DFREE Movement brings AI and financial empowerment festival to New Jersey

The DFREE Movement is bringing financial literacy and artificial intelligence education to New Jersey through FinFe$T 2026, a free, two-day festival designed to help underserved communities build wealth and adapt to an increasingly AI-driven economy, according to the organization. The event is set for Nov. 13-14 at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, and will center on the theme “AI 4 US: Access = Success.” With support from Prudential and RWJBarnabas Health, the festival will highlight financial empowerment, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and access to emerging technologies.

Founded in 2005 by the Rev. DeForest B. Soaries Jr., the DFREE Movement has spent more than 20 years working to promote financial independence, especially in underserved communities.

Now in its seventh year, FinFe$T is designed to broaden access to financial education while also exploring how AI may reshape economic opportunity. “For more than 20 years, the DFREE Movement has helped individuals and families pursue financial freedom, and FinFe$T continues that work by expanding access to the knowledge, tools, and opportunities our communities need to thrive,” Soaries said in a statement. Dee C.

Marshall, CEO and managing partner of AI Training Plus, will co-host the festival. Marshall is also the founder of The People Side of AI, a global initiative focused on promoting a people-first approach to artificial intelligence. The Rev.

Justin R. Lester is also scheduled to speak. Friday’s programming will concentrate on youth development, financial literacy, AI education, career readiness, and entrepreneurship.

Saturday’s sessions will focus on wealth building, money management, small-business growth, and family wellness. Attendees will learn how AI can support better financial decisions, help workers prepare for shifting industries, and give entrepreneurs tools to stay competitive. The event will also address digital privacy, misinformation, and financial scams.

The festival’s focus on technology access reflects growing concerns about whether AI will create more economic opportunity or widen existing wealth gaps, especially for Black communities that have historically been left out of wealth-building opportunities. FinFe$T 2026 is free and open to the public. Registration is available through the event’s organizers.

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