The free two-day DFREE® festival at Kean University connects AI access, financial empowerment, and wealth-building, with Dee C. Marshall serving as co-host, while celebrating the DFREE® Movement’s 20-year legacy.
DeForest B. Soaries and Dee Marshall
Nationwide — As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms how people work, learn, earn, build businesses and create wealth, the DFREE® Movement is bringing communities together to ensure everyone has an opportunity to participate in—and benefit from—the emerging economy. The DFREE® Global Foundation announced that FinFe$T 2026 will take place Nov. 13–14 at Kean University in Union, New Jersey. The free, two-day financial empowerment and artificial intelligence festival will be presented under the theme “AI 4 U$: Access = Success.” Powered by Prudential and RWJBarnabas Health, FinFe$T 2026 will combine financial empowerment, technology education, career development, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, and practical access to artificial intelligence tools and resources.
Envisioned by Dr. DeForest B. Soaries Jr., founder of the DFREE® Movement and DFREE® Global Foundation, Inc., FinFe$T has become a vibrant hub for education, opportunity, and financial empowerment. Now in its seventh year, the event serves families, young people, entrepreneurs, creatives, small business owners, and anyone committed to defining their path to financial freedom. This year’s FinFe$T will also celebrate the DFREE® Movement’s more than 20-year legacy of helping individuals, families, and communities pursue financial freedom. Prudential and RWJBarnabas Health will serve as lead partners of FinFe$T 2026, bringing expertise and resources related to financial security, economic opportunity, physical health, behavioral health, and overall wellness. KreditVerse, Kean University, and NJAI Hub will also serve as core partners, helping advance youth development, education, innovation, and future readiness.
Dee C. Marshall, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner at AI Training Plus, will serve as co-host of FinFe$T 2026. Marshall is also the founder of The People Side of AI, a global, people-first initiative advancing a non-regulatory observance of AI’s human impact across Africa, East Asia, Europe, North America and the Pacific Region.
“For more than 20 years, the DFREE® Movement has helped individuals and families pursue financial freedom, and FinFe$T continues that work by expanding access to the knowledge, tools and opportunities our communities need to thrive,” said Dr. Soaries. “We are deeply grateful to RWJBarnabas Health and Prudential for their continued partnership and for helping make our seventh annual FinFe$T possible. Prudential’s 15-year partnership with DFREE® reflects our shared, long-term commitment to helping families achieve financial freedom. This year’s collaboration represents a powerful continuation of that work.”
FinFe$T 2026 is designed for people at every stage of life, from students exploring future careers and entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses to professionals preparing for an AI-influenced economy and families working to strengthen their financial futures. Featured speakers will include Dee C. Marshall and Reverend Dr. Justin R. Lester, whose innovative use of technology to remain present and connected with his congregation attracted the attention of The New York Times and CNN.
Programming will address practical and timely questions, including:
• Can AI help people make smarter financial decisions?
• Which jobs will AI change, and how can workers prepare?
• How can small businesses use AI to compete and grow?
• Can AI become a tool for building wealth and closing opportunity gaps?
• How can families protect themselves from scams, misinformation, and privacy risks?
• How can young people prepare to participate in—and help shape—the AI economy?
• How can financial, physical and behavioral wellness work together to strengthen families?
Friday, Nov. 13, will focus on youth, faith, and leadership under the banner “Access Starts Early.” Programming will include youth financial literacy and AI-access workshops, career readiness, credit and entrepreneurship education, behavioral health resources, a Faith Symposium, and a gathering of DFREE® Movement leaders and supporters. KreditVerse will serve as a central partner in the youth experience.
Saturday, Nov. 14, will offer a broader community experience connecting attendees with practical information, trusted experts, and resources related to money management, artificial intelligence, careers, entrepreneurship, wealth building, and family wellness. Sessions will be organized around the real questions people are asking about AI and its impact on their lives and financial futures.
At the heart of FinFe$T 2026 is a clear commitment: AI should not widen the wealth gap. It should become a practical tool for expanding access, creating opportunity, and advancing financial freedom.
FinFe$T 2026 is free and open to the public. The event will take place Nov. 13–14 at Kean University in Union, New Jersey.
Register HERE and download the event app through Whova.
About the DFREE® Movement
DFREE® is a transformational financial-freedom movement that empowers individuals, families, and communities with the knowledge, tools, and support necessary to address debt, strengthen financial wellness, and pursue greater economic opportunities. Established by Dr. DeForest B. Soaries Jr. in July 2005, the DFREE® Movement provides comprehensive educational resources and strategies designed to enlighten, motivate, and equip people pursuing financial freedom, particularly in underserved communities. The DFREE® initiative gained national attention following its inclusion in a 90-minute CNN documentary. For more than 20 years, the DFREE® Movement has helped hundreds of thousands of people across the globe move toward lives of financial freedom, purpose, and possibility while advancing financial autonomy and creating pathways to more prosperous futures.
For press inquiries, contact:
Desiree Peterkin Bell
DPBell & Associates
646-489-1620
dpbell@desireepeterkinbell.com