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*** Please Post and Publicize ***

For Information Contact:

Kareem Hertzog, Executive Director

The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment, Inc.

Phone: 877-758-3224 

Email: info@optimuminsitute.org 

Optimum Cleans Up Brooklyn

On July 10^th, 2010 in direct response to the high amounts of litter in the community resulting in pricey sanitation fines for small businesses and suffering property values, The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment (“OIEE”) decided to take a stand against filthy streets by organizing a full day to pick up trash. It is common to see those charged with a crime to have to pay a penalty of community service that you will see out removing litter from the streets; however, Optimum organized a group of over 50 volunteers who were willing to congregate and do the same simply for the love of their community!   

From 8:00am to 12:00pm, volunteers for the OIEE filled multiple bags of trash as they walked down Fulton Street in Brooklyn, New York.  They began on the corner Ralph Avenue and Fulton Street, and walked three miles in the hot sun to their final check point of Lafayette Street and Fulton.  Prominent members of the community who joined the effort were Phillip Kellogg – FAB Alliance Director, Mike Rafferty – Bedford Stuyvesant BID President, Paul Cain – Hip Hop Artist, and many members of the Brooklyn community. 

Phillip Kellogg, FAB Alliance Director stated, “It was encouraging to see so many people out who were so concerned about what I am fighting everyday…litter. Hopefully this will help to make my job easier as more people become more aware of the problems caused by litter in the streets.”

Ryan Mack, President of The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment stated the following as he finished walking three miles of litter removal, “I can honestly say that while I have always known that litter was destructive, I now have a new outlook on each piece of paper that I see on the street in my community because I helped to keep it clean…we all took ownership of this issue of litter in our streets. If more people would take the time to participate in events such as this there is no doubt that more people would join in the fight. We didn’t organize this event to take the place of those organizations whose job it is to keep the streets clean, we set out to prove a point that there are many people in the community who are willing to take a stand against filthy streets and today we were successful.”

Kareem Hertzog, Event Organizer and Executive Director of The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment stated, “This was a great day for the community. You saw over 50 professionals who could have been doing any number of things differently on a Saturday come out to pick off trash from the streets and say NO MORE to litter, NO MORE to a lack of pride in their neighborhood, and NO MORE to the mentality of letting someone else do the fighting that should be done by ourselves. We made an impact today…we made a difference today…let’s keep this going through tomorrow and beyond!”

Click here to view video of Ryan Mack interviewing volunteers of the clean up…

About The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment

OIEE has a mission to create and implement tangible economic empowerment programs. As a change agent OIEE will develop and administer programs that will focus on teaching and increasing exposure to principles of financial literacy within communities of need.  Working individually and also in collaboration with other community constituents, OIEE believes that individuals, businesses and communities can be educated to understand and adhere to those financial principles which will serve as a solid foundation for future economic growth and sustainability.

To own your own home is not a small venture, and requires considerable thought and planning. I am sure that those who have purchased a house would agree that the process is very long, tedious, time consuming, and perpetually costly. Whichever home you purchase, you must make that decision responsibly. The amount that you pay on your home, and the payments that you are required to make to retain your property will have a huge effect on your future financial state. 

“If you are not wealthy but want to be someday, never purchase a home that requires a mortgage that is more than twice your household’s total annual realized income.”  (The Millionaire Next Door, Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko)

While I believe that the above statement over-simplifies the situation, the thought behind it is very true. If you want to purchase a home, you should “act your own wage.”  Make sure that you purchase a home within the limits of what you can afford to pay. I have witnessed many people going out to look for a new home without any idea of how much they can afford to pay. I urge everyone to take the time to do the math before beginning the hunt for a new home. The sub-prime credit market crash beginning in 2006 resulted from a nation of individuals who failed to properly prepare, making them more susceptible to predatory lending practices. Don’t let the mortgage broker do the math, as he or she is pushing for the highest loan to make the most commission. He or she will find a way to stretch you well beyond your means, making a nice commission, while you lose your sanity and happiness trying to over-extend your budget to make your mortgage payments…this is the essence of predatory lending. Remember that everyone who has ever filed for bankruptcy or foreclosure was initially approved for a loan from the bank.  Know what you can and cannot afford before you meet with a mortgage broker.  “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” (Proverbs 22:7)  Buying a home should not be your only goal, but rather you should be buying a home that you can comfortably maintain while living in it.

One good strategy to determine if you will be able to purchase your home before you buy it is to purchase an “imaginary house.” Calculate the amount of money you think you will be able to afford and then immediately open a savings account. With your “house fund” put a down payment into your new account that will come as close to 20% as you can afford. Each month after you have made the down payment put the calculated mortgage payment for your new imaginary home in the account. Without fail, every month make mortgage payments into your savings account for either six months; or until you have the 20% down payment that you will need for your imaginary home. If you find that you are able to make these payments, and still able to live comfortably without over-extending your budget, then you are on your way to having that new house.  

Many people have discussed the possibilities of paying off your mortgage early. I have always been a huge fan of early mortgage payments.  However, you shouldn’t start paying off your mortgage until you have established an adequate emergency fund that provides financial liquidity in case of unexpected circumstances. There are a number of pros and cons relative to paying off a mortgage early. Once you have purchased your home and made a decision to investigate an early pay-off, check with a financial advisor who will evaluate your personal circumstances and advise you appropriately.

I would love to have more in America come to realize the dream of owning their own home. To come home to something that we own is truly a magical feeling.  However, we need to be diligent enough to do our own research and not leave our financial futures in the hands of others.  Make sure to personally cross every “T” and dot every “I.” Do not be afraid to invest in a competent financial advisor to assist you in this tedious process. A principle of wealth is to be willing to invest in those professionals whose intellectual capital will enhance the quality of our lives.

Many people in this country are not ready yet to purchase their first home (but with proper planning everyone can purchase a home).  However, what about a sofa or a television set?  Are your sites set so low that you feel that you do not have the ability to own your own DVD player?  If the answer is yes, and you have the desire to pay exorbitant interest rates on items that you have yet to even own, then Rent-A-Center has built a business model especially for you.
 
I had to see just how much interest Rent-A-Center charges so I called them myself and acted as if I were a customer wondering about their terms.  I asked how much it would cost to purchase four items which included a regular sofa and love seat set, a leather sofa and love seat set, a 26 inch television set, and a 52 inch television set.  For each I got the price that it would cost to rent it from Rent-A-Center on a weekly basis, how long it would take to own the product, and found the retail price of a similar product from Amazon.com.  The results were amazing and are listed below.

Regular Sofa and Love Seat:

Weekly Payment = $19.99
Retail Value = $900
Weeks Until You Own From Rent-A-Center = 78
Interest Rate = 80%
Interest Paid = $659
Total Paid = $1,559 for a $900 Sofa

Leather Sofa and Love Seat:

Weekly Payment = $30.99
Retail Value = $2,000
Weeks Until You Own From Rent-A-Center = 78
Interest Rate = 26%
Interest Paid = $417
Total Paid = $2,417 for a $2000 Sofa

26 Inch Sony Bravio TV:

Weekly Payment = $17.99
Retail Value = $550
Weeks Until You Own From Rent-A-Center = 104
Interest Rate = 163%
Interest Paid = $1,321
Total Paid = $1,871 for a $550 Television

52 Inch Sony Bravio TV:

Weekly Payment = $59.99
Retail Value = $1900
Weeks Until You Own From Rent-A-Center = 116
Interest Rate = 159%
Interest Paid = $5,059
Total Paid = $6,959 for a $1,900 Television
 

As you can see from the chart there is a clear disadvantage from those who choose the Rent-A-Center way versus those who choose to be prudent about how they purchase items for their house.  If you take the 52-inch Sony Bravio television, which retails for $1900, one could use the $59.99 that he/she would be giving to RAC to purchase the product and putting it into a savings account.  Doing it the smart way would allow you to purchase this TV in just 31 weeks.  However, through RAC you would be paying on that TV for a total of 116 weeks before you actually own it.  Over that time period you would pay a total of $6,959.  When you subtract the total paid ($6,959) from the retail value of the TV ($1900) I calculated that you would have paid over $5000 in interest at a rate of 159%.  Being prudent saves you 85 weeks of payments and over $5000 that you could have used to put towards retirement, a new home, a business, or another more meaningful use.  Doing it the smart way you could almost purchase 4 TVs of an equivalent price in the time that it takes you to purchase just one TV doing it the RAC way.

If you ever feel the urge to ever use Rent-A-Center please consider paying a visit to your local Salvation Army and purchasing a temporary inexpensive piece of furniture.  The money that you would be paying to RAC for paying the weekly rental payments deposit in a savings account until you can purchase the furniture or product that you truly wanted for your home. I remember growing up when we had the same black and white TV, with no channel turning knobs (we needed to use pliers), and no antenna (we needed to use the wire clothing hanger to act as rabbit ears to get good reception) for years while many of my friends had the more updated color television sets. My mother didn’t want to purchase a LUXURY ITEM such as a new color television until all of our NECESITIES were provided for which placed a TV as a very low priority in our household! If it worked for her, it will work for you!

Written By Ryan Mack, President of Optimum

I remember while growing up, like many youth in their teen years, my mother used to have to continuously remind me to pick up after myself. I would sneak a snack to eat in the living room on the sofa and many times would forget to clean up the wrapper that remained after my treat was finished. I knew better, but never really thought about it until my mother came home, saw the remains of my small meal, and let me have it!

My mother was not unlike other parents and homeowners who loved to make sure that her property remained clean and in order. To her, leaving tras lying around in the home represented a sign of irresponsibility, a disregard of the mess and clutter that it causes, and a lack of pride and respect for the home. 

One day I was walking down the street and saw a young man drinking a bottle of soda. After finishing his drink he immediately threw the soda on the sidewalk and continued walking. I should have said something, but I held my tongue and simply picked up the bottle from the ground. At that moment, I recalled upon how my mother must have felt to see someone having so much disregard and apathy. I felt the same way about his neglect in caring for our community as my mother when I seemed to place such low regard on the house in which we lived.

Trash on the streets, litter, impacts the community in many negative economic ways. Small businesses have to pay thousands of dollars per year in fines to clean up the trash that they didn’t create. Individuals looking to purchase property or move into a community, or businesses looking to build in a community, pay close attention to the cleanliness of the streets before they make their decision. Would you want to buy a home on a street filled with trash or start a business on a street that looks filthy? Their decision to not purchase a home or build their business impacts property values in the community.

Of course we can remind others that we pay taxes to hire workers to keep the streets clean, or we need more trash receptacles in our neighborhoods…both of which are entirely true. However, the root of the problem lies within the people! We wouldn’t need to pay such high taxes on street clean up or wouldn’t need as many additional trash receptacles if people would just not litter as much!

So I would like to address the root of the problem. If you have a piece of trash please throw it away in the proper place! This consists of plates, cans, wrappers, failed lotto tickets (the irony in this is that you pay $1 to lose the lotto just to pay more because you add to the community trash that your taxes have to pay to clean up), gum, boxes, napkins, and even spit (it is disgusting that every two feet I have to watch to not step in a glob of spit because someone decided to have a habit of continuously spitting on the ground). We need to treat our community the same way that most of us treat our living room floor. 

This is why On July 10^th, as small businesses have become increasingly “taxed” by sanitation fines, and property values are hindered because of litter-filled sidewalks, The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment, Inc. has decided to take a stand against filthy streets by organizing a full day to pick up trash off of Fulton Street in Brooklyn, New York.

Even though my taxes pay for other community organizations to clean up the streets, there is nothing like creating a sense of ownership in the community to get community residents out for a day to help clean up their streets. My grandfather could have paid to get someone to cut his grass, but he made me and my brother get out there with him to keep his 2 acres cut, trimmed, and free of weeds.  I would never have thrown any trash on his lawn because I put in too much work keep it clean. The same applies for the residents of any neighborhood who take part in cleaning the streets.

Below is a video that describes the importance of the initiative. You will hear directly from business owners how litter gives them such a headache and impacts their bottom line. This initiative cost nothing to organize but time and should be replicated across the country by those who care about the economic impact of litter in their community.

Click here to see video of the Ryan Mack and Kareem Hertzog interviewing small business owners about the headaches caused by litter…

 Click here to see Ryan Mack and Kareem Hertzog interviewing other supporters of the cleanup drive…

Written By: Ryan Mack, President of Optimum Capital Management, LLC

As I sit and look at all the many troubles that plague this country, it seems as if we often are found seeking answers in the wrong places. Tens of thousands of gallons of oil are filling the gulf as I write this, yet the last 8 presidents of this country have promised to rid us of this dependency. Those on the left look towards Obama for a solution to fix the economy and provide more jobs, while those on the right claim that we should have less government control yet also claim that Obama is not doing enough to fix the economy.  Was the stimulus too large, or was it not large enough? Were we wrong to bail out the banks? Was health care reform too centrist, to liberal, or way to conservative? These questions and dilemmas that plague our economy are just a few that give rise to legitimate debate of who is at fault, but America it is time to refocus our attention on the best solution to all…YOU!

We are all waiting for change, and although I support Barack Obama, he will never provide as large of a change as you can provide. YOU are the change that we are waiting to see in this country and I beg that you work hard to be that change. The answer to the dependency on oil, be it foreign or domestic, can be you if you are preparing to enter into a field of engineering and will help us build more factories here in this country that can produce solar panels and wind turbines…or if you simply plan to become more conscious of the oil consumption that you use on a day to day basis and purchase more energy efficient vehicles, properly inflate your tires, or car pool. The answer to our health care problem could be you if you decide right now that you are going to eat healthier and work our more regularly and not strain the already funds deficient health care system. The answer to the next financial crisis could be you if you promise to educate yourself about investments and make sure that you know how to read the fine print before sign the mortgage to purchase the largest investment of your life. The answer to our over populated prisons can be you if you decide to mentor more youth or volunteer to help those underfunded programs designed to educate the formerly incarcerated in a skill set of which you are an expert. There is not a problem America that cannot be fixed by the citizens of America if we collectively all do our part to make a change. I know that times are hard, but hard times don’t negate your responsibility to contribute…hard times are the REASON that you should work twice as hard to make sure that you are doing all you can in fulfilling your share. Without the efforts of you, this country will never recover. The most patriotic act that you can implore is to strengthen yourself for the benefit of helping others to become strong.

It will not be the government, it will not be a strengthening dollar, it will not be a recovering financial system, and it will not be a stronger health care system. All of these things AIDE the recovery, but none are as strong as the will and the spirit of the American people that through history has always been the SUSTAINER of recovery. It is the strong will and spirit I want to see more of because I know that we all have much more to give. So I have given four things that I feel will help you along in this process to recover our country’s greatness: 

Find Your Passion

“But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.” Deuteronomy 8:18

Each one of you has God given talents that will create a pathway towards wealth for you, your family, and community. I challenge you to search deep inside yourselves to locate the talents and skills that lie within. What subjects are you always discussing with your friends and family? What hobbies do you find that you cannot break away from? Is there something that you find yourself always thinking about? These are some questions that you can ask yourself to discover your talents and passions of life. Financial literacy will not create your future wealth. It is within your purpose and passions of life that you will find your future’s greatest treasures. Financial literacy will assist you to retain the abundant wealth that I am certain you all will acquire over your lifetime.

Create and Follow Your Vision

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Proverbs 29:18

One, 5, 10, and 20 years from today, where will you be and what you will be doing? I challenge you all to have a vision of tomorrow that is far greater than the vision that I have for you. Do not let any one person’s vision for you exceed the visions that you have for yourself. The only person that can put a limit on your growth is you. All in America have come from greatness. If we are a country whose intellectual capital and economic prowess continues to enhance within each successive generation then your future has greater promise than your ancestry. Strive to be greater than kings, stronger than queens… dare to be great.

Execute a Perpetual Lifetime Pursuit of Knowledge

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Proverbs 1:7

I challenge you to continue to develop your mind and seek knowledge. It has been said that one extra hour of study per day in your field will make you an expert in five years. However, do not limit your study to your field. Seek knowledge and awareness of financial literacy, physical wellness, politics, legal issues, self, family, community, and God. Read at least one book per month, enroll in a local community college to further your education and diversify your skillset, volunteer to teach your expertise at the local high school because the best way to learn something is to teach it, or find multiple mentors who will allow you to tap into their intellectual capital regularly.  Challenge yourself to be well-rounded as there are many aspects of your life that will have an impact on your economic well-being.

Take Tangible Action

“Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

How much do you love your community, your family, and yourself? I challenge you to take the necessary action to do the things that will support and uplift your community, your family, and yourself. I challenge you to not succumb to the temptation of being attractive instead of effective. I challenge you to defeat the temptation of being concerned with image as opposed to substance. I challenge you to write out a five step tangible plan of action that will guide you to achieve the greatness that you see in your vision. Expound and elaborate upon this plan as you grow and mature within your walk of life (age does not equal maturity for I know many who have gotten older but have not matured). Tangible action carries far more impact than words.

There will be many times people may deem you to be too inadequate to handle certain responsibilities and will underestimate the potential that you know you possess. Do not let this discourage you. The ONLY person that can put a limit on your growth and development is you. Regardless of what people feel towards you, I challenge you to be diligent enough to make each day a day to improve and expand your mind while growing as a person. Ask God each morning to make this day the day that you become a better, stronger contributor to your community. Thank God each night as you reflect upon how He has blessed you and granted your morning request. I believe that you all are destined for greatness. However, what I believe is not as important as what you believe. You must believe that you will fulfill your tremendous potential that our country desperately needs to be great again.

I would like to leave you with a video of some young men and women who have decided that they will be the change that they want to see in this country and in the world. I show this video as an inspirational tool for you to demonstrate that there are those out there who have decided that no matter the situation (as many on this video have come from an impoverished background) their future is not written for them but is written by them. They have all decided to find their purpose and passion in life, create a vision for themselves, continue to seek knowledge, and have a tangible plan of action that they have already for AND will execute.

Click here to see the “I AM CHANGE” video…

America…we need your greatness.  Any country is only as strong as the people in it. I know that we all have a tendency to want to place blame, and there is plenty of responsibility for our current economic situation to go around. However, I am not as concerned as the reason for our economic condition, as I am with the solution for our economic condition. That solution is YOU.  Be the change!

“The Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” 1 Chronicles 28:10

Sincerely,

Ryan Mack, President of Optimum

Written By Ryan Mack, President of Optimum

Dear Federal Correctional Institution Otisville:

Many times we write open letters to chastise individuals in the community who are participating in the promotion of predatory products that possibly hinder the economic progress of society; however, this time we would like to commend Federal Correction Institution Otisville in Otisville, New York for the tremendous work they are doing educating their population on ways to advance the economic progress of our society.

Recently, The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment was awarded with a “Patriotism” Award for our dedication to reducing recidivism through economic empowerment.  We also received a letter of commendation from the Warden Craig Apker for our efforts to empower those behind prison walls. While we are honored to be the recipients of both, this letter is written to you Otisville because it is you who truly deserves the recognition.

When Manyell Akinfe and I, Ryan Mack, walked into FCI Otisville for the first time back in October of 2009, the staff was extremely hospitable and made us feel at home.  It was clear from the onset that this correctional facility was determined to change all the negative stereotypes that we may have brought in from the skeptical, and even cynical, society.

Then we went on a tour of the facility and our mouths didn’t leave the ground the entire time. We walked through the multiple classrooms and received a full description of the education and classes that were offered; strolled through the expansive library with 100s of books to choose from; took a trip down the hall to a room with hand crafted handbags made by the inmates which  were better than what you would see in any store on Madison Avenue; visited another room with artwork and crafts that you could have seen in any art gallery or novelty store being sold for thousands of dollars; saw the green room filled with plants and vegetables growing through the means of hydroponics, solar energy, and other alternative energy and horticultural methods that I couldn’t even pronounce; and lastly my favorite vision was the room full of over 100 inmates manufacturing solar panels.  All of this and we didn’t even get the complete tour!  Needless to say we were impressed with the high degree of tangible rehabilitative resources that FCI Otisville had created.

Then we had the blessing of being able to conduct a workshop for the inmates. They were attentive, respectful, and eager for all of the information that we could give in a limited amount of time. I found myself increasing the complexity of the curriculum due to the high intellect in the room.  It seemed as if they had been studying before we arrived. After the workshop, to my amazement they had been doing their homework.   Through an introduction to Dominique Henry, Founder and Executive Director of the Community of Economic Development, we found the source from which these inmates received many of the principles of financial literacy and economic empowerment.

Dominique Henry has a passion to teach financial literacy and economic empowerment. He has taken his organization to multiple correctional facilities across the country and has established a name for himself as a “guru” of economics.  His grasp of the principles is phenomenal, but his desire to teach these principles to 1000s of inmates being housed behind prison walls was absolutely phenomenal. It is even more phenomenal to hear about his widespread reputation across multiple prisons when you learn that Dominique Henry is serving a life sentence himself!

Mr. Henry has not allowed himself to be stereotyped as useless to society because he happens to be housed for an extended period behind bars. I always say “as long as you still have a pulse you have a purpose”, and Mr. Henry is fulfilling his purpose from behind bars by making a tremendous impact on society.

So I say this to you FCI Otisville…it is not us who deserves this award and letter of commendation. Warden Apker, I cannot think of a more patriotic act but to work diligently within a federal system that is depleted of funds and resources due to a harsh economic climate, create a family atmosphere that relies on love instead of funds, and then create programs and resources that empower inmates to re-enter society with skills and intellect that helps them become a stronger contributor to society.  I cannot think of a more patriotic act, Mr. Henry, than to receive a life sentence in prison and still continue to create empowerment programs for so many…many in your situation chose to write off the remainder of your days but you chose to continue to empower and find a way to give back to society more than most who are on the outside.    

To Warden Craig Apker, Executive Director Dominique Henry, the Otisville Staff, and all of the wonderful inmates who blessed us with such tremendous love…we at The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment beg of you to continue your work because you are changing lives, making a difference, and making our job so much easier. If we had more of you those awful stats of recidivism would not be as high, if we had more of you crime rates would not be as high, and if we had more of you more people would learn through your example how to leave the world better off than how they found it.  Your efforts, and the opportunity that they create for others, are the essence of economic empowerment.

If there is anything that we can continue to do to assist you, please do not ever hesitate to call upon us!

Your Friends In the Empowerment Movement,

Ryan Mack, President

To see a video of Ryan Mack and Manyell Akinfe thanking FCI Otisville click here…

Written By Ryan Mack, President of The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment, Inc.

The Sahara Dessert is the largest hot dessert in the world.  It covers most of Northern Africa spanning over 3,630,000 square miles (9,400,000 sq. km).  It is almost as large as the entire country of the United States.  Stretching from the Atlantic Ocean, to the Red Sea, to the Mediterranean coasts…it is truly a wondrous sight to behold.  However, as tremendous as this dessert is, it is only as large as the infinite individual grains of sand that comprise its totality. 

Think of it…by itself you can hardly see a grain of sand. If held in your hand, a single grain of sand is hardly enough to feel.  However, it is these microscopic grains of sand that together, create something that is almost as large as the continent of Europe. 

Recently, I had the privilege of seeing two members of my youth economic empowerment group All About Business graduate from college, Manuel Gonzalez and Tyrell Peebles. I have seen so much growth and development in all of the members over the years as they have learned about financial literacy, taught financial literacy to 1000s across this country (even adults), cleaned up trash on city streets, visited/inspired inmates in prisons, toured the country to teach at colleges, and have dissected some of the most complex political issues for the community making it easier for all to understand.  I am sure that they received a lot of other help along the way…I am sure that without my help they could have been just fine; however, I know that the little bit of work those in my non-profit (The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment, Inc.) contributed made their path at least just a little bit easier. 

As a community activist, sometimes I feel as if my contributions don’t make a difference and I feel discouraged. However, it is during those times that I reflect upon that grain of sand. I then realize that there is no such thing as a small contribution…anything that you do to empower someone else adds to the total “pot” of empowerment.  The saying goes, “None of us is as strong as all of us.” If we are all doing our part, then just like those small grains of sand add up to create the Sahara Dessert…our contributions add up to create those things like I saw recently at the graduation with my students.

I thought about all of the other students walking across the stage and the small grains of sand that contributed to their process…I felt pleased that I was able to witness the fruits of the labor of their village (community).  I then thought about all of the other youth who couldn’t be there that day, or perhaps any day soon because they didn’t have any grains of sand to support their efforts. Sure, I am all about personal responsibility and being accountable for my own actions.  I understand…the buck stops with me if I am to be a success or not.  However, does that mean that we can’t reach back and help somebody else out? Does personal responsibility mean that we must only think of ourselves and our own success? Absolutely not! I know I did not make it on my own, nor did Tyrell Peebles and Manuel Gonzalez, nor did anybody else that I know…if we truly want to improve ourselves and our own position in life, a large part of personal responsibility is precisely how we can uplift others.  I stand tall because I stand upon the shoulders of those before me, and I can lift others higher because of how others have been able to lift me. What would have happened if my parents didn’t sacrifice to provide for me even though growing up didn’t have a lot? What would have happened if that teacher didn’t believe in me enough to challenge me by suggesting that I take high school courses in middle school? What would have happened in my mentors at my first job didn’t write recommendations to receive my full scholarship at the University of Michigan? What would have happened if my friends didn’t gather around to support my efforts when I was starting my first company that I am still running today?  I am sure that we Tyrell and Manuel have similar questions, as we all do; however, thank God that we had that support in our lives that we didn’t have to find out the answers to those questions!

There is no such thing as a small contribution.  Everything that you do for the benefit of others is added to the total collection of goodness that eventually empowers and uplifts the entire community as a whole.  If this economy was destroyed by greed and selfishness, it will be rebuilt by benevolence and sacrifice.  We all have the same purpose on this earth…that is to make the world a better place for others although we all have different means of achieving this purpose. What are you doing to improve the life of others in your community? Are you one of those who has taken the time to mentor a child, volunteered at your church, or organized a group to pick up trash in your neighborhood? Or are you one of those who have the mentality that times are too hard to think of anybody else but yourself? If you are the former, God Bless you and we need more of you.  If you are the latter, please understand that your lack of contribution to society is just as good as theft as you are essentially stealing the blessings that were given to you that were meant to be given to others. Congrats Manuel and Tyrell…keep striving and remember to help others strive even higher than you!    

See Ryan Mack Interview AAB Members Manuel Gonzalez and Tyrell Peebles at the York College graduation by clicking here…

Written By Ryan Mack, President of The Optimum Insitute of Economic Empowerment, Inc.

Not too long ago, NBC’s “Dateline” ran a story that portrayed Detroit in a very negative light. The piece, “America Now: City of Heartbreak and Hope”, showed a city full of vacant land, high crime areas, abandoned homes, and residents living in neighborhoods full of decay.  They even showed a man who hunted and sold raccoon for profit as if this was an actual representation of the state of most residents in the city.

I don’t live there now, but I was born in Detroit, Michigan and that will forever be my home. I and all that I know who are from, and currently live in Detroit, have never met someone who hunted raccoon in my hometown; however, I can’t deny the existence of many of those things that were shown. There are abandoned homes, high crime is prevalent, and there are many residents who live in a neighborhood that is “on its last legs”.  However, they failed to show other side Detroit.  They didn’t show the fabulous communities that exist with huge homes with wondrous architecture such as Sherwood Forest, Palmer Woods, the Boston-Edison district, or Indian Village. They failed to show the schools in my hometown that colleges are sponsoring, such as Cass Tech, just so get next to some of the brightest students in the country.  They failed to show those successful businesses such as the Taste Pizza Bar, Miller Cohen PLC law firm, Alpha Partners LLC asset management firm, or the Brinker Group commercial contracting firm. They also failed to show the churches and other non-profit organizations such as Reverend Marvin Winans of Perfecting Church which also has a charter school; Dr. Charles Adams of Hartford Memorial Baptist Church which owns franchises that produce jobs for the community; or New Detroit which is a non-profit which creates many opportunities for businesses and individuals throughout the city.

So with the obvious slanting of the depiction of a city that was clearly an attempt at sensationalism, how should we respond? Many talk shows have responded with anger and have chastised Chris Hansen for reporting that didn’t tell the entire story. A few have responded by doing what I have done above and highlighted many of the positive sides of this great city of Detroit. Many have agreed with the story and have expressed the need for all of the residents and previous residents who care about the future of the city to get involved in the revitalization of this city. However, a group of professionals and I decided to get together respond with tangible action. 

The Detroit National Teach-In was a group of over 50 professionals who were all tired of the complaining about the state of the city, and collectively decided to come together and take action. Through the use of benevolence, these professionals spent an entire week in Detroit teaching their expertise in their fields in prisons, schools, non-profits, community-based businesses, and churches in an attempt to inspire residents of the city of all ages that they can make a change for the better. These professionals taught all who would listen about the importance of financial literacy, the importance of entrepreneurship, and how to get involved in the fastest growing industries. 

I was proud to be a part of such a powerful movement of benevolence. There were those who flew out to Detroit to participate, who had never been to Detroit previously, but just wanted to be a part of the solution and not simply complain about the problem.  If it was greed that got us into this economic recession, benevolence will help improve our economic climate.  “None of us is as strong as all of us” and this saying is most certainly true in this event. 

CNN came out and was able to cover the first part of the powerful week which you can read about the prison visit and see a video overview of the week in the link below.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/14/ost.prison.learning/index.html

Written by Ryan Mack, President of The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment

Through our non-profit, The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment, we provide many free financial literacy workshops for the community. Through group and individual consultation we help those who cannot afford the services of a financial advisor to put together a financial map to accumulate wealth. However, I recently was made aware of a group of attorneys who were just as benevolent but were providing free legal services to the community.  I had to take a trip to Chicago to see for myself.

On Saturday, May 15^th I had the opportunity to check out the legal clinic of an organization called Street Justice (www.street-justice.org).  This organization is a group of attorneys who came together in law school and saw a need in society.  In this nation, governed by the rule of law, many people couldn’t afford to hire an attorney to discover their protections under the laws of the land. Through tangible action, they came together to form this organization which provides free and low cost legal services and educational seminars to underserved individuals, such as minorities and economically disadvantaged. 

I had a chance to talk to many people who attended this free legal clinic and I was moved by the stories that I heard. I talked with a young man who had done time in prison and was released in 1992 but because he had that negative background on his record was still unable to get a decent paying job for the last 18 years! The stories that they deal with at their clinics such as this range from people trying to keep their homes from going through foreclosure but don’t know their rights, to grieving family members who have lost a loved one but don’t know how to navigate through the tricky probate system, and people who just want to have a fair shake when it comes to child custody battles because they want to be in the lives of their children.  The stories that I heard and are regularly told at these legal clinics are from real Americans whose only goal of the day was to learn about what every American wants to learn about…his or her rights as an American citizen. 

Equal protection of the law should be provided to EVERY American citizen but because of the greed that can exist many times the little guy is looked over because he didn’t have enough money to afford proper counsel. Street Justice is the answer to this problem and all lawyers out there can take a page or two from the work that this organization is doing in Chicago.  Keep it up Street Justice and I look forward to seeing you on the streets! 

Click Below to see Ryan Mack Interview an Attorney of Street Justice…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHymtWk721M

Writer, All About Business

“Detroit is a city to be reckoned with!” asserted Ryan Mack, President and founder of Optimum Capital Management and AAB itself. Speaking to a group of foster children who had aged out of the system in his hometown, Mack declared that his reasons for organizing The Detroit “Solutions” Economic Empowerment Tour were of all things “selfish” simply because “your success and my success are linked.”

Working with Andrew Morrison, President of Small Business Camp, and many movers and shakers of the Detroit area including Aremanda Mason, CEO of Stellar Business Solutionsand Khadija Walker-Fobbs of Fobbs & Walker Consulting, Mack managed to arrange a week of networking opportunities, panel discussions with local professionals, seminars, and teach-ins in every venue from schools to prison.

What it took was a whole lot of passion and time from a small group of professionals who care deeply for the city; a city we are all aware hasn’t occupied national headlines on the most glamorous of grounds lately. What it didn’t take was a dime of funding.

Morrison pointed out to the same group Mack addressed congregated at Wayne State Community College, “It’s important to separate the truths [about Detroit] and the facts. The fact is high unemployment, high crime. The truth is that you are not who they say you are.” The week aimed at empowering the community –particularly the youth- to take charge and rebuild their city that has been sacked by numbers, headlines, and a loss of that once fierce fervor. It was time to reignite.

18-year-old Jenessa, who attended the interactive seminaron Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship, underscored theweeks success. She explained to me that she always had an idea of what she wanted to study beyond high school, but noticed that each speaker (the seminar was highlighted by Mack, Morrison, and an impressive panel of professionals) did not go into professions looking for success, but looking to fulfill their passions. “This program really helped me because I saw I want to go into something I can be hands-on in, something I’m passionate about.” She told me that while she had always thought she wanted to go into accounting, she had started helping out at a local office and found that while it may have one day made her successful, it was not a career she could see herself enjoying. “They gave me some books to read on it,” she told me. When I asked if she had read them she just smiled. “They were boring…but we’ve started working with graphic design in school, and I see that is something I really enjoy.” What Janessa- and many other attendees I chatted with- took away from the round table was that as opposed to following a career path guaranteed to lead to success; one should make goals for themselves that fall in line with their zeal and walk those paths- the success will come.

Another success story came in the form of Chelsea, who attended the seminar after the mental hospital she had been working at closed the previous Friday. One of the panelists happened to be right up there in her field: Shawn Levitt, the Chief Operating Officer of the Children’s Hospital of Michigan.Chelsea approached Levitt, and after explaining her situation was told someone from the hospital would call her the following day. “I feel like it’s gods will I was laid-off and then came here!” she elucidated.

The week was not just about motivating the youth nor fantastic networking, but it also focused on teaching Financial Literacy. Financial Literacy is imperative because, for Mack “the more money I make, the more people I can help”. Mack used his background to offer the youth financial advice, including his 7-Steps to Improving your Credit Score. He also provided stunning facts on the city, for example that as of now 93% of moneyearned by Detroit residents is spent. As for America as a whole, he cited that 60% of Americans spend more then they earn, but added that “poverty is not a physical state, it’s a mental state,” . Morrison talked about entrepreneurship, encouraging kids to get out of their comfort zone to get to where you want to be. You can say a prayer, take charge of your education, or use what he witnessed as Oprahs secret to success- simply tell yourself “Yes, yes, yes!”. “It’s time to get your emotions in motion,” Morrison remarked. A message he made sure to get across was that anytime anyone ever says no to you, the next thing you should say to them is “what do you need to see in order to say yes?”  An attendee, Deborah Wilson, 16, told me afterwards that she took away a solid “set of strategies” she would use to move forward financially and emotionally.

Working under the mantra Mack described as “do not withhold from those who deserve it if you have the power,” he, Morrison, and the professionals of Detroit put together one productive, empowering week that will surely have a lasting effect on the youth who attended, and alas, the city as a whole. “The week was a great success and the youth were amazing to work with and laugh with. Thanks to everyone who came together to make it all happen” said organizer Khadija Walker-Fobbs. Let’s hope this is only the beginning of good things coming to Motor City.

Anya Parampil is wrapping up her freshmen year at Greenhills High School in Michigan. When she’s not doing homework she can be found reading about the Middle East, writing, watching the news, acting in school plays, and participating on the public speaking team. If you have any questions or comments, email her at anyaparampil@gmail.com.