Meet Our Founder and Executive Director

My name is Mustafa El Shabazz Bey, Founder and Executive Director of We The People United for Change, Inc. (WTPUFC).

My commitment to serving others comes from personal experience. Having faced homelessness, addiction, incarceration, and economic hardship, I understand the challenges many individuals and families face when trying to build a stable future. While experiencing homelessness in Columbia, South Carolina, I witnessed firsthand the struggles of people seeking safe housing, supportive services, and opportunities to improve their lives.

During that time, I became involved in community advocacy efforts calling for increased investment in shelters and transitional housing programs, believing that communities should expand opportunities for vulnerable residents rather than reduce them. Those experiences taught me that lasting change requires more than temporary assistance—it requires education, empowerment, and pathways to economic stability.

Those lessons inspired me to found We The People United for Change, Inc. (WTPUFC), a Baltimore-based nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals and families build stronger futures through financial literacy, homeownership education, and community outreach.

Today, one of our flagship initiatives is the Smart Money Financial Literacy & Homeownership Program in Baltimore. Through workshops, community partnerships, and hands-on education, participants learn budgeting, credit building, debt management, savings strategies, banking fundamentals, and the steps necessary to become successful homeowners. Our goal is to equip residents with the knowledge and resources needed to achieve financial independence, build generational wealth, and create long-term housing stability.

Meet our Financial Literacy Program Facilitator

Matteo Giunta Fausty is a financial literacy educator, economic empowerment strategist, entrepreneur, and Founder of Capeesh Co, a Baltimore-based marketing and business development firm focused on helping individuals, organizations, and small businesses build sustainable growth and long-term success. As the lead facilitator of the Smart Money Financial Literacy & Economic Empowerment Workshop Series, Matteo delivers dynamic, results-driven financial education designed to equip individuals and families with the tools needed to achieve financial stability, wealth-building, and economic independence.

His instruction focuses on practical application and real-world financial strategies, covering budgeting, credit restoration, debt management, saving, investing, financial planning, and wealth development. By combining financial education with behavioral and mindset-based approaches, Matteo empowers participants to transform financial knowledge into meaningful action and long-term lifestyle change.

Driven by a strong commitment to community advancement and economic equity, Matteo is passionate about expanding access to financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity within underserved communities. Through his work, he continues to advocate for sustainable wealth-building initiatives, mentorship, and community-centered solutions that help close wealth gaps and create stronger, more financially empowered communities.

Introducing Our Financial Literacy Program

Smart Money Financial Literacy & Economic Empowerment Workshop Series

PROGRAM FORMAT

The Smart Money Financial Literacy & Economic Empowerment Program will be delivered as a bi-weekly workshop series held every other Wednesday over a 3-month period, providing structured learning, practical application, and consistent participant engagement.

Program Schedule Structure

Duration: 3 Months
Frequency: Bi-Weekly (Every Other Wednesday)
Session Length: 2–3 hours
Total Instructional Sessions: 6 sessions

PROGRAM DESIGN APPROACH

Each session is intentionally designed to combine:

Financial education
Hands-on application
Real-life financial planning
Coaching and guided support

Participants will have time between sessions to apply what they learn in real-world scenarios, reinforcing behavior change and accountability.

DETAILED PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Month 1 (Sessions 1–2)

Module 1

Break Even: Financial Awareness & Spending Control

Session 1:

Financial mindset, income vs. expenses, understanding financial position

Session 2:

Expense tracking, budgeting exercises, and break-even analysis

Month 2 (Sessions 3–4)

Module 2

Credit Literacy & Responsible Borrowing

Session 3:

Credit fundamentals, scores, and reports

Session 4:

Credit improvement strategies, dispute process, responsible borrowing

Month 3 (Sessions 5–6)

Module 3 Wealth Building and Financial Mobility

Session 5:

Saving Strategies, Investing & Financial Planning

Emergency funds
Saving discipline
Introduction to investing
Budgeting for long-term goals

Session 6:

Economic Opportunity & Financial Mobility

Income growth strategies
Career advancement & entrepreneurship
Final Personal Financial Action Plan Development & Presentation

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

Participants will complete the program with:

A clear understanding of their financial position
A functional budget and expense tracking system
Improved credit awareness and actionable strategies
A structured savings approach
Foundational investment knowledge

A completed Personal Financial Action Plan

Potential Partnership with PNC Bank

We The People United for Change. Inc. (WTPUFC) seeks to establish a collaborative partnership with PNC Bank to expand access to high-quality financial education, banking services, and homeownership resources for residents throughout Baltimore.

Through this partnership, WTPUFC's Smart Money Financial Literacy & Economic Empowerment Program would work alongside PNC Bank's financial education initiatives to create a comprehensive pathway for community members seeking greater financial stability and economic mobility.

Under this collaborative model, WTPUFC would provide community outreach, participant engagement, financial coaching, and ongoing support through our workshop series, while PNC Bank would provide access to financial education resources, banking products, homeownership information, and financial wellness tools available through its community and consumer banking programs.

The partnership would create a direct pipeline connecting participants to trusted financial resources, including:

Financial education workshops and seminars
Banking and savings products
Credit-building resources
Homeownership readiness programs
Mortgage education and lending information
First-time homebuyer resources
Small business and entrepreneurship resources
Financial wellness tools and support services

By combining WTPUFC's community-based approach with PNC Bank's financial expertise and resources, participants would receive both educational guidance and access to practical financial tools that support long-term success.

This collaboration is intended to increase financial inclusion, promote responsible financial decision-making, strengthen pathways to homeownership, and help individuals and families build lasting financial security. Together, WTPUFC and PNC Bank can create greater opportunities for residents to improve their financial well-being and achieve their personal and economic goals.

Why We Need Your Support

Your donation will help us:

Expand our Smart Money Financial Literacy & Homeownership Program in Baltimore.
Provide educational materials and resources for participants.
Increase access to financial education and homeownership opportunities.
Build partnerships that strengthen families and neighborhoods.

Every dollar invested in our work helps create opportunities for individuals and families to move from financial uncertainty toward stability, homeownership, and economic empowerment.

Your Donation Makes a Difference

Every dollar helps us expand financial literacy and homeownership education opportunities for Baltimore residents.

$10 – Provides educational handouts and workshop materials.
$25 – Supports budgeting, credit-building, and financial literacy resources.
$50 – Helps provide tools and materials for financial literacy and homeownership workshops.
$100 – Supports community outreach and financial education programming.
$250 – Helps expand our Smart Money Financial Literacy & Homeownership Program to serve more Baltimore residents.

Your Support Helps Us Provide

✔ Financial Literacy Education

✔ Homeownership Preparation

✔ Credit & Budgeting Resources

✔ Community Outreach & Referrals

Together, we are creating pathways to financial stability, homeownership, and economic empowerment for individuals and families throughout Baltimore.

Join the Movement

Together, we can empower individuals, strengthen families, and create pathways to lasting success.

Donate today and help us build a future where every family has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

Baltimore Community Empowerment & Housing Initiative