delivered with cultural competence and deep community understanding, outcomes shift.
For nearly 29 years—since founding Money Matters for Youth in 1996, Perry-Mason has led the program with unwavering dedication, mentoring thousands of Detroit youth long before financial literacy became a trending topic. She has never done this work for cameras or headlines. Her commitment runs deeper than public recognition—it’s rooted in a genuine love for Black children and a belief that access to economic education is a human right. Perry-Mason is a true community pioneer whose impact stretches far beyond the classroom. She shows up consistently, invests in young people holistically, and pours into them not for applause but because she knows their brilliance deserves to be nurtured.
At the camp, students are taught how success and service go hand-in-hand. Perry-Mason instills the principle that “Success benefits others first.” Each camper is introduced to a network of mentors, receives exposure to community resources based on need, and is encouraged to give back from day one. These lessons aren’t saved for adulthood. They’re taught as tools of empowerment now. That’s what makes the work resonate far beyond the classroom.
The camp also includes golf lessons—because, as Perry-Mason reminds her students, many major business deals are sealed on the golf course. It’s this kind of strategic cultural awareness that sets Money Matters apart. Every touchpoint prepares youth to enter rooms they’ve historically been excluded from—and to take ownership once they get there.
Over the years, Perry-Mason has mentored an insurmountable number of students—many of whom return to volunteer, to teach, and to pass the torch. The generational ripple is clear. But what makes her work so deeply compelling is the way it redefines what wealth looks like, and who gets to build it.
Money Matters for Youth centers financial literacy as a civil right. It treats budgeting, investing, and entrepreneurship as tools of liberation. And in a city like Detroit, where disinvestment has long been policy, this work becomes not only educational—but political, cultural, and spiritual.
Perry-Mason’s leadership makes that possible. Her decades of advocacy, financial education, and intentional mentorship have built a model that banks, educators, and policymakers would do well to follow. This isn’t about saving youth from hardship—it’s about preparing them to lead with purpose.
The path to economic equity for Black Detroiters begins with access. But it doesn’t end there. It requires systems, support, and stewardship—everything this program provides. By investing in youth with practical tools, real scholarships, and culturally grounded mentorship, Gail Perry-Mason and her partners are rewriting the script on what’s possible for Detroit’s next generation.
Those who want to support or learn more about Money Matters for Youth can look into future partnership opportunities and consider ways to expand this model across neighborhoods, schools, and even policy frameworks. Programs like this deserve to be scaled—not just applauded.
What Gail Perry-Mason is building is bigger than finance. It’s legacy in motion. And Detroit’s young investors are living proof.
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