TODAY’S ROLE MODEL SPENT HIS EARLY YEARS RAISED BY DRUG DEALERS AND BECAME A HARVARD PROFESSOR! – A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES}
I celebrate ACHIEVEMENT EVERY DAY! When I discover role models, I do not see skin color, age, religion, sex, attractiveness (ok, I like beautiful ladies), or other nonessentials. I love learning from inspirational people who inspire me to drop MY EXCUSES and DO IT! Role models who stretch my ambitions and make me reach for the impossible.
There is dignity in achievement and success—in becoming a great factor in civilization.” Carter G. Woodson.
I hope you will share these short articles; perhaps a few people will be curious to learn more.
Disclaimer: Good Day, Readers. WealthBuildingPowers blog is a financial literacy/competency blog and does not provide specific investment recommendations.
DR. ROLAND FRYER SPENT HIS EARLY YEARS IN A FAMILY OF DRUG DEALERS! – A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES}
Dr. Roland Fryer, a Harvard Economist, had a slightly different childhood than most university professors. First, his mother abandoned him, and his father was a violent alcoholic who ended up being incarcerated for a rape conviction, leaving Roland to fend for himself. By his teen years, Roland was a gangster.
But something happened; Roland Fryer is actually a VERY intelligent person. At age 30, he became the youngest African American EVER awarded tenure at Harvard—and ultimately one of the university’s highest-paid professors, with over 50 published papers to his name {FYI- Former Harvard President Gay, ONLY published ten articles}. In 2008, Dr Fryer was named one of the top eight young economists in the world by The Economist.
DR FRYER STUDIES IF RACE MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN POLICE SHOOTINGS
The results shocked Dr Fryer. So shocked that he assigned a second team to repeat the year-long study. Many peers warned against publishing the results: “We are unable to detect any racial differences in either the raw data or when accounting for controls.”
Fryer published his controversial findings in 2016. Within minutes of publishing his paper, people began sending him complaints and threats. “All hell broke loose,” he told Weiss. Ironically, he was even forced to hire armed security for a month following the publication of his controversial conclusions. “I was going to the grocery store to get diapers with the armed guard. It was crazy,” he said. “It was really, truly crazy.”
To see his full ~100 minute interview- https://youtu.be/rHDhj7Bua1Q?si=UxZVJUVhciIhrSQ6
The Cancelled Black Harvard Professor Who Found No Racial Bias in Police Shootings
“Unless you have lived under a rock for the last four years, you will be very familiar with the claim that black Americans are disproportionately victims of police shootings compared with their white counterparts.
But a nearly eight-year-old study challenging this narrative is enjoying renewed attention thanks to a recent high-profile interviewof the author, African American economist Roland Fryer, by journalist Bari Weiss of The Free Press.
Professor Fryer published the controversial findings in 2016 while on the faculty of Harvard University. Regarding police shootings of civilians, the study concluded, “We are unable to detect any racial differences in either the raw data or when accounting for controls.”
While the study did find racial disparities in the use of nonlethal force in police encounters with black Americans when it came to shootings, Fryer’s results were emphatic. In fact, after controlling for variables, Fryer and his team found that black Americans were slightly less likely to be shot by Police than whites. However, that difference was not statistically significant.
The finding flatly contradicts the claims by Black Lives Matter and other activist groups that racism drives police officers to use deadly violence against African Americans at far higher rates.
Far from being an obscure academic, Fryer, at age 30, became the youngest African American ever awarded tenure at Harvard—and ultimately one of the highest-paid professors at the Ivy League school, with over 50 published papers to his name. In 2008, he was named one of the top eight young economists in the world by The Economist and, in following years, was decorated with several other significant accolades.
Fryer’s remarkable career trajectory began from a place of acute disadvantage. He describes his early years as living in a “drug family.” His mother left when he was young, and his father was a violent alcoholic who ended up being incarcerated for a rape conviction, leaving Fryer to fend for himself. By his teen years, Fryer was starting to live the life of a gangster.
Just as noteworthy as Fryer’s controversial study report are three additional revelations during his interview with Weiss.
First, Fryer was so surprised by the study’s findings that he didn’t believe them. He hired a new team of research assistants to repeat the study in case the original findings were mistaken, but the new group came to the same conclusion.
Second, within minutes of Fryer publishing his paper, people began sending him complaints and threats.
“All hell broke loose,” he told Weiss. Rather ironically, he was even forced to hire armed security for a month following publication of his controversial conclusions.
“I was going to the grocery store to get diapers with the armed guard. It was crazy,” he said. “It was really, truly crazy.”
Third is that the figure behind Fryer’s suspension from Harvard was then-college-dean Claudine Gay. Gay gained national attention during congressional hearings regarding Harvard’s 2023 anti-Semitism furor, and she ultimately resigned as the university’s president some weeks later after being found to have plagiarized numerous works, including her doctoral dissertation.
Gay spearheaded Fryer’s suspension after the professor was accusedof making “off-color jokes” and inappropriate comments and retaliating when faced with objections to those jokes and remarks. Fryer has apologized for the jokes but denies he has retailed against anyone.
Speculations continue to surround Fryer’s treatment by Harvard—among them, that his report on racism in police shootings was the real reason he was suspended from Harvard.
“I honestly haven’t thought too hard about that,” Fryer replied, when asked about such a possibility by an audience member.
“I did a lot of things at Harvard people didn’t like,” he said. “I broke a lot of glass. I’m not a company dude. I’m just not. I’m very clear about what my mission is. I am put on this earth to develop the truths about why we’re losing so much talent in disadvantaged neighborhoods around the world. That’s what I’m here for.”
Instead, he said, “I care about the real issues.”
He did, however, joke with Weiss about Claudine Gay and karma.
He teamed up for this interview with Bari Weiss, who has helped launch a new private liberal arts college called the University of Austin, and something tells me this isn’t the last we’ll hear from Professor Roland Fryer. And that is a very good thing for America.”
TO READ THE ARTICLE, CLICK BELOW:
https://intellectualtakeout.org/2024/02/cancelled-black-harvard-professor/Image credit: YouTube
STYRON’S CONCLUSION
I also assumed African Americans are disproportionately victims of police shootings compared with their white counterparts.” I believed CNN, NBC, and every other mainframe news outlet.
After the brutal beating of Rodney King, media outlets covered whenever an African American was shot or beaten by the Police. {For some reason, 99% of murders committed mostly by African Americans does not warrant media coverage.}
The below chart shows the depressing lack of progress made by African Americans since the days of Dr Martin Luther King and President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty”. A lost war, I would add.
Fifteen ethnic groups have a higher median income than African Americans. I constantly see data like this that makes me bet against children like Roland Fryer.
His story confirms my biased opinion, and I must recognize that all children can be successful! Too many African American kids must overcome what appears to be insurmountable odds to break out of poverty.
We cannot give up, as their future impacts our nation. Instead, let’s ask ourselves, our synagogues, etc. What can we do to give more poor and brown children a better chance?
WHAT SUBJECTS DO YOU WANT TO READ NEXT? WHAT QUESTIONS CAN I ANSWER? UNTIL NEXT TIME!
LET’S EARN YOUR FINANCIAL FREEDOM!
BECAUSE I CARE
St Jude Hospital: The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion, or a family’s ability to pay.https://www.stjude.org/
Wounded Warrior Project: An American charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services, and events for wounded veterans of the military https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org
Folds of Honor: Providing life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military. And now, our mission expands to the families of America’s first responders. On our watch, those who protect our freedoms and our families will know they are not forgotten. https://foldsofhonor.org
Wilson’s No-Kill Animal Shelter: A N0-Kill shelter that is a top-rated non-profit. They compassionately care for all their animals. https://wcnkas.org
Tunnel To Towers: Since 9/11, we have been helping America’s heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially-adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. We are also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America to Never Forget September 11, 2001. https://dogood.t2t.org/give/320847/#!/donation/checkout
YOUR GREATNESS IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE; IT’S WHAT YOU GIVE!
TRUST ME – YOU WILL LIKE THE BELOW POPULAR BLOGS!
YOUR GREATNESS IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE; IT’s WHAT YOU GIVE!
YOUR GREATNESS IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE; IT’S WHAT YOU GIVE!
HONORING MY FAMILY’S GRIT AND DETERMINATION….
https://wealthbuildingpowers.com/2024/01/29/honoring-my-familys-grit-and-determination-rest-in-peace-uncle-junior/
“WHAT WE BECOME DEPENDS ON WHAT OUR FATHERS TEACH US AT ODD MOMENTS WHEN THEY AREN’T TRYING TO TEACH US”
DADS WHO RAISED ME TO BE MORE THAN I COULD BE!
DAD RAISED ME TO BE A MAN, NOT A BLACK MAN!
LET ME GET THIS RIGHT – BROWN PEOPLE ARE TOO STUPID TO BE PROFICIENT AT MATH, READING, AND WRITING.
SEEING YOURSELF IN YOUR ROLE MODELS IMPROVES YOUR ODDS OF SUCCESS! – A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES}
EDWARD RUDOLPH {ED} BRADLEY, JR. – RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES}
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, MS. MARIE C BOLDEN, A 14-YEAR-OLD BLACK GIRL, WON THE FIRST NATIONAL SPELLING BEE! – A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES}
A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES} – BADRINARAYANAN KOTHANDARAMAN, ENPHASE ENERGY, CEO
RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS– TEACHER RAYMOND NELSON CREATED GENTLEMEN’S CLUB TO TEACH LIFE LESSONS TO BOYS WHO HAVE NO DADS AT HOME
A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES} – MARIO HOOVER – 16 YEARS OLD!
A RAINBOW OF ROLE MODELS {WEDNESDAY SERIES} – LEGENDARY INVESTOR JOHN ROGERS JR
https://wealthbuildingpowers.com/2022/03/09/black-and-brown-role-models-series-legendary-investor-john-rogers-jr/
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ROLE MODELS {SERIES} – ROBERT L. JOHNSON, FOUNDER BET – FEBRUARY 24, 2022
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ROLE MODELS {SERIES} – JAMES AND JILEA HEMMINGS BECOME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANS OWNERS OF AN AUTONOMOUS GROCERY STORE – ON FEBRUARY 25, 2022
https://wealthbuildingpowers.com/2022/02/25/black-history-month-role-models-james-and-jilea-hemmings-become-first-african-americans-owners-of-an-autonomous-grocery-store-february-25-2022/
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ROLE MODELS {SERIES} BILLIONAIRE ROBERT F. SMITH – FEBRUARY 23, 2022
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ROLE MODELS -REGINALD LEWIS – FEBRUARY 22, 2022
https://wealthbuildingpowers.com/2022/02/22/black-history-month-role-models-reginald-lewis-february-22-2022/
“WHAT WE BECOME DEPENDS ON WHAT OUR FATHERS TEACH US AT ODD MOMENTS, WHEN THEY AREN’T TRYING TO TEACH US”
https://wealthbuildingpowers.com/2021/11/03/what-we-become-depends-on-what-our-fathers-teach-us-at-odd-moments-when-they-arent-trying-to-teach-us/
WE NEED MORE STEM MAJORS AND LEGACIES LIKE MYLES JOHNSON!
WE NEED MORE STEM MAJORS AND LEGACIES LIKE MYLES JOHNSON!
DADS WHO RAISED ME TO BE MORE THAN I COULD BE!
DADS WHO RAISED ME TO BE MORE THAN I COULD BE!
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY – “EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON WITH WHICH YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD” NELSON MANDELLA
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ABOUT ME
I am a proud nerd (as my beautiful wife and daughter have told me) investment and finance blogger with an N.C. State, Chemical Engineering, University Rutgers, MBA and Harvard University, Advanced Management education.
I left a corporate career because I desired to make a difference as a speaker and writer. I was blessed to be coached and mentored by strong women and men in my family and professional life. It is my time to serve and give back.
DISCLAIMER
I started my first business at ~13 years of age (a small but brilliantly created plant nursery). I am a successful investor in stocks, options, and real estate and am happy to share my finance and investment lessons. I am NOT a licensed financial advisor. Please do not construe my suggestions on this blog as recommendations for your situation. As an investor, you must establish your risk/loss tolerance. Investment in any asset involves risk, including complete loss.
Please seek your licensed CPA or fiduciary financial advisors for individual financial advice.
I write this weekly blog to make an impact by reaching an audience and demonstrating the need for financial literacy. I will help you get there.
