Love Your Legacy: Building Wealth, Purpose & Impact in Black History Month

Part of the Scholarships & Economic Empowerment Series – The Gatsby Showcase Foundation

What Legacy Really Means (and Who Gets to Build One?) Legacy is not reserved for the wealthy. It isn’t locked behind trust funds or last names on buildings. Legacy, at its core, is what you leave behind through how you live right now. It’s the ripple effect of your decisions. The values you instill. The knowledge you pass down. For many in the Black community, legacy is survival. It’s perseverance. It’s building something from nothing and giving the next generation a head start.

At Gatsby, we believe every student, every entrepreneur, and every dreamer has the power to shape a legacy starting today.

The Wealth Gap Is Real. But So Is Your Power.

Let’s not sugarcoat it:

  • Black families have one-tenth the wealth of white families on average

  • Just 6% of Black households own stocks, compared to 33% of white households

  • Black students carry more student loan debt and default at higher rates

  • Black-owned businesses are twice as likely to be denied loans

But here’s what we also know:

  • 💡 Education creates mobility

  • 💰 Financial literacy creates options

  • 🌉 Mentorship creates bridges

  • 🚀 Entrepreneurship creates wealth

And when all four combine?
We move from surviving to shaping the future.

Mentorship: The Quiet Key to a Loud Legacy

You can’t become what you’ve never seen.

Mentors give language to possibility.
They help you avoid landmines.
They show up when doubt creeps in.

This month, let’s expand our idea of legacy from assets to access.

Because real legacy isn’t just about inheritance it’s about influence.

At Gatsby, we’ve seen:

  • Mentors help students secure scholarships they didn’t know existed

  • Coaches support single moms launching six-figure cleaning businesses

  • Alumni circle back to mentor the very students they once were

This is the cycle of legacy in action.

Start Loving Your Legacy Today: 5 Simple Moves

You don’t need wealth to build a legacy you need intention.

  • Write a Personal Mission Statement

  • Create a Vision Board for Your Legacy

  • Set a Micro Financial Goal

  • Schedule a Mentorship Call

  • Apply for Scholarships or Microgrants

Resources to Build Your Legacy

🎓 Scholarships & Education

💼 Entrepreneurship & Wealth Building

🤝 Mentorship & Empowerment

Real Story: “I Never Thought Legacy Was for Me”

*“I didn’t come from money. But one of my mentors said: ‘You’re building legacy already. Your little sister is watching. Your mentee is listening.’ That’s when it hit me my story, my fight, even my mistakes, are part of a bigger impact. I opened a Roth IRA that week. I started mentoring at my old high school. And I say ‘legacy’ with my chest now.”*

— Malik A., Bowie State University Graduate

Final Word: Legacy Is Love in Action

Legacy isn’t just about what we leave behind. It’s about what we build while we’re here.

This February, don’t just celebrate Black history. Create Black futures.

Whether you’re:

  • Applying for scholarships

  • Launching a side hustle

  • Paying off a credit card

  • Mentoring someone younger

You are loving your legacy.

Let’s build on the shoulders of giants and be the shoulders for those to come.

🔜 Coming Next in the Series

“Breaking the Pitch Barrier: Telling Your Story to Win Support, Capital, and Community”

Dr. Bertrand Fote, MD, MBA, FACEP, CF²
President, The Gatsby Showcase Foundation

The Wealth Gap Is Real. But So Is Your Power.

Let’s not sugarcoat it:

  • Black families have one-tenth the wealth of white families on average

  • Just 6% of Black households own stocks, compared to 33% of white households

  • Black students carry more student loan debt and default at higher rates

  • Black-owned businesses are twice as likely to be denied loans

But here’s what we also know:

  • 💡 Education creates mobility

  • 💰 Financial literacy creates options

  • 🌉 Mentorship creates bridges

  • 🚀 Entrepreneurship creates wealth

And when all four combine?
We move from surviving to shaping the future.

Mentorship: The Quiet Key to a Loud Legacy

You can’t become what you’ve never seen.

Mentors give language to possibility.
They help you avoid landmines.
They show up when doubt creeps in.

This month, let’s expand our idea of legacy from assets to access.

Because real legacy isn’t just about inheritance it’s about influence.

At Gatsby, we’ve seen:

  • Mentors help students secure scholarships they didn’t know existed

  • Coaches support single moms launching six-figure cleaning businesses

  • Alumni circle back to mentor the very students they once were

This is the cycle of legacy in action.

Start Loving Your Legacy Today: 5 Simple Moves

You don’t need wealth to build a legacy you need intention.

  1. Write a Personal Mission Statement

  2. Create a Vision Board for Your Legacy

  3. Set a Micro Financial Goal

  4. Schedule a Mentorship Call

  5. Apply for Scholarships or Microgrants

Resources to Build Your Legacy

🎓 Scholarships & Education

💼 Entrepreneurship & Wealth Building

🤝 Mentorship & Empowerment

Real Story: “I Never Thought Legacy Was for Me”

*“I didn’t come from money. But one of my mentors said: ‘You’re building legacy already. Your little sister is watching.
Your mentee is listening.’

That’s when it hit me my story, my fight, even my mistakes, are part of a bigger impact. I opened a Roth IRA that week.
I started mentoring at my old high school.
And I say ‘legacy’ with my chest now.”*

— Malik A., Bowie State University Graduate

Final Word: Legacy Is Love in Action

Legacy isn’t just about what we leave behind.
It’s about what we build while we’re here.

This February, don’t just celebrate Black history.
Create Black futures.

Whether you’re:

  • Applying for scholarships

  • Launching a side hustle

  • Paying off a credit card

  • Mentoring someone younger

You are loving your legacy.

Let’s build on the shoulders of giants —
and be the shoulders for those to come.

🔜 Coming Next in the Series

“Breaking the Pitch Barrier: Telling Your Story to Win Support, Capital, and Community”

Dr. Bertrand Fote, MD, MBA, FACEP, CF²
President, The Gatsby Showcase Foundation

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