Every great movement has its roots in a compelling story, and Fearless Brown Girls® is no exception. I am Diana Williams, the Founder of Fearless Brown Girls®, and I want to share my journey with you. I grew up in Wallace, a small rural town in Eastern NC, in a single-parent, low-income household. Fortunately, excelling academically, cheerleading, and extracurricular activities gave me the privilege of being exposed to life and opportunities outside of my immediate surroundings. However, there was a crucial life skill missing — financial literacy. The impact of financial insecurity and the absence of financial knowledge showed up very soon as I prepared to go to college.
 
I had an amazing college experience but it was overwhelmed by financial struggles and living in survival mode. Balancing academics with multiple jobs, reliance on credit cards, and payday advance loans became my norm. Those were the money lessons, unintentionally, taught to me so I didn’t know another way. Despite earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, I graduated with the weight of student loan and credit card debt during the Great Recession. I went on to face my first harsh lesson about credit… no financial institution would hire me because of my poor credit score. Who knew!?

This narrative is not one of defeat though; it's a story of resilience and transformation! Fueled by a desire for change (and the need to work in the financial industry, of course), I worked on improving my money mindset, my credit, and making better money decisions. I moved to Charlotte, NC, graduated from East Carolina University with a Master's in Business Administration degree, purchased my first home, and started making major progress. My 15-year career journey includes Accounting and Finance roles at prominent financial institutions like American Express, MetLife, AXA, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America. In 2019, I became an entrepreneur and established Diana B & Company, a virtual finance firm providing Accounting, CFO, and Tax services to Mental Health Therapists of Color. Look at God!  
 
In full transparency, Fearless Brown Girls® is the organization and representation I needed when I was a teenager. The organization emerged as a beacon of hope and empowerment. It serves as the influence and mentorship that black and brown girls need before venturing into 'the real world.' I believe WE deserve access to essential financial knowledge and mentorship that will prepare us to make informed and responsible money decisions. Fearless Brown Girls® offers OUR Girls a head start, providing the tools and guidance needed to confidently shape their financial destinies and thrive in a world of possibilities.

“My goal is to show young women and girls that our voices and ideas matter, and you are never too young to dream big!” - Marsai Martin

I’ll leave you with this. The implications of systemic inequality and historical traumas faced by our community are NOT our fault… but we get to choose what we do about it now. In the words of Civil Rights icon John Lewis, “never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” Fearless Brown Girls® was founded to shift the narrative! Let’s work!
 
Fearlessly,
Diana B Williams

a letter from our
Founder & Executive Director