From Education to Empowerment: How a Podcast Builds Stronger Communities

JJ Foster, Assistant Vice President, CRA Mortgage Loan Officer, helps individuals and families buy homes using conventional mortgages* and programs targeting underserved communities. But JJ’s impact goes beyond his work at Lake City Bank—he’s also a key member of Our Neutral Voices, an organization dedicated to strengthening and empowering the Black community in the Fort Wayne area. He hosts the Our Neutral Voices Financial Podcast, designed to help individuals thrive financially, especially in underserved communities. We talked with JJ about the podcast and the inspiration behind it.

What is Our Neutral Voices, and how did you get involved?

We see Our Neutral Voices as the heartbeat of Fort Wayne’s Black community. We aim to help people achieve a better life by taking ownership of choices that lead to a life outside of poverty and oppression. The financial podcast is one component of the Our Neutral Voices offering. I joined Our Neutral Voices after being a guest on their Respect the Game podcast. That experience led to me cohosting the financial podcast, and I’ve been involved ever since.

What inspired you to join the podcast?

I’d talked about doing a podcast for years and had even been approached about doing a radio show. Our Neutral Voices founder James Scott and producer Tamra Stier’s vision is bigger than just the podcast; it’s about empowering underserved communities. Their drive and commitment to the cause inspired me to join the movement.

What is the goal of the podcast? Who is it for?

Our goal is to educate and inform mainly underserved communities. That includes low-to-moderate income households; minority communities of all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds; and young adults. But honestly, the information we share is useful for anyone! We pick two financial topics each month—such as taxes, budgeting, and credit—and we time them strategically to help people when they need it most. For example, we cover taxes ahead of tax season.

Why is financial literacy so important, and especially for the Black community?

When people understand money—how to budget, save, and invest—they can make better decisions, avoid financial problems, and build wealth. Financial literacy gives people control over their finances and helps them create a stable future. It’s especially important in the Black community, where there are challenges like the racial wealth gap and limited access to resources.

How has the podcast made a difference?

We hear all the time from listeners who wish they’d learned about financial literacy sooner. People thank us for sharing tips and resources they can actually use. I’ve even had clients and other organizations tell me how much they appreciate what we’re doing.

What are some common misconceptions about building wealth? How does your podcast help to correct them?

I’ve heard so many:

You need a high-paying job to build wealth.
You must follow financial experts’ advice without question
Saving money alone is enough to build wealth.
Building wealth takes a lot of time; you can’t do it quickly.
You need to be an expert to invest and manage money.
You must invest in the stock market to build wealth.
Debt is always bad and should be avoided at all costs.
Building wealth is only for the wealthy.

We’re working to correct these misconceptions by staying in touch with the community, developing our podcasts, and providing resources and educational platforms that share support and solutions. Our Neutral Voices is built on five pillars, including a financial pillar that I’m directing with partners from the financial world. We’re building a “network of networks” to provide access and information to help people build sustainable financial futures.

What’s one piece of financial advice everyone should know?

The power of compound interest! Starting small and being consistent can lead to big gains over time. Another important lesson is the value of building strong relationships—they can open doors and create opportunities.

What’s next for the podcast?

We want to keep reaching more people and making a difference. Our dream is to see poverty decrease by 25% in the areas that need it most. To do that, we’re working on building financial support for the program and finding sponsors for every podcast episode.