A National Edutainment Movement. Where financial literacy meets imagination — powered by student storytellers and brought to life by MBV Studios, John Hope Bryant, and Tim Birt of Tim Birt Enterprises.
His StoryThe journey began with words — John Hope Bryant's books Up From Nothing, Financial Literacy for All, and Capitalism for All — which inspired the youth and adults of Make Believe Village to create something unexpected: a short film, told entirely from their own perspective, about money, freedom, and what financial literacy actually looks like for young people who've rarely seen themselves in that story.
Students at MBV Studios didn't simply read about financial literacy — they reimagined it.
That creative gift was presented to John Hope Bryant at his Atlanta book launch — and what happened next changed everything. Bryant surprised the students with an in-person, sit-down interview that ignited a real partnership. From that moment, Financial Ed™ was born.
None of it would have come together without Tim Birt of Tim Birt Enterprises — MBV partner and philanthropist — whose strategic vision aligned the right partners and brought Dorian Forbes' ideas from concept to reality. Financial Ed exists because our youth desired to create and do more, and Birt and Forbes saw what this partnership could become and made it real.
Read the Full Story
Making money make sense — through filmmaking, storytelling, and hands-on learning that young people actually connect with.
Financial Ed blends filmmaking, puppetry, animation, music, television, digital media, and AI into an educational experience that makes money make sense — not through spreadsheets, but through narrative students create themselves.
Financial Ed combines project-based learning with creative production, giving students hands-on tools to explore money, entrepreneurship, and emerging technology in ways that are experiential, collaborative, and culturally relevant.
Financial Ed™ is creating the next generation of financially empowered storytellers, leaders, and entrepreneurs — and inviting school systems, corporations, media companies, and foundations to build that future alongside them.
John Hope Bryant — founder of Operation HOPE, Bryant Group Ventures, and author of Up From Nothing, Financial Literacy for All, and Capitalism for All — is one of America's foremost voices on economic empowerment and financial dignity. It is an honor that he has expressed his willingness to participate with Financial Ed in whatever role best supports expanding financial literacy in schools from K through 12th grade.
Tim Birt of Tim Birt Enterprises — MBV partner and philanthropist — is the bridge that made this vision real. His strategic relationship capital aligned the right partners, bringing Dorian Forbes' ideas from concept to the stage. Tim partnered with Forbes to teach and train youth in filmmaking from A to Z — leading into job readiness, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and careers across the industry.
This nonprofit arm of MBV affords the opportunity to create, develop, and reach youth across the globe. MBV students are working alongside top talent in the industry and being challenged to achieve their highest level of creativity.
Together, MBV Studios, Bryant, and Birt are building a new model for financial education — one where imagination becomes innovation, creativity becomes career readiness, and every student has the opportunity to understand, create, and own their financial future.
Learn About John Hope BryantFinancial literacy is no longer optional. Financial Ed™ invites visionary school systems, corporate sponsors, media companies, foundations, and community partners to help build a new model for financial education — one where imagination becomes innovation, creativity becomes career readiness, and every child has the opportunity to understand, create, and own their future.
