Erica

As an educator, a student and a single mother, Erica can teach you a thing or two about balance and resourcefulness. But she didn't always have those skills; she's had to learn them the hard way. In 2000, at the age of 18, Erica moved to DC to attend Howard University. With no money in the bank and a lot of debt, she had to keep adding hours to her work schedule, squeezing out the time for classes and studying.

Then when she got pregnant, Erica further struggled to balance all of her responsibilities and decided to quit school entirely. But giving birth to her now three-year-old son was a pivotal moment for her. As she worked to create a safe home environment for her new family, she began to understand the need for financial stability for her and her sonﾒs future. She sought out available resources, and was connected to CAAB. Through CAAB's Money Management 101 course she re-learned and re-instilled in her principles that her mother, who passed away when Erica was 11, taught her as a child.

Now, 10 years after she began her undergraduate studies, Erica is ready to finish what she started. She will use her IDA to take classes this summer and hopes to graduate later this year. She has grown to appreciate the significance of a quality education so much that it has become her core parenting principle. Erica has already begun educating her son about money and the importance of distinguishing wants versus needs. Reflecting on her former self, Erica feels transformed from when she first arrived to DC. Her smile radiates as she speaks about making the American dream her own, and just like her, we cannot wait to see how bright her future will be.