Russell Simmons to Ring NASDAQ Opening Bell Today

Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will celebrate its fifth anniversary today by ringing the opening bell of The NASDAQ Stock Market at 9:30am at the NASDAQ MarketSite Location.

The NASDAQ Stock Market is the largest U.S. electronic stock market. With approximately 3,200 companies on the NASDAQ, it lists more companies and, on average, trades more shares per day than any other U.S. market.

HSAN co-founders Chairman Russell Simmons and President/CEO Dr. Benjamin Chavis will participate in the honorary Opening Bell ceremony live from the Time Square NASDAQ studio.

"On June 14 five years ago, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network was formed in New York City under the theme of 'Taking Back Responsibility' in the Hip-Hop community," Simmons stated. "Today, we are ringing the opening bell at The NASDAQ Stock Market as a reaffirmation of our commitment to empower people financially, and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network is the largest nonprofit, worldwide coalition of Hip-Hop artists and entertainment industry executives who believe that Hip-Hop is an enormously influential agent for positive social change."

The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network launched a national, two year financial empowerment tour in 2005 with title sponsor Chrysler Financial and presenting sponsor Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Titled “Get Your Money Right,” the 2006 financial literacy and empowerment tour kicked off in Detroit in March.   Celebrities and financial experts speak to an audience of 18-35 year olds on the importance of financial literacy, the basics of banking, home ownership, repairing bad credit and understanding credit scores, entrepreneurship, vehicle financing and more. A financial workbook is given to all participants and is available in both English and Spanish.

 “HSAN understands attainment of financial literacy is a life long process and with their support we have found a way to provide the basics of money management with the ultimate goal of raising the awareness and importance of sound financial habits in summit participants,” said William F. Jones Jr., Vice President – Chrysler Financial. “Artists sharing their personal stories have been an effective teaching method.”

The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network is the largest non-profit, worldwide coalition of hip-hop artists and entertainment industry executives who believe that Hip-Hop is an enormously influential agent for positive social change. HSAN is responsible for organizing massive public awareness campaigns around the important issues of financial literacy, community empowerment, youth voter registration and mobilization, public education advocacy and reforming mandatory minimum sentencing laws, among others.