Money—how much and how she feels about and manages it—impacts life in so many ways. Regardless of the size of one’s paycheck, one’s relationship with money can mean stability or instability, either helping or hampering one’s dreams. But for many young women, especially women of color, access to sound financial guidance is lacking. Secret is out to empower a new generation by providing access to financial literacy tools.

The Procter & Gamble deodorant brand came to the New York Stock Exchange on March 28, just ahead of Financial Literacy Month in April, to announce its new multi-year financial empowerment initiative to provide one million young women with access to in-depth financial courses and training resources.

“For decades, Secret has proudly supported women’s advancement and equality, celebrating those who push through barriers without ‘sweating’ the obstacles that may come their way. As our programming evolves to meet the needs of our consumers, particularly Gen-Z, we unearthed a major source of stress: money. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, Gen Z adults in the U.S. report the highest level of stress compared to any other generation,” said Kate DiCarlo, senior communications director, personal care portfolio, Procter & Gamble.

According to DiCarlo, focus groups and research revealed that financial literacy and overall financial wellness is important to its consumers.

Gen Z adults in the US report the highest level of stress compared to any other generation, according to the American Psychological Association, and the biggest cause of that stress is money.

Young Women’s Financial Wellness Forum

At the NYSE, Secret’s team joined Seneca Women, a global leadership platform dedicated to amplifying women’s voices, for the Young Women’s Financial Wellness Forum.  Guests included high and college-age school students who were introduced to Secret’s roster of female financial experts that will provide access to financial education—author Berna Anat, financial planning app developer Carmen Perez, The First Gen Mentor Founder Giovanna Gonzalez, Journey To Launch Founder Jamila Souffrant and Marsha Barnes, CEO and founder of The Finance Bar.

The resources, which will be available at Secret.com/MoneyMoves, include:

• Anat’s new book, Money Out Loud – All the Financial Stuff No One Taught Us, which educates and encourages young women of color to talk about money;

• A one-year membership to Perez’s Much budgeting app, which helps women manage money and track their spending;

• Gonzalez’s Budgeting Basics for Women course, which is designed to help young women learn the right money mindset and background needed to build a budget;

• Souffrant’s  Budget Bootcamp, a course with step-by-step guidance on how to create a budget, manage debt and set savings goals; and

• A one-month subscription to The Finance Bar Members Club, which offering a variety of personal finance courses, workbooks to practice their knowledge and access to a community to support your financial wellness journey.

The multi-phased initiative will also take to social media to reach young women through #SecretMoneyMoves, a series of financial literacy social posts that address the ins and outs of prominent financial questions, from how to create a budget, negotiate salary and understand credit score.

During the forum, experts shared money mindset advice, budgeting tips as well as their own personal financial journeys that included mistakes and successes—such as paying off more than $50K in debt, launching their own companies, and rising to the top of the financial world like Sharon Bowen, chair of NYSE, and partner Seneca Women. Bowen is the first woman and POC to hold the post in the exchange’s 229 year history.

“It is no secret that there are systemic, socioeconomic barriers that exacerbate the wealth gap, impacting women and their families and the communities they support. Black and Hispanic women generally have higher unmet financial needs, more student loan debt, and are more likely to struggle financially while in school. As a brand, we want to continue to advance economic equality so women don’t have to sweat financial stress,” said DiCarlo.

“It is also important to connect with a diverse group of women,” DiCarlo continued, “which is why it was imperative for Secret to join forces with multicultural experts to ensure that today’s young women see themselves reflected in a space where they have historically been underrepresented.”

Secret deodorant representative Nicole Diaz was instrumental in getting the program into action with Seneca Women, according to the speakers at the event.

After the financial insight was shared, the young women in attendance headed to the floor of the NYSE to help ring the day’s closing bell.