Inside the glowing, no-judgment zone of the “Sistas Salon Conversations,” led by Ally Financial, an intergenerational circle of Black women—from WNBA stars and screen queens to brand marketers—came together to tackle the topic that too often lives in whispers: money. Not just getting to the bag, but keeping it, investing it, and using it as a tool for freedom, not just survival.

“We’re a spending generation,” Cari Champion admitted, referencing the performative pressure of Instagrammable wealth—think luxury bags, baecations, and yachts named after affirmations. “But can you really afford it—or are you just performing prosperity?” That question didn’t just break the ice—it shattered the illusion.

This wasn’t a brunch chat about Birkin bags. It was a nuanced breakdown of financial education, generational trauma, and mindset healing, especially in communities that have historically been excluded from wealth-building systems.

According to statistics, nearly 60% of Black women are the primary breadwinners in their households. Yet they’re also disproportionately impacted by wage disparities, housing discrimination, and student debt. The stakes are higher, the margin for error thinner—and yet, the resilience runs deep.

That’s why Ally, the session’s sponsor, leaned into this moment of truth-telling. “You can’t talk to all your girlfriends about money,” Champion said. “But the ones you can? That’s your financial tribe.”

Erica Hughes, Ally’s Senior Director of Marketing, framed financial freedom as an act of self-determination. “Being in charge of your finances gives you power. It allows you to make decisions from clarity—not crisis,” she said. That sentiment resonated deeply in a room full of women trained to do more with less.

Actress KJ Smith kept it all the way real: “I’m a frugal girly because desperation kills creativity.” Her breakthrough moment? Hiring a financial planner and letting go of the “I can do it all myself” myth so many Black women carry.

Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally echoed that strategy-over-stunting mentality: “Budget for a stylist if you need to—but be smart. You don’t need to blow your whole rookie check for a tunnel photo.” Instead, she pushes younger players to seek brand partnerships and equity, not just checks that end at the buzzer.

But the conversation wasn’t just about budgets and investments—it was also about healing. Hughes opened up about overcoming the “fight or flight” mindset that came from scarcity. “I used to feel guilty for rest or luxury,” she shared. “Now I say things like, ‘I deserve generational wealth,’ or ‘abundance flows[EH1]  naturally to me.’” Because sometimes financial liberation starts with emotional permission.

There was also a refreshing honesty about joy spending—yes, the glam squad, the cleaning help, the monthly massage membership. “Spa days are in my budget. That’s therapy,” Hughes said without flinching. “If I’m burned out, I can’t show up for my family, my team, or myself.”

The biggest takeaway? True financial wellness isn’t about guilt or grind—it’s about intention. About aligning your money with your values, and refusing to shrink your dreams to fit your bank account.

As Hughes so perfectly put it, “Black women don’t lack confidence—we lack access to the right financial education.”

It’s time we changed that.

Watch the full video above and join the sisterhood of women building wealth—not just for today, but for generations to come.