Taji Mag was fortunate enough to catch up with Auria Moore, licensed Life Insurance! See her advice on a necessary, but seldom spoke of topic in our community.

Taji: How did you dive into the life insurance business?

Auria: I was probably the least likely candidate for the Life Insurance industry. As a young teenager, I made a decision to be totally immersed in the fashion world. I wanted that “glamorous” life and pursued it through an education at Fashion Industries H.S. followed by a bachelors degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology. As I matured and became more aware of the world around me (not the fancy world I strived to be apart of, but the real world in plain view from my Brooklyn window), I began to feel a disconnect… a conflict of interest. I worked 50-60 hours per week, stressed over the sales of clothing… CLOTHING. Why??? Why was I making myself sick from the stress over something so trivial. And not just any clothing, but lines/brands that sell for, on average, $100 a piece yet cost $3 to produce. I was helping keep the 1% rich off of the blood, sweat, and tears of my own people. I came to the sad realization that my people (and I) needed a major wake up call and priority reevaluation. I experienced the life of a mundane 9-5…6…7 just to pay bills and put a little something nice on my feet or on my back. I learned there was something much more important that was IS missing in our community. And that’s financial awareness, financial preparedness, financial accountability for ourselves and our generations to come. I asked myself one question “Bobby and Susie have trust funds, why don’t we?”… the rest is history.

Taji: Why is life insurance important?

Auria: Life Insurance is not only important, but imperative for a number of reasons. The most apparent reason is the future protection for one’s family, estate, business(es), and any goals that have been worked towards passionately. Too many of us sadly have to go door to door, or most recently with the reach of social media, set up a “Go Fund Me” just to put a loved one to rest. It’s not bad enough dealing with the loss of a soul that can never be replaced, now everyone who depended on this soul will most likely endure physical and financial upheaval. A provider is gone and there’s nothing to show for him/her other than memories formed over the years. It’s just not fair. The less apparent reason is much greater than the here and now. My target client is my urban community for a very specific reason. I’m a huge proponent of building Black wealth because until we can build our own and learn to support each other’s entrepreneurial endeavors with our own dollars, our opposition will always be able to break us down. There’s a statistic on the length of time the Black dollar circulates around the black community vs. other communities. Jewish dollars stay within the Jewish community for months. Asian dollars stay within the Asian community for weeks. On average, the Black dollar stays within the Black community for FOUR HOURS. We must build wealth amongst our own and hold onto it. The easiest way to do that is to inherit it and continue to teach our children and grandchildren about true wealth so that they are able to maintain and further grow the legacies we leave behind… and the best part of it all is that it’s so much more affordable than people think.

Taji: How affordable can life insurance be for someone on a low budget?

Auria: If you can afford to spend $25 on coffee or takeout over a span of 30 days, then you can afford to make yourself worth $1 million and pass that along to your family at the time they need it most. What does $25 do for you in a month? What can $1 million do for your family in a lifetime? It’s all about priorities and there’s no reason why your family shouldn’t be at the top of that list.

Taji: What are you doing to spread the word to people in the Black community?

Auria: I’m fortunate enough to be in contact with awesome forward thinking business-minded people like the production team behind Taji Mag. Features and community seminars allow me a venue to spread the word and continue to educate. Often, I am at Nicholas Brooklyn (located at 560 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY) just having discussions with like-minded and curious members of the community.  I will talk to any and everyone who will listen. I also rely heavily on word-of-mouth referrals and personal testimonials as any business owner does. If you are interested in making a better life for yourself and your family, I can be reached at (646) 673-3281. Feel free to call or even shoot me a text. I’m here for you.

Thank you Auria for sharing your insight and being available to our community. The more we know, the better we do!