COMMISSION REI
FINANCIAL FREEDOM LAB
SUMMER INTENSIVE
June–August | Wayne State University & community sites
Mon–Thurs, 9 am–1 pm, | Ages 13-26
Everything is free—materials, meals, transportation, seed capital. No barriers. Just opportunity.
The Impact
When students complete our program, they walk away with functioning businesses, completed scholarship applications, and financial knowledge that changes trajectories.
87% improve at least one grade level in reading and writing
90% report stronger problem-solving and leadership skills
95% increase in confidence in public speaking
100% create business plans and learn to read financial documents
But the numbers don't tell the whole story. Students return to school as ambassadors for engagement. They bring new study habits, financial goals, and peer networks. Their siblings enroll. Their parents budget differently. Their future children grow up with the knowledge to build wealth. This is how we break cycles. This is how we build power.
FOR DONORS & PARTNERS
Your investment creates business owners, college graduates, and community leaders. Every dollar funds student transformation.
PARTNER WITH US!
Together, we build financial freedom. Together, we lead with power.
What We Believe
The Financial Freedom & Leadership Lab exists because financial literacy is liberation work. We partner Commission REI's proven entrepreneurship model with Sankofa's commitment to youth voice and leadership, creating spaces where middle and high school students don't just learn about money—they build businesses, launch LLCs, receive seed capital, and gain financial knowledge most adults never receive.
This is education rooted in Sankofa—reaching back to honor cultural wisdom while building forward toward economic power. Students learn that reading unlocks loan agreements, mathematics builds wealth projections, and clear communication secures investors. They discover that financial freedom isn't just personal success—it's intergenerational wealth creation and community betterment.
What Students Experience
Own Your Business
Every student creates a real Limited Liability Company (LLC), develops a comprehensive business plan, and receives seed money to launch. From clothing lines to tech startups to community services—students build ventures that matter.
Master Your Money
Learn budgeting, credit, investing, and real estate fundamentals. Read bank statements and loan documents. Calculate compound interest. Understand how to pay for college. Graduate with financial literacy that transforms families.
Lead Your Community
Use Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) to investigate local economic issues—housing, banking access, and educational equity. Present solutions to policymakers in Southeast Michigan Youth Economic Justice Summit.
Find Your Mentors
Work alongside college students who started exactly where you are. Near-peer mentors guide daily—proof that this path is possible, that leadership and wealth-building are within reach.