Reflections from the first Council meeting
On Tuesday, I had the honor of attending the first meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability in Washington, DC. (That’s me in front of the Treasury Building.)
As you may know, the Council was established earlier this year by President Obama, and one of its goals is to help the American people improve their financial literacy.
Sitting in the Cash Room of the Treasury, I felt extremely proud to be among my fellow Council members. It’s a fantastic group, representing a great diversity of backgrounds and constituencies.
I was so inspired by the meeting and the opportunity we have to improve our country’s financial education. It got me thinking about something my father, an 81-year-old retired high school principal, told me on Monday when he was wishing me a good trip to DC: “When you educate kids in financial literacy, it translates to their parents.” That’s my dad—always a champion of education. (And he practices what he preaches: In his spare time, he passes out homemade fliers about how to lead a good financial life, with tips from my book.) I love the idea that education expands across families and generations.
Now, it’s our Council’s job to help achieve these goals—with your help. I want to thank those of you who have sent me your thoughts on what issues the Council can address. I’m reading every email and comment and sincerely appreciate your insights. And it’s never too late to send me your ideas if you think of new ones—there’ll be plenty more meetings to come, and plenty of work to be done.
