Breaking Cycles, Building Legacy

© 2025 Jay Wright Cognizance Magazine

Across the country, a new generation of Black innovators is rewriting the definition of success. They’re not just earning for the moment; they’re building for the future. The mission is clear, break cycles, own the vision, and leave something lasting behind.
 

For too long, wealth in our communities has been limited by lack of access, representation, and opportunity. But that’s changing fast. Young creators, investors, and entrepreneurs are using their voices, skills, and platforms to build sustainable paths forward. Their approach blends culture, purpose, and strategy, proving that financial power and community impact can grow together.
 

Take Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, the minds behind Earn Your Leisure. What began as a podcast about business and financial education became a global movement that teaches financial literacy to millions. Through interviews with entrepreneurs and investors, they’ve turned complex ideas about money, investing, and ownership into lessons that empower everyday people to build wealth.
 

Another example is Morgan DeBaun, founder of Blavity Inc. She created one of the most influential media networks for young Black professionals by focusing on culture, technology, and empowerment. Her company now includes events like AfroTech, which brings together Black innovators from across the world to network, collaborate, and invest in the future.
 

Then there’s Freddie Figgers, a tech entrepreneur who turned his passion for innovation into a multimillion-dollar business. He founded Figgers Communications, becoming one of the youngest African Americans to own and operate a U.S.-based telecommunications company. His mission goes beyond profit, he invests in technology that serves communities and provides opportunities for youth to learn STEM skills.
 

We also see this legacy mindset in Melissa Butler, founder of The Lip Bar. What started as a small idea mixing lipsticks in her kitchen grew into a nationally recognized beauty brand now sold in major retailers. After being rejected on national television, she built her company independently and focused on representation in beauty. Her success shows that perseverance and ownership can change entire industries.
 

These leaders share one thing in common: they’re thinking beyond right now. They’re creating systems that teach others how to build, own, and sustain. They invest in real estate, media, and community-based projects that will benefit future generations. They’re proof that wealth is more than money, it’s knowledge, influence, and the ability to open doors for others.
 

This generation is also changing the mindset around success. Instead of chasing validation, they’re focusing on ownership. Instead of waiting for opportunity, they’re creating it. They’re building businesses, funding scholarships, launching digital platforms, and educating others about how to manage and multiply what they earn.
 

Breaking cycles means redefining what’s possible. It means moving from survival to strategy, from consumption to creation. And every young person who decides to invest in themselves, their community, or their craft contributes to that movement.
 

The new wave of Black leadership is about more than profit. It’s about progress. It’s about building legacies that inspire, uplift, and empower the next generation to go further. The foundation is being laid now, by thinkers, creators, and dreamers who believe that wealth isn’t just inherited; it’s created, one bold step at a time.