Quad-A VISION draws 900 amid DEI backlash

The Association of African American Financial Advisors held its 25th VISION conference in early September 2026 at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C., drawing about 900 Black financial professionals, students and guests. Sponsors included JPMorgan Wealth Management, UBS and Wells Fargo. Media personality Stephen A. Smith and financial literacy advocate John Hope Bryant were among on-stage participants during a period of political backlash against diversity initiatives.

Quad-A’s chief executive, Sheena Gray, attributed higher attendance to growing membership and expanded corporate partnerships, noting that firms are sending more advisors to the conference than in previous years. The conference theme was The Wealth Shift: Ownership, Legacy & the Next Era. Quad-A partnered with Invest in Others and included programming aimed at next-generation advisors.

Organizers introduced a case study competition with 10 finalists; a Howard University sophomore won the contest. The event featured a student track and hosted about 20 high school attendees to expose younger people to careers in financial planning.

John Hope Bryant joined a fireside chat with Quad-A board chair Alex David and emphasized wealth literacy and the adoption of artificial intelligence tools by advisors. Stephen A. Smith took part in a conversation with board member Eric Harley on the intersections of finance and media.

Awards presented at the conference included the Spirit of the VISION Leadership Award to Marie L. Taylor of Edward Jones, the first woman to receive that honor, and the Financial Planning Rising Stars Award to Chukwudi Uraih. Former NFL player Wale Ogunleye, now head of sports and entertainment at UBS Global Wealth Management, was named among Leaders to Watch in Wealth.

Quad-A announced plans for year-round programming, including a next-generation webinar series, a podcast featuring registered investment advisors and a fourth-quarter focus on advisor independence. The organization said it will return to the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq and hold sessions on Capitol Hill in 2027 with partners at the Financial Services Institute to present policy priorities.

The conference marked the 25th anniversary of the VISION event, founded by LeCount Davis to increase representation of Black advisors in wealth management.