The Hustle Blog

Note from the Dandy--

It's been awhile! I've been (not so quietly) working for the past 4 years or so. One of the new updates was I was able to hire a new worker! This is his first blog, written sometime ago when he first got started and was doing some research on my behalf. His write up was pretty good, so I decided to include it in our blog!

If you are looking for funding for your business, I can help you out! Claim a free consultation with me to learn more: https://www.digitaldandelions.com/free-consultation

In the meantime, Mister Charles is going to take over from here. I'll have his bio at the end of the blog (and every entry that he submits). Enjoy!

Introduction 

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are specialized financial entities dedicated to providing credit, capital, and financial services to underserved communities, including low-income households and minority groups (CDFI Fund, 2021). Their primary mission is to foster economic development, create jobs, and offer affordable housing. Emerging in the 1970s in response to the financial exclusion of marginalized communities, CDFIs were significantly influenced by the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, which encouraged banks to address the credit needs of all communities (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 2020).

CDFIs play a crucial role in financial inclusion by serving areas often overlooked by traditional banks, thereby promoting economic growth and stability. Unlike traditional financial institutions that prioritize profitability, CDFIs focus on social impact, offering more flexible loan terms and accepting higher risks to better serve their target communities (Local Initiatives Support Corporation [LISC], 2022).

Overview

Brooklyn is home to a robust network of CDFIs serving its diverse population. These financial institutions, including community development banks, credit unions, and loan funds, provide essential financial services to underserved residents and businesses (Brooklyn Cooperative Credit Union, 2023). With a focus on minority and women-owned enterprises, Brooklyn CDFIs play a vital role in addressing economic disparities and fostering community development (NYC Neighbourhood Capital Corporation [NYCNCC], 2022).

Key CDFIs in Brooklyn

Brooklyn is home to several prominent CDFIs that play a crucial role in the borough's economic development:

Brooklyn Cooperative Federal Credit Union: This member-owned financial institution offers a range of financial services to the community, with a particular focus on low-to-moderate income individuals and small businesses (Brooklyn Cooperative Credit Union, 2023).

NYC Neighbourhood Capital Corporation (NYCNCC): This citywide organization plays a vital role in Brooklyn's economic growth by providing loans and investments to projects that benefit low-income communities (NYCNCC, 2022).

Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC): While operating on a broader scale, PCDC significantly impacts Brooklyn's healthcare sector by providing financing and support to healthcare facilities in underserved areas (PCDC, 2023).

These institutions are essential in providing financial access and support to Brooklyn residents and businesses.

Impact on the Brooklyn Community

Brooklyn's CDFIs have significantly impacted the community in several key areas. By providing loans and support, they've fostered the growth of small businesses, particularly those owned by minorities, who often face barriers in traditional banking (Brooklyn Cooperative Credit Union, 2023). CDFIs have played a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of life in Brooklyn neighborhoods. By financing community facilities alongside housing projects, they contribute to a holistic approach to community development (LISC, 2022). Moreover, their rapid response to the COVID-19 crisis showcased their ability to be agile and responsive to community needs, underscoring their position as essential partners in building resilient communities (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 2020).

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite their success in Brooklyn, CDFIs face primary challenges such as limited resources and the need for increased funding to meet growing demand (CDFI Fund, 2021). These CDFIs struggle to scale their impact due to regulatory complexity and specialized risk management expertise (NYCNCC, 2022). Opportunities for addressing these challenges include partnerships with larger financial institutions, philanthropic organizations, and government agencies. Additionally, leveraging technology to enhance services and reach a broader audience can help CDFIs streamline operations and provide more efficient services to clients (Local Initiatives Support Corporation [LISC], 2022).

Conclusion

CDFIs are essential to Brooklyn's economic health. By providing financial services and support to underserved communities, they foster inclusive growth and development. Their role in creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and preserving affordable housing is invaluable (Brooklyn Cooperative Credit Union, 2023). As Brooklyn continues to evolve, the ongoing support of CDFIs through government, private sector, and community partnerships will be crucial to ensuring a prosperous and equitable future for all residents (PCDC, 2023).

References

Brooklyn Cooperative Credit Union. (2023). Annual Report: Financial Inclusion in Brooklyn. Retrieved from https://www.brooklyn.coop/

CDFI Fund. (2021). CDFI Fund Annual Report. Retrieved from https://www.cdfifund.gov/

Federal Reserve Bank of New York. (2020). Community Development Financial Institutions: Challenges and Opportunities. Retrieved from https://www.newyorkfed.org/

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). (2022). LISC National Community Investment Report. Retrieved from https://www.lisc.org/

NYC Neighborhood Capital Corporation (NYCNCC). (2022). Annual Report: Impact in Brooklyn. Retrieved from https://www.nycncc.org/

Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC). (2023). Annual Report: Investing in Health Equity. Retrieved from https://www.pcdc.org/

About the Author: Charles Oppong

Business and Technical Writer, Digital Dandelions Technical Solutions LLC

Does Survival Really Unify Us?

Everyone seems to have a lot to say about Millenials (and Gen Z). As a Millenial myself, I'm glad that everyone has finally agreed that we're all in our 30s by now. Some of us have mortgages. A lot of us have student debt.

Additionally, I feel a lot of kinship with Gen-Z: they had to learn how to duck and cover at an early age. Despite this, many of them lost classmates to gun violence. My generation had Columbine when I was in Elementary School. I remember therapists handing out Radlin like candy to keep "problem children" from acting out. I know some people who still have problems to this day from being over-medicated.

In Middle School, I remember watching airplanes fly into the World Trade Center some 100 different times. By the time Millenials got to college, we all graduated into an economic downturn that sparked the Occupy Movement. Back when my knees were better, police were holding people at gunpoint and beating people then. A decade later, the police were doing the same thing to Gen Z in the Black Lives Matter movements in 2020.

Our culture paints survival as a badge of honor. I still maintain that it is. We all live to "tell the tale."

However, no one talks about the isolating aspect of survival.

I began with some unifying generalizations about my generation and the generation behind us. These are some things we all have in common growing up in the United States. These commonalities don't mean these things bring us together. In fact, Millenials are some of the most isolated people I know. We have fewer marriages, fewer families, fewer friendships.

Ask a Millenial why, even those who have obtained these social milestones, and we'll agree that all these things take money. You have to have stability for a relationship, for a family. It's hard to make and maintain friendships if doing something as simple as going out to dinner is a financial burden.

Cultural Mismatch: Your Experiences make up your culture

In my last blog, I spoke about the isolation I felt when living with my parents in Eden, NC. There was a financial aspect to it, yes. I had just graduated, and I had no money. My parents had also lost their primary home from the economic downturn, so they also had no money. We did very little going out, few family dinners. Everyone was striving to survive together, but I still personally felt very isolated.

I felt this isolation despite living on our ancestral land. Most of the houses around ours were our cousins and other family. Logically, this should have been the place where I had the most people in common with me. However, most of these family members never left Eden. They were happy to live where they were, which was good, but they couldn't understand anyone who had lived outside of their bubble. Even my parents, who had lived in a larger city, went on cruises and trips when they had money and owned their businesses. It was difficult for them even to hold conversations with our neighbors and family.

For me personally, my experiences were going to college, living outside the state and outside the country for a few years. College is a time when you learn and experience the most. You quickly find that the people around you don't have anything in common with you anymore. Shared culture has everything to do with lived experiences.

Common Blood, Uncommon Experiences

Two of my favorite people, both sisters, were discussing the differences they have with their parents. Their father worked at INTERPOL, and he frequently worked elsewhere. Their mother was a diplomat, so she also traveled for work. Additionally, my friends went to school in several countries, including Singapore, America, Australia.

Now they are all living in one house. Their father is retired. The mother is doing more diplomatic work at home. One of the sisters lives with her parents after graduating, and it's been a very isolating experience for her too. While they all love each other and continue to call each other, all the family members have different approaches to problems. It can seem like they have nothing in common at all beyond blood. Still, as we've discussed, it's because of their different life experiences.

Chronic Loneliness: Avoiding the Othering

Families can work through different experiences. It's a great way of building understanding about different perspectives and growing together as people. In my personal experience, my mother has changed a lot of her eating habits because of my experiences elsewhere. It's helped improve her health, and she has new recipes to share with her friends. Embracing what makes us different is always the best approach to relationships.

However, when we cannot embrace our differences, it leads to othering. Othering is when you perceive people to be outside the norm or outside of your group. In extreme cases, othering can blind you to the perspectives of the people around you. If you only see people in relation to their social group instead of as individuals with their own experiences, you have perceived them to be the other.

Typically othering is applied to how individuals perceive each other; however, you can also "other" yourself.

Kurzgesagt discusses the impacts of Loneliness, specifically chronic Loneliness. Human beings are social creatures, and we are all built with instinctual needs to bond with one another. Our ability to bond with each other, and every domesticated animal on Earth, has lead to our specie's success. Rejection, then, occurs as literal mental anguish and pain.

Therefore, cultural mismatches can demotivate us. It is easy to isolate yourself to avoid the pain that it causes us. It can lead to thought patterns where you perceive that you have nothing in common with the people around you, othering yourself and othering your community.

Resisting Rejection Aversion

As a business owner will tell you, running a business involves a lot of rejection. Even as someone trying to become an employee, you will face a lot of rejection. In my last blog, I spoke about how my immediate post-collegial experience greatly demotivated me. I had begun to devalue my skills, my professionalism, even down to my appearance.

Feeling culturally mismatched, isolated, and bothered can hinder your ability to move forward with your career. The pain that comes with rejection can press you to avoid situations where you will experience it again. This trauma response makes it impossible to forge collations. As they say, no successful business can be kept in secret. It isn't easy to sell anything to someone you feel is unlike you- be your business, skills, or even what you can offer in your relationships.

As Kurzgesagt suggested, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) can overcome chronic Loneliness. In CBT, a therapist works with you to tailor solutions to the way you think of yourself and others. Therapy is a fascinating science, and they have many techniques to help you improve how you perceive events in your life.

If you feel culturally mismatched, here are some questions to ask yourself to begin working on your path to your goals:

"Am I really culturally mismatched?":

Sometimes there are people around with who you share things in common. You have to give them a chance. If you feel safe, open up and talk. Find local dives, events, and hobbies that you are interested in.

"Am I othering the people around me?":

If you have been rejected before, it's easy for you to form habits to avoid that feeling of rejection. Avoid generalizing people based on what group they're in. Always try to approach people as individuals- not as a monolith part of a group. You may discover good people by changing your thinking.

"Do I need to move?":

Sometimes the place where you are is just not feasible for your goals. Human beings bond, but we also learned how to travel to places that suit our needs. When I found that no one was hiring from my zip code, I promptly moved elsewhere. Save up, make a plan. Many programs can help you relocate for work. You may have to ask others for help.

How to Ask for Help

Asking for help can be very hard. However, when I began asking others for help and attending events in the community, I started to find success. Most importantly, my life became much richer and more fulfilling.

One thing that I have learned about myself is that I am an explorer. I love going on adventures and discovering new things. When I began to see individuals and their different perspectives as things to discover, I found the basis for my business. As a consultant, my value comes from my varying experiences and the different conversations I've had.

I am delighted to have created this tool with one of my clients: a place to store all of your career-building items in one place. It would go on to become the basis for one of our products, a run-of-show bible for your business, everything you need to run in one place.

If you'd like to find out how we can help you on your professional journey, book a free appointment with us here: https://www.digitaldandelions.com/free-consultation

Sources

"Millennials in Adulthood: Detached from Institutions, Networked with Friends." Pew Research Center. March 7, 2014 https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2014/03/07/millennials-in-adulthood/

"What is Othering?" VeryWellMind.com. December 13, 2020 https://href.li/?https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-othering-5084425

"Loneliness." Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell. February 17, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3Xv_g3g-mA

This year would mark 9 years since I graduated from NC A&T. I have come to many conclusions since then: particularly, how to forged my career path and why it took so long to accept my talents. I want my story to help you on their journey.

The year was 2012. I had just obtained my Engineering degree after 6 years of hard work, study abroad excursions, and University research expeditions. I would have probably still been at A&T doing Climate Research with the University of Minnesota if I hadn't elected to graduate.

However, it was promptly after the economic downturn. All of my prospects had dried up. Time Warner Cable, while they had appreciated my work, the company had overturned. No one left working there even remembered who I was, never mind how valuable my engineering, production manuals had been. I had pursued patent writing at the US Patent Office in Alexandria, VA, but no one ever followed up with me. It was a dismal time.

Cultural Mismatch: An Aversion to North Carolina

I was living with my parents after 6 years of living abroad, living out of state, and generally just being independent. However, I was severely culturally mismatched. Here is why--

Eden, NC, is composed of retirees with very few economic opportunities for locals. Staying there would have been a lethal financial decision. Additionally, there was virtually no support from the community for people who want to advance.

Eden is a dilapidated Company Town. The city was designed to serve only one company. If you do not fit into the company, there is no job for you. Therefore, Eden's company NEVER hired anyone within my family's zip code. Even if candidates have the expertise, they did not see value in the community. They only saw economical (cheap) standards of living for their workers. To make matters worse, Eden's only company was starting to move out of the city in 2012.

After my time abroad, out of state, and out of the community, I had accumulated values that no one around me could appreciate. While this may sound pig-headed, in this case, it's a practical observation. I had become fluent in Korean, among other things. No one in Eden, NC, could appreciate that. They certainly couldn't fit that skill into their office.

Given my situation, I vowed to move away from North Carolina as soon as possible.

In the meantime, I attempted to salvage my financial situation. I created a freelancing account on Elance, now Upwork. However, 9 years ago, it allowed professionals from India and China to compete with people in the U.S. While someone in India can afford to edit a manuscript for pennies on the hour, I could not.

As an effect, I gained the bad habit of devaluing my work. After the US Patent Office ghosted me, it was a huge blow to my self-worth. Combined with being isolated at my parent's place in a community I had zero connection with, I became desperate for any chance to get away.

By Halloween 2012, I was moving to New York with some family. After living in a metropolitan, world city like Seoul, South Korea, moving to New York seemed like a cure for my cultural displacement. We had a place in Brooklyn, and we were set. I was sure I'd have better luck and find more people to appreciate me in New York.

The Unusual Path of Superstorm Sandy

Superstorm Sandy would hit Brooklyn and the rest of New York a day later. What made the storm so unusual is that it didn't follow the path of usual storms. Let me explain.

The North Carolina Outerbanks juts out far into the Atlantic, serving as a barrier for most of the east coast. Hurricanes naturally go out to the Atlantic after visiting the Outerbanks. It's why New York, New Jersey, and most other states on the East Coast above North Carolina never saw any storms. This is why Jersey Shore (was) such a thing. The entirety of New York City is on a collection of islands out in the bay with 10 to 20-story skyscrapers as the norm.

Meanwhile, North Carolina gets storms so often, the people there know not to build anything on our beaches. We have horrific riptides that will drag you out into the ocean-- and this is on a regular day. There is a huge chance that a whole hurricane will come and tear through your little beach house like a toddler on a rampage. This chance has increased 10-fold with global warming and more active Hurricane seasons.

The North Carolina Outerbanks belong to the birds and wildlife. It's for the best.

Albeit, it seems Superstorm Sandy shares this sentiment. Sandy clipped the Outerbanks and veered right for New York and New Jersey. Subways flooded, property was destroyed, and the Jersey boardwalk till this day is a shadow of its former self.

For my sister and me, that meant that we were no longer moving to Brooklyn. I wouldn't get to New York City until 2013. We settled for an overpriced apartment in Washington Heights.

When I arrived, the job prospects were even lower after a 100-year storm like Superstorm Sandy. After 6 years of getting my engineering degree, I was reduced to temp-work. While I talked about my engineering, design, and rendering experience, people asked me for Excel spreadsheets. Despite moving up the seaboard, I still couldn't find anyone who could appreciate my skills and experience. It was a frustrating time.

When I did settle for underemployment, companies strung me along. They would promise to hire me permanently but only kept me on for projects. I had to learn how to minimize myself to make rent (I wasn't very good at it). However, I did learn a lot about how to serve.

My Mutagen: Navigating Bureaucracy for the Good of the People

One of my favorite assignments was helping people after Superstorm Sandy. One would think people who have lost everything would be inconsolable. However, on the whole, these New Yorkers were strong and gracious.

I learned a lot about reliance from them while filing their paperwork. Many families were devastated by water damage, mold, and loss of life in some cases. Yet, they would still have just about everything they needed for FEMA. If they didn't, listening to people's stories gave them the motivation to come back the next day to get what they need.

I got a chance to work in Staten Island and Coney Island. I would spend hours on the train or on the ferry, just to help old ladies scan through legalese to get what they needed. Most importantly, I found out I could do it quickly. In the Summer of 2013, I helped about 100 families get their FEMA assistance. While I was essentially a (secretary) with an Engineering degree, I was an efficient one. I could find loopholes and clauses to help people get what they need. I developed a system to make it better. More importantly, I learned how to navigate New York Bureaucracy and do it with agile precision. It was temporary, but I took many qualities with me that I still use to this day.

Discovering your Mutagen: Are you Culturally Mismatched?

There is a lot of talk about "following your passion" when you first graduate. There was, certainly, when I had graduated in 2012. However, what good are your passions if they don't elevate other people? Do your passions really validate how you think the world should be?

As individuals, we have much more power than we realize. This power is increased tenfold when we team up with people who have the same values as we do. Even when you feel like you are alone, when you are convicted and stand up for what you believe in, this impacts the people around us. If you put in the work can attract people who have the same values as you.

Stick around. My next blog will explore the effects of "cultural mismatch" in more detail!

Until then--

Last week I posted a few solutions to gentrification. Some subsequent conversations, meditation, and an upcoming event inspired me to create a little pitch deck on something that's been on my mind for a while.

If you are a visual person, you can check out the pitch deck here:

https://www.digitaldandelions.com/about/Craft-House-Pitch-July-2021

In the meantime, I wanted to discuss the inspirations for this and tie some ideas together. I also wanted to share an overview of the pitch for those who prefer to read.

Inspiration: I am both the Displaced Local and the Gentrifier

As I mentioned the other week, I came from a zipcode where companies refused to hire. It's one of many aspects of Marginalization. Combined with cultural displacement and making an informed financial decision, I moved from North Carolina to New York. I'm not the first to this; of course, I am just part of another wave of the Great Migration. Except, I wouldn't have to make the journey on foot (thank goodness).

With all this in mind, now to what I think could help others. My pitch includes:

The Why: My personal story and how the problem has impacted me Problem Statement Our Solution

Cash Flow: How the business will make money

Competition: Things that already exist

Differentiators: How our thing is different (It also features some solutions we discussed last week!!)

Timeline and Structure: How we'll get there and how it'll work

Financials: Requested Support and what we currently have (It also features some important capital raise terms we discussed earlier!)

Overview of our company: List of things that makes us qualified to do this thing!

The Pitch: The Craft House (July 2021)

The Craft House: Our special rental, co-living, co-renting units for entrepreneurs and apprentices.

Above are screenshots featuring the US Federal Hubzone Map with possible target areas for the location. We want to target HUBZones near points of interest because our participating businesses can take advantage of Federal contracts. Also, the US government has identified these areas as needing more support.

Why: There was no place I could Grow

Graduating from college in 2012, I had nowhere to live where there was economic opportunity. I spent 3 years unemployed and underemployed. I suffered domestic abuse, unstable housing, abusive landlords. My business and career didn’t move until I found positive people to cohabitate with, an understanding landlady (she also struggled to start her own business), and a community with more opportunities. I now live right next to the JFK Redevelopment Office. The Port of Authority called me about my business because of where I live!

Problem: We have no place to set down our Roots

We tend to live in places with little economic opportunity. We don't have the equity or capital to move. We are resigned to live with socioeconomic problems (domestic abuse is higher in communities with many opportunities).

Solution: Carve out a Place for Growth

We obtain property in upcoming areas and create positive, stable, co-living arrangements sponsored by the community.

Sources of Cash Flow:

Rental income from working Apprentices: Apprentices have a guaranteed income from their apprenticeships-- the government pays their wages. Their employers also ensure that they have everything they need to work

Rental Income from Entrepreneurs: Given our resources, entrepreneurs will make living expenses. Co-living arrangements make it easier to make rent ( 2-3 to a unit). Resources can include SBA loans, equity from Capital Raises, Cash flow from their businesses supported by already existing tax credits

Subscriptions from Business Owners: Property will have additional space for co-working arrangements. The subscription will include physical postal boxes, working spaces, and meeting spaces for businesses that want a physical mailing address. We'll target our efforts to keep our building in a HUBZone so that apprentice employers and other business owners will have incentives

Rental income from Business Retail: We will attract business-oriented, bulk retail such as Uline and host a physical store

Possible benefits from making it a Cooperative building (leaseholders and other community members have stock in the building)

Competition: Informal Arrangements Communities and WeWork

We have a unique concept for a business. Entrepreneurs have been doing this informally, e.g., Silicon Valley in California, most networks in immigration communities. The closest formal competitor is WeWork. WeWork is a real estate company that markets itself as a "CoWorking" company. Their cash flow consists of subscriptions for members, renting out event space, and community programs. However, they require a lot of propping up through their IPO. They also have been struggling through the pandemic.

Differentiators: We partner with the Community

We will differentiate ourselves by:

Getting support from locals in the gentrifying community,

Offering investment and business opportunities to locals (Co-Operatives, paying out dividends, community-directed IPOs),

Encouraging residents to shop and partner with locals, and

Providing community-oriented, business-building services through the parent company and partners (capital raises, IT, accounting, legal services, etc.)

Timeline and Structure:

My timeline is in the next 3 to 5 years. The current path forward requires increasing the cash flow for my current business and making this venture a subsidiary. We will be able to increase our cash flow by increasing our production through hiring. I want to build $100K in equity for the venture before working on this full-time (getting an SBA loan, creating the business, etc.).

Financials

Requested Support:

We are looking for $200K to onboard, train, and hire someone part-time for 6 months.

Current Capital:

Working Capital: $20k

Equity: $5K equipment, $2K in cash

Knowledge Capital: 10 years of business operations experience, grant writing, and curriculum writing (for apprenticeships, employee training)

About Digital Dandelions Technical Solutions

We are a business operation and strategy firm. If you don't have instructions on how to run your business, your business is imaginary. We help our clients adapt, grow, and thrive in business through:

Strategic Capital Raises of $100K through our partners

Developing their business operation manuals,

Ensuring their employees know how to work efficiently,

Helping them apply to government contracts, and

Pursuing contacts with corporate businesses.

Interested in learning more? Book an appointment with me here:

Facebook helps me keep track of my Digital Village

I have a lot of friends on Facebook from different walks of life. Mainly composed of--

Family, friends-of-family, and former classmates who have been working for the community for years to decades (keep pressing forward, fam!)

Friends I made while studying at North Carolina A&T State University (AGGIE PRIDE!!)

Friends I've made while abroad at Korea University (SHOUTS OUT TO Y'ALL!)

Community members I've found while working in every borough in NYC (MARLS, BlaQue, and various kinhood spirits!)

All of my people are really active in the community in some way, shape, or form. My Digital Village has various insights that make my Facebook timeline an engaging and enlightening place. I am very thankful for this and appreciative of the people who make up my village.

However, many in my village have been banned or barred because Facebook is not a free place to communicate. As many Facebook users will confirm, this platform bans any mention of White people, especially White men.

Go ahead! Try it for yourself. Facebook will take down your post because it violates Facebook's Community Terms of Service (ToS). It doesn't matter who you are. --To quote one of my favorite people, "I am White people!"

Facebook is a Private Company: They can do whatever they Want.

Investigating the legalese Facebook uses to protect White People's right to never be mentioned on Facebook would be fascinating. However, it's irrelevant. Facebook is a private company, and they can do whatever they want. More importantly, trying to challenge Facebook could potentially give them more power than we intend. We don't need Facebook to establish itself any more than it is now.

Therefore, our collective solution to this problem is to use coded language to foul up Facebook's "Community ToS" AI. My village has taken to using terms like "🌾," "⚪," or "the Gentry." It's a colorful and fun way to express ourselves on a very wide platform. This works for now.

Once you get tired of using coded language, moving to other platforms deflates Facebook's power.

Even more importantly, Facebook's ToS caused me to use other platforms that support my community. Pointedly, I use platforms like Tumblr and Discord, which are committed to supporting people in my Digital Village. This is how you game a "free capitalistic market" for now. Remember: MySpace only became irrelevant because we all moved onto other platforms.

Who exactly is the Gentry?

"The Gentry" is a cute term I personally use on Facebook to refer to White people. However, it's a term I use facetiously. For a modern, American, definition: the Gentry can refer to anyone who moves into a gentrified neighborhood, thus causing Gentrification.

"Gentrifiers" can be affluent, thrifty, White people taking advantage of the cheaper property values in a marginalized neighborhood. However, anyone can be affluent and thrifty in this economy: Asian Americans, Black people, anyone. I have even qualified as a Gentrifier in a lot of cases! I'm a country girl transplant to NYC. I lived in Seoul, South Korea, for a year. What matters is that the person moving is from outside the community.

When these new people move in, the gentrifying process looks like this:

The gentrifiers bring with them a demand for expensive products and services that the locals can't afford.

This demand irreparably changes the neighborhood to meet those needs.

The increased value of the neighborhood prices out the Locals-- e.g., through increased rent, taxes, etc

Local families and businesses are forced to move out because of the increased rent AND cultural displacement. i.e., The gentrifiers complain about the locals' habits because they perceive them as incompatible with their lifestyle.

What causes Gentrification?

I have lived and worked in nearly every borough of New York City. I also grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina-- where one side of the city has always owned the other side of the city. Subsequently, I have also lived on either side of Winston-Salem as well-- the more affluent West-side and the "Ghetto" East-side.

Can you guess which side of Winston-Salem owns the other?

The primary aspect of Gentrification is that the locals do not own the land that they live on. The East-side of Winston-Salem was primarily Downtown and apartment complexes where poor families rent their homes. That meant a lot of things, particularly that it was difficult for the poor families to have control over where they lived.

Property improvement was up to whoever owned their home on the West-side. Since the owners did not live in the neighborhood, they actually didn't care about upkeep. They only care about extracting money from their renters.

If you can recall your Social Studies class: this is a similar configuration for imperialistic powers and their colonies. Imperial governments didn't care about the people in the colonies and their quality of life. They only cared about extracting the wealth out of the colonies. The sole purpose of the colony is to enrich its imperial counterpart, facetiously called the "Mother country." In addition to being patronizing, this configuration left the colonists had no control over their own country. The lack of self-governance systems is why we see formally colonized countries still struggling to compete. In some cases, the country is in tatters hundreds of years after their imperial overseers have left.

Gentrification and Colonization has a lot of the same Economic Patterns

Again, similar to colonization, gentrification ensures that there is very little opportunity for self-governance. Locals do not have the economic resources to improve where they live or dictate the sort of business services are available for the locals. For example, we always had to go to the West-side of Winston-Salem for banking services. The only thing available on the East-side were predatory pay-day loan parlors and expensive Western Union transfer points.

Gentrification reduces economic opportunity for locals, but what about political representation? In Colonization, local representation was virtually non-existent: the Imperialitisc power would install governors to keep the colony in check. Does Gentrification share this pattern too?

Gerrymandering: Gentrified Neighborhoods Literally Dwell on the Margins

Back to Winston-Salem: for families on the Eastside, the only control they had was electing people to represent them Locally, at the State level, or at the Federal level. However, Gerrymandering made this impossible in a lot of cases at the Federal level. Gerrymandering ensures that marginalized neighborhoods have a splintered vote. Having a district border run through your neighborhood means no one from that neighborhood will ever represent you. It's impossible to petition the person who does represent you because they will always see you as a minority, at best. This is literally where the term "marginalization" comes from.

The result is that the locals are barred from resources to improve and profit from the land that they live on. Once developers and actual landowners want to take advantage of the devalued land, the locals are priced out. Their target market is the Gentry: this is why their preferences and services are prioritized.

As predicted, 20 years later, since I've lived in Winston-Salem, most of these families have been priced out of East Winston by Gentrification. I see many realtor websites that describe my old neighborhood as "up and coming," with glitzy pictures of cafés and bars. None of these businesses were there when I was growing up. You see this same process in NYC.

New York City has a very similar problem as Winston-Salem, NC, exasperated by the fact that there is a larger culture of renting. One of my Digital Village members' attempts to purchase a house was curtailed by companies who could quickly snatch up the property. -Even when she was trying to purchase in the outer boroughs of NYC (Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx)!

Most small-scale LandLords are old New Yorkers who owned the property before the 2000s. Either the owners had property before the Real Estate boom or inherited their property and decided to keep it for rental income. Even my little Landlady. She is an old New Yorker who moved out to Throggs Neck but kept her old house in Jamaica to rent out to families and reliable, young professionals.

How much property the Locals own where they live and work determines how the neighborhood will change.

What can I do about Gentrification?

Remember: Gentrification is determined by what realtors think that the Gentry wants. There is a lot for both (1) locals and (2) their new neighbors to lessen the effects of Gentrification.

If you are moving into an "up and coming neighborhood":

Learn about who has been there and what their culture is. As someone who would classify as a Gentrifier in many cases, I had a much more colorful experience by learning about the culture I'm entering. My Digital Village is so expansive because I took the time to learn about others. Not only will you reduce the chances for Cultural Displacement, but you'll also live a more enriching life! There are many things the neighborhood has to offer, many that may be outside your comfort zone. I promise, taking a chance on what your local neighbors have to offer will change your life for the better.

Support Local Businesses that are run by the Locals. As a gentrifier, my first step in moving to Jamaica, Queens, was finding a solid burrito spot! Shout out to Bella's!

Think of other creative ways you can support the community. Join a local Community Association. Ask about what their needs are. After doing your research, you always need to ask your neighbors what they need. They will tell you.

If you are a Local in an "up and coming neighborhood," look into obtaining a piece of the neighborhood through collective investing! Beyond purchasing land yourself, collective investing the fastest way to set down your stob. Getting your piece can be done in a few ways, including:

Asking your Landlord if they are interested in converting your housing into a Housing Cooperative. Essentially, you get shares of the house you live in. This is beneficial to your Landlord because they can get many tax benefits, depending on where you are. It benefits you, especially if you are a good tenant. You can get dividends from the profit every year, making your place of living more stable.

Look into investing in another Local Landlord. If your Landlord isn't willing, find another whose opened to receiving investments. Some of them need to make ends meet. You can invest as little as $1,000 a year and get dividends from your investment.

Look into investing in a Local Small Business. You can even diversify your investments by looking at local businesses to invest in! Your investments will help your favorite business get more resources to serve your new neighbors coming in. The money you get back will also help make you and your favorite business more solvent. At the very least, increasing the business you do with them will significantly help.

How do I start Investing in Small Businesses?

Let's say you are a local looking to invest in your local business. You could also be the Gentry, who has some disposable income to invest in your Community Association's local investment campaign. In either case, you must start with an Investment Agreement! Investment Agreements are written up by Business Lawyers. They state how much you invest in the business and how much dividends of profit you get back. Either the investor (a community member) or the investee (the small business owner) can draw up an agreement.

To learn more, feel free to book an appointment with me! We'll help match you to the resources you need to get started for free:

I was wondering how to start my first blog. I think it's appropriate to start with my background and a story about how my Dad radicalized an AP US History Class. Let's begin--

My Dad was a Civil Rights Activist and the first Communitist I've ever met.

Subsequently, I am also named after him- Rodney Jerome Sumler. We have the same initials. We have the same Alma Mater: we went to North Carolina A&T State University, an HBCU dedicated to serving our community. My Dad graduated in 1965, the same year of the Civil Rights voting act. During his tenure, he was one of the many student activists who planned the student sit-ins at Woolworths. He's done many other community things since then too, championing affordable housing, getting people from the community elected to directly represent the community, other good things. Now, to the story.

How my Dad Radicalized an entire AP US History Class

I was a Junior in High School. I took AP US History, and we had the usual "ask a family member about history" assignment. There was my Grandfather, who fought in WWII. He loves telling about his time in the Pacific theatre. However, I decided to talk to my Dad about history. At this point, I really hadn't grasped that he was a whole Civil Rights Activist. He was just Dad- who sometimes hung out with Black Panthers and... when you're a teenager, you don't notice these things.

Anyway, I spoke to my father, and I returned to the class with my findings. When asked about what I learned, I stood up and said-

"Desegregation was the worst thing that had happened to Black People."

"Don't you mean /Segregation/ was the Worst thing to happen to Black People?"

--my US history teacher asked, stunned. When you are a teacher, especially a High School teacher, you have to have a very manicured front. It was surprising to me that he was so surprised.

I quickly corrected him, "No, Desegregation was the worst thing to happen to Black people."

I said what I said. Now, here is why:

My father explained that, while Black consumers were released to do business with anyone who they wanted, Black business owners were still segregated. Black business owners still couldn't get the money needed to grow their businesses and compete with mainstream businesses. In many cases, Black people still couldn't get funding well into the 2000s. For example, my parents had to depend on their white friends to get a mortgage to move into a better neighborhood in 2001. Currently, Black people's houses are appraised for much lower than their counterparts.

The US Desegregated Main Street, but they didn't Desegregate the Change Purse

With no capital, Black businesses couldn't compete with mainstream businesses. Unable to compete, and with their primary consumers now doing business with mainstream businesses, many Black businesses failed. This caused the wealth of Black families to circulate out of the community. This is what happened in South Africa as well. Nelson Mandela was able to negotiate the end of Apartheid, but only because the Afrikaners really only care about who controlled the country's wealth. Just as in America, it would take decades, generations, before the indigenous South Africans could properly build their communities. It only came, though, when they began to desegregate the way money flowed.

Anyway, I eloquently explained everything my father told me. I remember having a fascinating discussion about it later. Like, how I noticed that I have never been in a black bakery, been to a black shoemaker, been to a black grocery store. My classmates noticed and listed things too- like, how specifically other communities have these things, but Black people did not in 2005. It was really poignant for my father, precisely because he had a community newspaper. It was difficult for him to advertise with other black businesses, so he had a really informed perspective.

What can we do?

The main problem is the "Desegregation of the Change Purse" -- it's difficult for Black business owners to raise capital (or money) for their businesses. This can be remedied in 3 ways:

Increasing Money Earned: this the most powerful way, and it is a way you can help! Businesses that show a lot of revenue, profit, and strong cash flow are considered good investments! Go to your favorite business and spend money there often. Buy things often- it's even more important than tipping! Frequent purchases demonstrate better cash flow. Increasing money earned will help the following two ways.

Increasing Equity: Equity is money, equipment, or property that you invest into a business to make it successful. For example, if you have no money but have an extra desktop, you can give it to a business as equity! In return, the business can pay you a little money for your investment equity. It's a cool, creative way for a community to fund a business.

Increasing Working Capital with a Loan: This is the most common way to raise money for a business. It is also the quickest way to get working capital, or money used to run a business. These loans can include mortgages to get a building or a piece of property or microloans to buy equipment. Of course, the loan has to be repaid, preferably with business income. Loans can be expensive because of their interest rates- it costs to borrow money. That being said, having the first two items can save you a lot of money in the long run.

How can I do a Capital Raise for my Business?

My father passed in 2015- the same year I started my business. One of my last conversations with him was about the business I wanted to start. I, unfortunately, didn't get to talk to him about this kind of stuff. I'm sure he would have had a lot to say about business funding- he helped so many people start their businesses too. Fortunately, he did teach me how to listen and ask good questions. You can get a lot of knowledge from your community if you ask the right questions!

I learned a great deal about capital raises because of my partnership with business strategists and former SBA loan officers who want to help "Desegregate the Change Purse." In fact, I have teamed up with them, and I am offering a program to help business owners. We'll work with you until you raise $100,000 for your business.

Learn more by booking an appointment with me here-

We're back! It's been a few years since I've done this blog, about 3 of them. Since then, many things have changed-- including my mission.

Next year will also mark one decade since I began my post-baccalaureate journey, and I have many stories to tell. I've crawled through nearly every crack and crevasse of New York City. From working under desks at Wall Street fixing computers to having the Port of Authority of New York and New Jersey present my small business in front of Engineers. I thought it was high time to restart my blog and tell my story.

I want to share my story for a couple reasons--

One is because I'm a sucker for adventure stories. I have really had a journey, and I feel like a salty sea sailor with tall tales.

Two is because I feel my lessons learned would be helpful, especially in this climate. The pandemic has revealed who truly is valuable in our society-- and it's the little woman, the little man. Our economy stopped when everyday workers stopped. We literally cannot survive without them. Workers are empowered. People want to create, not just to toil. From what I have learned, I feel agile small businesses can give workers what they really want. We don't have to wait for anyone. We can do this ourselves. That being said--

Three is because I want to make my business available to help. Many people don't understand what I do. I am a Business Operations Strategist. --Basically, I help Small Businesses work better. I am very systems-oriented. I got my degree in engineering. I spent 6 years studying how to make things work. I spent another 10 learning how to apply this to Small Businesses in the community. The end goal is to get more money into our communities to support us- through government contracts, through corporate contracts, but ultimately through creative, robust, small businesses that work.

--That's going to take a whole blog to explain, really. I think that's helpful, though! You'll learn things like:

What you need to turn your hustle into a business

How to get good at what you do

How to raise money for your business

How to partner with your neighbor, your local city, and state for things that you need

At the bare minimum, I'm a great conversationalist. My conversations are infectious, I'm told. -So I can get you a lot of interesting, community-building things to talk about.

Subscribe to me here to continue--