Editor’s observe: The next article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the writer’s personal. Learn extra opinions on theGrio.
Robert Smith is the billionaire who gave the 2019 graduation speech at Morehouse and introduced that he was paying off all pupil mortgage debt for the whole graduating class. He paid $34 million to clear the debt of all 396 college students who completed Morehouse Faculty that spring. That was a unprecedented second of economic liberation for these college students, which gave them the reward of coming into the workforce with out that burden. I needed to know why he did it.
After I interviewed Smith for “Masters of the Recreation” for TheGrio Cable Community, he was, after all, thrilled to speak about this second. You’ll be able to see how grateful he’s to be ready to assist so many younger Black individuals get a step forward. Smith has been working to assist alleviate pupil mortgage debt for years, however for him, there was one thing larger on this reward. He mentioned he needed these college students to know that somebody is saying “I consider in you.” That’s a robust factor for a younger Black individual to listen to.
Really useful Tales
I additionally questioned if Smith’s reward was the tip of his relationship with these college students or the start of an ongoing dialog. Like all good angel investor, he’s nonetheless speaking with these college students and advising them. He has a month-to-month name with lots of them, and he’s wanting to see how they fare and to assist them wherever he can. I feel lots of them will discover that Smith’s reward modified their lives in actually profound methods.
That is a tremendous instance of how privately held wealth can be utilized to assist others and the way Black wealth can be utilized to make an actual distinction in the neighborhood.
For extra of my dialog with Robert Smith watch “Masters of the Recreation,” streaming now.
Toure is a bunch and author at TheGrio. He hosts the TheGrio TV present “Masters of the Recreation,” and he created the award-winning podcast “Being Black: The ’80s” and its upcoming sequel “Being Black: The ’70s.” He’s additionally the creator of “Star Tales” and the writer of eight books, together with “Nothing Compares 2 U an oral historical past of Prince.” He additionally hosts a podcast known as “Toure Present.” He’s additionally a husband and a father of two.
