The Equity Advocate

Growing up on the east side of Kansas City, where dreams often felt distant, I had no idea about the profound impact of an inequitable society. I knew that it wasn’t normal to live in a house with the electricity, gas, and water all turned off on a frequent basis, often simultaneously. I knew most people didn’t have to run for cover while the neighborhood drug dealer got shot on their front porch. I knew that other families in my area had hardships and challenges as well, but I just assumed we had been dealt a bad hand in life.

What I did not know was that my environment was intentionally manufactured to ensure that the east side of Kansas City stayed poor, Black, and was aggressively disinvested in, leading to higher rates of poverty related crime and low economic access. While the other areas of the city were specifically manufactured to be wealthy and white, receiving large levels of preferential investment. As I got older, I realized this intentionality as I began to work in the wealthier parts of Kansas City and noticed that no other parts have the same level of crime, blight, and limited economic access of the east side.

Through the government sanctioning of policies like Redlining, Blockbusting, and Racially Restricted Covenants, Kansas City, and much of the country, cemented the maintenance and continued growth of the racial wealth gap that stems all the way back to the system of slavery. This insured higher crime rates, disinvested education systems, and the impossibility of asset creation in predominantly Black communities. There is also a strong argument to be made that the lack of economic access coupled with negative media portrayal are key drivers of police bias against Black people.

Now, throughout my life anytime I face a challenge I always maintain the perspective of “there is a solution to this problem”. It is how I survived an upbringing filled with domestic violence, addiction, and extreme poverty. So, in becoming aware of the intentional racist context of east Kansas City, I had that same thought and was eager to figure out a solution. We all know that our way of thinking is informed by our upbringing and experiences, and I can say that my time in the military, studying the legal system in college, and running businesses has significantly influenced how I see the world and its problems.

When looking at this challenge logically, the solutions are clear. Data has shown us that homeownership, higher education, workforce development, and entrepreneurship are all clear paths to upward economic mobility. While an intentional approach to provide these things to the Black community through policy change would be phenomenal, that is unlikely to happen. The quickest and most effective approach is investing in the philanthropic organizations on the ground that are providing these things directly in the Black community.

Once I became aware of this information regarding the challenges and solutions of inequity, I had no choice but to take action. I got involved in nonprofit organizations which ultimately led to the launch of the organization I lead today. Generating Income For Tomorrow (G.I.F.T.) is focused on closing the racial wealth gap through providing grant funding and full business support to Black owned businesses in historically redlined areas. I have always been a fierce advocate for what I believe in, and my work in racial equity is no different. At G.I.F.T. we take aggressive innovative action to create economic equity in the Black community, and we call out institutional power when they constantly give the same tired solutions and watered down approaches that have been tried for years, with no critical results. Aggressive, innovative action is necessary to move the needle.

I encourage you to take aggressive innovative action on the inequity of all human rights. A challenge like systemic racism and inequity, may feel like too large of a problem for an individual to have a critical impact on. However, I want to assure you that you have power. You have political power, exercised through how you choose to vote. This is the power most people are familiar with already. You have economic power, exercised through how you choose to spend your money. Simply using products or services provided by Black owned businesses contributes to the economic growth of the Black community and the closure of the racial wealth gap. You also have philanthropic power, exercised through where you choose to donate to. You do not have to be a millionaire to be a philanthropist. A simple donation of $10/month can drive significant impact at the nonprofits that are on the ground doing the work. A critical mass of individuals supporting Black led nonprofits with proven results in areas related to the racial wealth gap, would be a phenomenal display of collective philanthropic power.

If you share my frustration with systemic inequities, I urge you to mobilize every ounce of your power to dismantle them. I firmly believe in the possibility of a truly equitable America, but it requires our collective action to make it a reality. Stand with me—become an equity advocate, harness your power, and drive the change we desperately need. Let's turn our shared vision into an inspiring movement for justice.