Money
buiness, finance finance ++ work work buiness,
Blueprint Capital Advisors
Education
We’ve Come Come Too Too Far Far to to Turn Turn Back Back Now Now We’ve ByPeppur PeppurChambers Chambers By
the art art ++ science science of of learning learning the
JacobWalthour, Walthour,Jr. Jr.of of Jacob BlueprintCapital CapitalAdvisors Advisors Blueprint
T
AfricanAmericans Americansemerging emergingfrom from250 250years yearsof ofslavslavooAfrican ery,the theGreenwood Greenwoodsection sectionof ofTulsa, Tulsa,Oklahoma Oklahomawas wasaa ery, source of of great great pride. pride. In In the the early early 20th 20th century, century, TulTulsource sa’s“Black “BlackWall WallStreet,” Street,”asasGreenwood GreenwoodAvenue Avenuecame cameto tobe be sa’s known, represented represented Black Black people’s people’s true true potential potential in in the the known, UnitedStates. States. United Greenwood Avenue Avenue was was home home to to Black-owned Black-owned restaurestauGreenwood rants,grocery grocerystores, stores,hotels, hotels,clothing clothingstores, stores,movie movietheaters, theaters, rants, barbershopsand andsalons, salons,aalibrary, library,pool poolhall, hall,and andnightclubs. nightclubs. barbershops Its Black Black doctors, doctors, lawyers, lawyers, dentists, dentists, newspapers, newspapers, schools, schools, Its banks,and andhospitals hospitalsserved servedthe theprosperous prosperousenclave. enclave. banks, In1921, 1921,white whiterioters riotersset setthe the35 35square squareblocks blockscomprising comprising In Greenwood ablaze ablaze and and rampaged rampaged through through the the streets streets for for Greenwood two days. days. Hundreds Hundreds of of people people died died and and over over 10,000 10,000 Black Black two peoplewere wereleft lefthomeless. homeless.Greenwood’s Greenwood’sresidents residentsand andbusibusipeople nesses never never recovered. recovered. The The burning burning of of that that flourishing flourishing nesses
Black neighborhood neighborhood isis the the single, single, worst worst incident incident of of racial racial Black violencein inAmerican Americanhistory. history. violence Thereisisno noangry, angry,racially raciallyresentful resentfulmob. mob.Still, Still,denizens denizens There of New New York York City’s City’s Wall Wall Street Street are are feeling feeling the the heat heat from from aa of firestormset setoff offby byprofessionals professionalswho whohave havebrought broughtto tolight light firestorm the systemic systemic discrimination discrimination and and racism racism continuing continuing to to perperthe meateAmerica’s America’sfinancial financialservices servicesindustry. industry. meate JacobWalthour, Walthour,Jr. Jr.and andCarrie CarriePickett Pickettare areco-founders co-foundersof of Jacob Newark-basedBlueprint BlueprintCapital CapitalAdvisors, Advisors,an anasset assetmanager manager Newark-based with aa portfolio portfolio of of over over $1 $1 billion billion in in assets. assets. They They recently recently with filedaalawsuit lawsuitin infederal federalcourt courtin inNew NewJersey, Jersey,which whichdetails details filed howthe theNew NewJersey JerseyPublic PublicPension PensionFund Fundand andasset assetmanagmanaghow er BlackRock BlackRock stole stole their their intellectual intellectual property property and and later later acacer knowledgedracism racismwas wasatatthe theheart heartof oftheir theiractions. actions. knowledged In matters matters of of right right and and wrong, wrong, justice justice has has aa claim. claim. And And In Blueprint’sco-founders co-foundersintend intendto tohave havethe theinjustice injusticethey theysufsufBlueprint’s feredaddressed. addressed.They Theyseek seekfundamental fundamentalchange changein inhow howWall Wall fered Streettreats treatsBlack Blackpeople, people,and andfirms firmsstarted startedby byBlacks. Blacks.More More Street specifically,they theymean meanto tosee seethe thebarriers barriersthat thatprevent preventBlackBlackspecifically, ownedfirms firmsfrom fromaccessing accessingcapital capitaland andwealth wealthremoved. removed. owned As the the nation nation mourns mourns and and marches marches for for social social justice, justice, As Jacob Walthour, Walthour, Jr. Jr. and and Carrie Carrie Pickett Pickett fight fight for for economic economic Jacob justice. Equipped Equipped with with full full knowledge knowledge and and appreciation appreciation of of justice. theirforebear’s forebear’sbitter bitterand andsweet sweethistories, histories,they theystand standup upto to their today’sWall WallStreet Streetto toexpose exposethe theplayers playersand andpractices practicesthat that today’s havecommitted committedone oneof ofthe themost mostblatant blatantand anddiscriminatory discriminatory have actsever everseen seenon onthat thaticonic iconicstreet. street.In Inthe thewords wordsof ofatatleast least acts oneNew NewJersey Jerseyelected electedofficial, official,the thetreatment treatmentBlueprint Blueprintrereone ceived amounts amounts to to “a “a modern-day modern-day economic economic lynching lynching that that ceived hasleft leftaastain stainin inthe theeye eyeof ofthe theState Stateof ofNew NewJersey.” Jersey.” has The successful successful financiers financiers trace trace their their entrepreneurial entrepreneurial The rootsback backto tosuccessful successfulfamily-owned family-ownedbusinesses, businesses,not notunlike unlike roots thosethat thatlined linedthe theiconic iconicGreenwood GreenwoodAvenue Avenuein inTulsa. Tulsa.One One those mightsay saytheir theirdrive drivefor forsuccess successisisin intheir theirblood. blood. might Walthourcomes comesfrom fromhumble humblebeginnings. beginnings.Raised Raisedin intiny tiny Walthour Hudson,New NewYork Yorkabout about35 35miles milessouth southof ofAlbany, Albany,he heisisthe the Hudson, sonof ofaawelder welderand andaalaundress, laundress,neither neitherof ofwhom whomfinished finished son highschool. school.“My “Myparents parentswere wereaareal, real,live, live,American Americansuccess success high story.IIhad hadno noexcuse,” excuse,”he heshared. shared.“They “Theystarted startedwith withnothnothstory. ingbut butteamwork teamworkand andhard hardwork. work.Their Theirrestaurant restaurantopened opened ing cont’d on on next next page page cont’d
www.thepositivecommunity.com
Fall 2020 The Positive Community
23
