| "The most dangerous of all dependencies is to depend | | | | shopping with a list - 70% of purchases are |
| on your powerful oppressor to free you and share | | | | spontaneous.o Create a household budget and review |
| power with you, because powerful people never train | | | | it regularly.o Stop and count to 20 before making a |
| powerless people to take their power away from | | | | spontaneous purchase - visualise your bank balance |
| them." | | | | decreasing as the money leaves your account.o |
| John Henrik Clarke | | | | Understand the difference between Wealth and |
| Introduction | | | | Income - high income and wealth are not necessarily |
| The above quote from one of the towering giants of | | | | synonymous. A basic definition is that wealth = assets |
| Afrocentric thought, the late John Henrik Clarke, | | | | - liabilitieso Find out more about the concept of 'residual |
| speaks to the reality of present day power relations | | | | income'o Switch mortgage provider, utility provider etc. |
| between Caucasians and Afrikans. Let's amend this | | | | on a regular basis to get the best deal - most people |
| quote in light of the topic of this paper, Black financial | | | | are more likely to get divorced than switch mortgage |
| empowerment. | | | | providero Save for a hurricane not just a rainy dayo |
| "The most dangerous of all dependencies is to depend | | | | Balance your investments between High, Medium and |
| on your wealthy oppressor to free you and share | | | | Low risk investments - For a person aged 35 the |
| wealth with you, because wealthy people (and nations) | | | | balance should roughly be 35 : 35 : 30. As you get |
| never train poor people (and nations) to take wealth | | | | older your investment balance should move towards a |
| away from them." | | | | greater proportion of lower risk investments.o Read |
| John Henrik Clarke adapted by Paul Ifayomi Grant | | | | books, websites etc. that will teach you about financial |
| Afrikan people need to be shocked out of our 'waking | | | | literacy and economic relations between different |
| coma' and face the harsh realities of the world we are | | | | groups of people.o Teach your children about financial |
| in. No one but ourselves is going to change our | | | | literacy - set up a (high interest) savings account as |
| generally pitiful economic condition. This is a fiercely | | | | soon as they are born. Encourage them to save most |
| competitive world in which different groups compete | | | | of their pocket money. If you can afford it, match what |
| against each other, whilst many of us are locked into | | | | they have saved at the end of the year. Discuss your |
| an individualistic fantasy; thinking that success is a | | | | household budget with your children (when they are old |
| purely individual pursuit. Group identity, solidarity, trust, | | | | enough) so that they understand that there is not an |
| co-operation and accountability provide the platform | | | | unlimited supply of money from the hole in the wall!o |
| for individuals to achieve economic success. This is | | | | Do not accumulate debt buying depreciating assets e.g. |
| why Afrikans are at the bottom of the economic pile | | | | cars, electronic equipment, designer clothes etc.o |
| wherever we live, despite the Oprahs, Bob Johnsons, | | | | Participate in some form of collective financial |
| athletes, entertainers etc. | | | | investment e.g. Pardner, ABDF Ltd ( credit union etc.o |
| TOP TIPSo Buy Black (as far as possible) - check | | | | Give money regularly to good causes that empower |
| your shopping list and see how much expenditure you | | | | Afrikan peopleo Remember, economics is a we game |
| can transfer to a Black owned business.o Learn about | | | | as well as a me game - i.e. groups that invest in their |
| the 'Local multiplier Effect' - do a web search for the | | | | own communities are economically strong.o Economic |
| New Economics Foundation where you can find out | | | | charity begins Black at home!o Think Black, Buy Black, |
| about how to fill the holes in our economic bucket.o Go | | | | to get us Black on Track! |