Our Mission
The Melanin Project is on a mission to eradicate wealth disparities for women of the Black and African diaspora. Our programs support building generational wealth through advocacy, personal empowerment, and financial wellness coaching.
Our Vision
At The Melanin Project we imagine a world in which every single woman of the Black and African diaspora owns enough assets and wealth to leave to the next generation. This is our project.
Founder & CEO
"You can't heal what you aren't ready to be open about!"
Afra Smith
Afra Smith is the Founder & CEO of The Melanin Project, established in 2019. What was once a personal struggle for Afra is now a passion and mission to help others. As a motivation speaker and face of The Melanin Project brand Afra shares her lived experience of tackling over 30k in debt, to include car loans, pay day loans, credit card blemishes and a credit score in the mid 500's. In addition, to the massive amount of student loan debt she had accumulated. Through research and her personal financial wellness journey, Afra realized that many barriers impact black women from building generational wealth. As a financially well woman, Afra is spreading her knowledge and experience as a motivational speaker, financial coach, and the visionary behind the annual Wealth Literacy Conference.
Afra believes that every individual deserves financial stability and security regardless of their background or circumstances. She believes that by empowering women of the black and African diaspora with the knowledge and tools to achieve financial wellness, we can create a more equitable and just society for all. Afra is committed through her work with The Melanin Project to continue to design and develop programs and services that empower women of the Black and African diaspora with the knowledge and tools to take control of their finances, build generational wealth, and create a better future for themselves and their families. Afra often shouts that "it is time for a new narrative" and it started with her story and now the stories of many other black and African diaspora woman who continue to engage with The Melanin Project for Support.
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Afra is the creator of the AODEC financial wellness strategy, which she uses to teach behavioral approaches for building wealth. Afra holds a Masters in Business Administration, Bachelors in Gerontology and is a graduate of ACRE (Associates in Commercial Real Estate). Afra is currently focused on real estate development and investment as a means to build generational wealth.
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Drop us an email and we will get in touch with you soon. If you would like to request our CEO to speak at your event please use our engagement inquiry form linked here.
