Tu Tri – Licensed Financial Professional, Marketing Director, and Community Leader
Tu Tri is a U.S. Air Force veteran, business leader, and licensed financial professional dedicated to empowering families and communities through financial literacy. A graduate of Clark University with a degree in Business Management and UMass Lowell with a degree in Psychology, Tu blends strategic thinking with human understanding to help people build financial independence and generational wealth.
As a Marketing Director with World System Builders, Tu contributes to a national mission to educate 30 million families by 2030, helping them understand how money works and how to create financial freedom. He serves clients across multiple states and uses his platform to make financial education accessible to everyday families.
Tu also serves on the board of a nonprofit organization focused on housing equality and opportunity, where he helps bridge the gap between financial literacy and homeownership.
Born in Alabama and raised in Massachusetts, Tu spent four years in the U.S. Air Force as an F-15 mechanic before building a career in operations management. Today, his mission extends beyond finance—he believes in lifting communities through education, empowerment, and opportunity.
A proud husband and father of five, Tu finds balance in mentoring others and encouraging his children’s growth through sports, academics, and leadership. His personal philosophy is simple: “True wealth begins with knowledge, discipline, and purpose—and grows when we share it with others.”
My past came to visit me. It asked how I was—like it actually gave a damn who I was and how I was doing. The truth? I didn’t care at that time either.
Despite how destitute and wanting I was, I was comfortable. Real smiles. Real laughs. Real work. Real life being lived— all while enormous, unchecked pain and trauma sat beneath it.
I had visions and ambitions for more, but I didn’t yet realize the more I needed was me. The me that God gave when He gave me life.
The me that enhanced the things, not the me who was enhanced by the things. The me that held value because I am, not because of what I had. The me who listened to me, loved me, acknowledged me, saw me. The me who knew I needed help.
But the help hurt.
It wasn’t shallow help. It was the kind of help that mirrored not just my exterior, but my interior. The kind of help that said: “Reset. Start over.” The help that birthed true repentance— not a feel-good version, but that real repentance, that OG metanoia.
I know the internet sensationalizes it, but contrary to the narrative, healing… hurts.
It hurt— to see my insufficiency. to face my childhood trauma. to uncover my overlooked pain. to confront the lies I told myself. to witness how poorly I treated myself. to realize how poorly I allowed others to treat me. to see how poorly I treated others. to see my need to forgive—and be forgiven. to see how much of my potential I ignored. to see how fear held me back. to see how insecurity halted my healing. to face how much I had to unlearn, and how much more I had to learn. to accept the change healing required. to release what healing demanded I let go. to step into discomfort I had always avoided. to wake from nightmares I once called dreams. to recognize foes I once called friends. to finally see— when all along I thought I already saw.
It hurt to heal. But healing… stopped the hurt.
Suffering is a needed and necessary part of life—absolute, at least in my experience. But not all suffering belongs in that category. Upbringing, culture, and other people’s ideas of you are not reasons you should suffer unnecessarily.
It is not only okay—it is absolutely necessary— to do what you must to be better.
It hurts to heal sometimes. But it helps… even more.
Let’s Talk About It…
What’s one truth about yourself you’ve been avoiding because you know it’ll sting to face?
Do you think you’re carrying pain that actually came from other people’s expectations, not your own life?
If healing hurts at first but helps in the long run, what uncomfortable step do you think you might need to take right now?
Em’pris Honorable™ is the founder and owner of Pure Royalty Muziq Entertainment™, also known as Pure Royalty™ or Pure Royalty Studios™. As the launching artist for her label, Em’pris™ brings a unique blend of talents as an extraordinary performing artist, songwriter, choreographer, and all-around entertainer. Born in Winona, Mississippi, Em’pris™ moved to Chicago, Illinois, with her mother at the age of six. Her family’s rich musical heritage, with a bloodline of singers, musicians, and dancers, significantly influenced her career. Em’pris’ late mother played a pivotal role in teaching her how to sing, which later led to her being influenced by renowned female artists such as Patti LaBelle, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, M.C. Lyte, and Queen Latifah. By the age of 13, Em’pris™ began writing her own songs, combining her Southern roots with Midwest influences. Her mother’s encouragement led to Em’pris™ participating in local talent shows and contests, laying the foundation for her future success as an artist.
For years, until 2010, Em’pris™ performed under the moniker Sassi’lino Gambino™ (Sasso), producing secular music and openly expressing her lesbian identity through her art. As a member of the “Swamp Family” squad from 1999 to 2004, Em’pris™ collaborated with notable artists such as Soundmaster T, Jah-Rista, C.O. Tha’ Bad Black, Mony Karlo, and Rain. During this period, she opened for prominent artists, including Ludacris, Redman, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Twista, Do or Die, and Chingy,. just to name a few.
Em’pris™ also made an appearance in the 2003 film “When Thugs Cry” (Hawkfilmz/Lionsgate). In 2004, she joined the Ruff Ryders (Chicago Chapter), further expanding her opportunities to open for major artists like Lil’ Flip, J-Kwon, Dem Franchize Boyz, Lupe Fiasco, DMX, Fat Joe, Jada Kiss, and more. Em’pris officially founded Pure Royalty Muziq Entertainment™ in 2005, establishing an independent record label and performing arts company. In 2008, still Sassi’lino, Em’pris™ was in a competition sponsored by RNG Entertainment and hosted by Shawnna Guy of DTP. Em’pris™ came out on top once again & was crowned Chicago’s Hottest MC.
As a result of her endeavors, Em’pris™ became a member of The World Wide Fleet DJs (Mississippi Division) in 2022, serving as a host and representing as an artist. On August 5th, 2022 at The Flaming Skillet in Greenville, MS, Em’pris™ made her debut on The Hood Idol Tour. The Hood Idol Tour platform allowed Em’pris™ to “Get Her Mojo Back!” as she would say. Em’pris™ has achieved significant recognition, including being nominated for Best Female Artist of the Year three times and being crowned the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Hood Idol Tour Ultimate Winner. In 2025, Em’pris™ will be inducted into the Hood Idol Hall of Fame at the 7th Annual Hood Idol Awards. She is also nominated for, Hood Idol Motivational Artist OTY, Hood Idol Best Female Performance OTY, Hood Idol Best Female Rap Artist OTY & Hood Idol Radio Song OTY.
Despite facing the challenges of losing her mother, Em’pris™ determination and focus have enabled her to overcome adversity and achieve victory. She continues to make music and tour as much as possible. On April 4th, 2025 she released the soulful single entitled: “At My Lowest” featuring E’Swani™. She will also be dropping her new captivating dance track “Boppin’ ” both of which will be available on all platforms.
Em’pris™ is undoubtedly a star in her own right, and her future prospects appear promising. Her recent accolades include being named the 2024 Mississippi Fleet DJs Member of the Month for July, the 2024 Hood Idol Tour Ultimate Winner, and the 2024 Best Female Performance of the Year. Additionally, Pure Royalty Muziq Entertainment™ was nominated for Label/Group of the Year at the 2024 Southern Entertainment Awards. Em’pris™ has also received recognition for her previous wins, including the 2023 Hood Idol Tour Ultimate Winner, the 2023 Best Female Performance of the Year, and the 2022 Hood Idol Tour Ultimate Winner. Em’pris™ and her team, Pure Royalty & Friends, have been hosting a Juneteenth Festival for the community since 2020, June 2025 marked their 5th year.
Em’pris™ also received a notable write-up on SwaysUniverse.com on June 14, 2024, for her single “Ashes in the Whip” featuring E’Swani™ Additional publications includes The Legacy Magazine MS , The Hood Idol Magazine, Straight Official Magazine and more. Her latest releases include the single and video “At My Lowest” featuring E’Swani™ directed by Grammy member/nominee Lex Luga, and filmed by KJ of Monday J Baker Films in Jackson, Mississippi. Other recent releases include “Flex Check (Remix)” and “Ashes in the Whip” featuring E’Swani™< For more information, Em’pris™ official website or social media profiles.
HelpI think back on the emotions, feelings, thoughts, and experiences I had as a kid—the ones I feared uttering aloud—and I have only God to thank that I am alive today. Like so many others who share similar experiences, I grew up in a time when mental health wasn’t understood, let alone prioritized. We just felt it and stayed in a child’s place. We just experienced it and stayed in a child’s place. We just thought it and stayed in a child’s place.More important than life itself back then was the name—the reputation of the family, the group, the neighborhood, the organization. We weren’t taught to keep family business private; we were cultured into it. And “in-house” didn’t just mean keeping it within our home address. It meant keeping it within our circle—our family, our community, our institutions. It started young, and because it was ingrained rather than explicitly taught, many people didn’t even realize they were passing down the habit of silence. They didn’t know that protecting the name was killing us.Abusers, sexual predators, bullies, and just plain cruel people hid under the cover of the name, inflicting trauma that many my age and older could never speak about.They could never say who touched them inappropriately.Who groomed them in secret.Who spoke to them violently.Who beat them horrifically, without cause or reason.Who denigrated and demeaned them until they felt broken beyond repair.They could never acknowledge their own pain—only accept the toxic behaviors and acting out as “just who they are.”They are the products of a culture of quiet. Many of them became the promiscuous, the addicted, the kleptomaniacs, the violent, the withdrawn, the antisocial, the outcast. The ones labeled slow, vicious, menacing. The victims and the victim-makers of sexual abuse. The undisciplined, the hateful. The ones everyone whispers about but never helped before they got to that point.Our young people are hurting, but we are living in an age of information that allows us to see what previous generations couldn’t. The consequences of this silence are no longer just whispered secrets; they are measurable, documented, and devastating. Here’s what the data tells us:What Studies Show About Youth Mental HealthPrevalence: • About 1 in 5 children (20%) experience a mental health disorder in a given year. • The most common disorders include anxiety (9.4%), behavior disorders (8.9%), ADHD (9.8%), and depression (4.4%) (CDC, 2023). • Suicide rates among youth have risen by nearly 60% over the last decade, making it the second leading cause of death among children aged 10-14.Causes & Risk Factors: • Biological: Genetics, brain chemistry, and prenatal exposure to toxins. • Environmental: Family conflict, poverty, exposure to violence, and lack of support. • Social & Cultural: Social media, academic pressure, and discrimination can contribute to stress and anxiety.Effects: • Children with untreated mental health issues are more likely to struggle academically, have difficulty forming relationships, and engage in risky behaviors. • They are also at higher risk for substance abuse and chronic mental health issues in adulthood.Treatment & Access: • Only 50% of children with a diagnosed mental health disorder receive treatment. • Barriers include stigma, lack of trained professionals, and financial or logistical constraints.Breaking the culture of quiet starts with awareness, but it doesn’t end there. The question now is: How can we, as individuals and as a society, ensure that the next generation doesn’t inherit the same silence? What conversations, actions, and changes need to happen to truly support our youth before it’s too late?Let’s Talk About It…
1. How do you think the culture of silence, particularly around mental health, has impacted your own upbringing or the way you view mental health today?
2. What steps can we take as individuals and communities to break the stigma around mental health and create a safe space for young people to open up?
3. In what ways can we better support children and adolescents who are struggling with their mental health, especially those who may not have access to professional help?
The relationship advice industry is a multi-million-dollar business, and as a male hopeless romantic, I can’t help but wonder—what’s the success rate of the advice they’re selling? Everywhere I look, I see one-size-fits-all guidance, repackaged and regurgitated in 15- to 45-second social media clips. Even when you sit through an entire episode of these so-called experts, half the time, you’re left wondering—what are they even talking about?
Sure, some of it sounds great in theory. But how much of what’s being consumed is actually being processed? I watch the videos, then I listen to real conversations, observe real relationships attempting to apply these so-called principles, and honestly? A lot more crap than cream.
I’m not here to knock anyone’s hustle. But why are we taking relationship and marriage advice from people who are unmarried, untested, unproven—or worse, tested and found wanting? Why aren’t we seeking wisdom from those who have been through the wringer and still kept their vows, their rings, and their commitment intact? Why do we cling to the idea that a problem-free man or woman exists anywhere on this planet?
We spend billions of dollars on generic advice that can’t possibly fit the unique dynamics of our relationships. These platforms have their place, but they shouldn’t be stripping us of personal responsibility—responsibility to acknowledge red flags (ours and our partner’s), to do the hard work, and to make life together actually work.
What if, instead of chasing easy answers, we invested in real growth? Mental, physical, and spiritual healing. Healthy habits. Accountability. Self-awareness. Patience. Discipline. Reality. Sacrifice. Service. And most of all—real love.
The simplest life is already infinitely complex. So why do we expect the merging of two lives to be anything but?
I’ll wait…
Your relationship is like a fingerprint—others may have them, but yours is unique to you.
Let’s Talk About It….
How has social media or mass-produced relationship advice influenced your views on love and commitment? Has it helped or harmed your approach to relationships?
What personal work—mentally, physically, or spiritually—do you think is necessary for you to build and sustain a healthy relationship?
In what ways can you embrace the uniqueness of your own relationship rather than comparing it to outside ideals or expectations?
Letha's Real Talk 