Submitted By Deborah George
Twenty-five years ago, eleven African American friends with a shared vision on women empowerment and Investing for the future gathered one Sunday afternoon and decided to establish an investment club. Thus, was the birth of Female Investment Group in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Our investment knowledge was as diverse as the club members which included a public servant, educators, an accountant, public health worker, human resource administrator and entrepreneurs. The club is comprised of two generations and represents 3 Greek-letter sororities: Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Kappa Alpha & Zeta Phi Beta. Sixty-four percent of the members were graduates from Historically Black Universities & Colleges.
Fast forward to 2023, FIG remains an all-female investment club with fifty-five percent of the founding members still active members, three generations are represented and of the eleven dedicated members, ages range from 30 something to 80 something. We meet virtually 6 times a year and celebrate the holiday season in person in December. Our membership is without borders; Members reside in New York, Georgia, and South Florida. Dues are $660/year. We fondly call ourselves “the FIG sisters” as we are ready to support each other and families during challenging and celebratory times.
BetterInvesting invaluable resources and our commitment to practicing BetterInvesting 4 Principles is reflective of FIG’s great aptitude in navigating both bullish and bearish markets and our ability to have made some phenomenal investment decisions over the years.
During the past 25 years, FIG’s membership ranged from 8-11 members and excluding members payouts, commitment to community service donations, and monetary gifts to members, our portfolio to date is greater than $395k. We have not only cultivated our own interests in investing, but we have also ensured that the knowledge we’ve accumulated is utilized for the greater good.
As we celebrate 25 years of unwavering commitment, perseverance, and the courageous investing with FIG members both past and present, we recognize that women investors are still underrepresented. It is our hope that FIG is a testament for other women interested in investing or starting an investment club.
