Yes, it does! As an African American New Yorker, I was raised during the 1960s and witnessed the atrocities of racism in America. My privilege of growing up middle class in New York gave me a lot of advantages most people of color don't take advantage of.  I received 12 years of uninterrupted Catholic school education. We moved from a 4 bedroom apartment in Harlem to a 3 floor home, with a large yard in the Bronx. I still live in that home, so the understanding of banking practices, use of credit and sound financial planning, using advisors, was another side of my education. I have a NYC pension and receive Social Security while building other streams of income.  My mother owned her own storefront business from the 1950s until we moved to the Bronx. So entrepreneurship was already in my DNA. We vacationed by driving up and down the northeast region of the US, going as far south as Richmond VA, and spent a few summers in Canada. My father was a NYC yellow cab owner! So the diversity of my upbringing gave me a different perspective of privilege that many children of my background didn't have.

As an adult the reality of race and culture playing a part in my business is real.  I can identify with homeowners, financial advisors, and pensioners, regardless of background. These are areas that some African Americans have not ventured into nor sought help in and still struggle with the blatant racism that can cause hindrances to ownership.  I understand the psychological chains of slavery that still exist in our culture. There are times when they creep up into my psyche also, but I'm able to understand where they come from and overcome them.  Feeding these misconceptions or demons is not part of my philosophy. I know that many are still struggling with breaking free from the oppressive mindset.  My role as an educator and entrepreneur is to help others like me overcome and succeed in life.

Additionally, I'm also aware of how other cultures perceive me. Since childhood, I have always welcomed the new. I have embraced the beauty of others and my own beauty.  Learning new languages, currently working on Spanish, and will move on to French, is necessary for communication in business. There are many sub-dialects affiliated with both of these languages in many cultures of color.  It is necessary to empathize with others to better cultivate relationships.  Trust me I understand that there are many people of all backgrounds that I don't want to be in a relationship with and that's okay.  It is all about mindset and positive forward momentum that will make a relationship successful enough to be able to do business with anyone!