Citigroup’s notorious strategy for exploiting income inequality also provides a roadmap for how to defeat it — Although I’ve been away from Wall Street for more than a decade, I still talk to many of my former colleagues, some almost daily. Many are former competitors, others worked with me on one of the trading businesses I ran. Beyond our years of friendship, they are my direct line…

Even Georgia’s investigation into election interference could take a back seat to Trump’s mishandling of sensitive government documents — Mission: Impossible, the 1996 spy thriller starring Tom Cruise, is among my favorite movies. One of the film’s most memorable moments is “the vault scene.” In it, Cruise’s character and his team of covert operatives break into a secure room inside CIA headquarters. …

From racism in my workplace to racist clients, in the 80s and 90s, being a Black bond salesman in the Deep South was almost too much — I spent much of my finance career in the Deep South, where I worked for one of the largest investment banks outside Wall Street. What follows is a story about racism and some things I experienced during that time. …

It’s no surprise Donald Trump endorsed him. — There was a boy who lived a few blocks from my childhood home in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The boy (I’ll call him Jason) was younger than me, so we didn’t interact much. The one thing I remember about him was his prolific lying. …

The evidence against Trump and his co-conspirators reminded me of every organized crime film I’ve ever seen — Someone might want to check the Capital roof. While speaking at an event hosted by Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice in Washington last April, Representative Jamie Raskin, a House 1/6 committee member, outlined the committee’s plans for this month’s public hearings with revelations. Raskin said new information in…

The portrayal of Native Americans in popular culture often overlooks a complex history that included slavery — Not long ago, I participated in a book club hosted by Writers and Editors of Color (WEOC), an international collective of writers representing the kaleidoscope of peoples of color (full disclosure; I am an editor for WEOC’s publication on Medium and a member of the group’s leadership). Our book club’s…

We’re in the middle of a second Gilded Age, but no one seems to realize unrestrained capitalism is the problem — Trader Monthly was a lifestyle magazine that ran from November 2004 to February 2009. While the publication’s stated audience was well-heeled participants in the financial trading community, its target market was predominantly male and white. Before its demise due to the financial crisis, Trader Monthly was known for glorifying all…

When it mattered most, Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell chose power over the country — TRADING IS AS MUCH ART AS IT IS SCIENCE. No matter what the analysis, the charts, or the algorithms say, sometimes a trader goes with their gut. Maybe it’s a feeling about the market’s direction or stock that doesn’t feel right. Other times, it’s a hunch regarding a merger that…

Wallace’s interview with Nikole Hannah-Jones put white America’s denial of the country’s racist history on full display — This piece was first published on The Journeyman, my Substack publication, prior to the announcement that CNN+ will shut down after less than a month of operations. My mother had an amazing green thumb. She could turn the sickliest plant into beautiful flora. The wrap-around porch of our Pine Bluff…