About

Student debt. Inflation. Unaffordable housing. The cost-of living crisis. AI job displacements.

Adulting is real, and no one handed you a manual.

We hear you. We get YOU. Because we ARE you.

In the Black (ITB) is a Canadian youth-led, youth-powered program that makes financial literacy and life skills real, relevant, digestible, and actually fun. From budgeting and saving to credit and financial planning, we take away the uncertainty and replace it with knowledge.

Our programs are relatable and real - because learning about money and adulting shouldn't be boring or overwhelming. We’re here to make sure that the next generation is not only surviving, or struggling to get out of the red, but thriving in the black.

We believe in

Learning how emotions and ideas about money can be lifelong saboteurs.

Challenging Money Mindsets

Taking a Hands-on Approach to Learning

Facilitating activities to ensure information not only hits, but sticks.

Creating Content That Sinks In

We speak YOUth, not financial jargon.

Work With Us

Meet the Team

  • Cassi Jones

    FOUNDER & CEO


    I truly believe that no matter your past or present, you have the agency to shape what comes next, and that it starts with access to the right knowledge. My hope is to build a future where youth feel confident stepping into adulthood, no matter how uncertain the world feels.

  • Viktoria Dermendzhiyska

    STRATEGY & EVENTS DIRECTOR


    Financial literacy is one of the earliest systems young people encounter, yet it’s rarely explained clearly or honestly in our education systems. ITB stood out to me as a place where education is thoughtful, practical, and designed with intention rather than assumption.

  • Nardos Mekonnen

    SPONSORSHIP DIRECTOR


    I joined ITB to be part of a mission I truly believe in and to make an impact toward that cause, which is helping more youth achieve financial literacy earlier rather than later. I feel like we are working toward a movement that teaches youth the “unsaid” things about adulthood, things no one should have to learn on their own.

  • Anushka Raheja

    MEMBER EXPERIENCE DIRECTOR


    Through the ITB Core workshop series I attended, I realized my lack of financial literacy. ITB’s sessions gave me the confidence to realize that financial decisions don’t need to be intimidating, but just wise. By joining the team, I want to contribute to the mission to educate as many students as possible to have a more confident youth.

  • Nardos Wakjira

    MARKETING DIRECTOR

    I joined ITB as a curious participant in the very first workshop, and I gained so much important knowledge that I feel everyone should have a chance to learn. Having been impacted by that experience, I decided to get involved as a team member to further my own learning and spread the positive impact to youth around the country.

  • Antonio Figueiredo

    CONTENT DIRECTOR

    I joined ITB because I saw a real opportunity to turn financial knowledge into impact. As a finance and statistics student, I’ve learned that understanding money is powerful, but sharing that knowledge is what drives change. ITB aligned perfectly with my desire to educate and empower others through financial literacy.

  • Shayna Hutchinson

    CREATIVE DIRECTOR

    I saw joining ITB as an opportunity to help younger people better understand financial literacy, as well as a way for me to better understand financial literacy myself. I also saw it as a chance to meet new people and be creative while doing it. ‍

  • Lex De Ocampo

    ANALYTICS DIRECTOR

    I joined ITB not only to enhance my own leadership experience, but to deepen my understanding of financial literacy alongside the youth we work with. The privilege to apply both my Statistical and Financial skills for a team empowering youth felt like a golden opportunity.

MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER

From red to black. From uncertainty to knowledge. That’s how it felt navigating adulthood - a whole lot of red, a whole lot of unknowns, and many moments falling down and learning how to get back up again. But somewhere between the chaos and the grind, I realized that what we’re all really searching for is stability, the kind that comes from understanding and owning our money story.

I believe we find strength when we come together, because confidence grows in community, and progress multiplies when we lift each other up.

I believe adulting is a verb - a process, not a destination, and financial literacy is part of that journey.

I believe that economic empowerment isn’t just important. It’s essential for a bright future.

“In the Black is more than a program. It’s a movement, one that empowers every young person we serve to take ownership of their financial story, build generational strength, and thrive while doing it.”
— Cassi Jones, CEO & Founder