I've been observing a pattern in some renowned and successful Black figures recently. The title I’m giving this is Power Collector.

What is a Power Collector?

A power collector is a Black person who acquires power and uses that power only to get more power.

Below, I will show the typical path of a power collector. In some cases, the order of events may vary slightly but the path of the power collector looks something like this:

1. Gets a degree from a good school, possibly an Ivy League School.
2. Gets an MBA.
3. Uses that MBA to get a high-level corporate position.
4. Uses that high-level position to get recognized in their field.
5. Uses that recognition in their field to get a seat on a board at a big company.
6. Uses that seat on the board to get invited to important conferences as a Keynote speaker or other important guest.
7. Uses that recognition as a keynote speaker and other signs of recognition to give a Ted Talk.
8. Uses that Ted Talk to get featured in magazines, blogs, invited on to TV shows, and booked as a commentator and panelist at other events.
9. Uses the Ted Talk, Magazine features, and TV Appearances to build a large social media following.
10. Uses the large social media following and the other above items to build an empire, build great wealth, and build a very nice life.

All along the path of the power collector, the only thing the power is being used for is to collect more power. This power benefits no-one other than the power collector.

The alternative to being a power collector is being a Tubman.

What is a Tubman?

A Tubman goes back to help another Black person on their journey by leveraging their own power.

To be clear, this help does not involve any kind of financial gain for you. This help primarily benefits the person you are helping.

Recently, a power collector in my life, who I believe to be worth a million or more, started a paid course to teach you how to be successful. In this power collector’s mind, they went back to the Black community to help, in the form of a paid course.

Even as I’m writing this, I feel my eyes wanting to well up. I am having trouble understanding how their thought processes lead them there in the middle of a pandemic. This global crisis has left millions unemployed and unsure how they will meet their basic needs. I do not know how this even became an option for the power collector.

I am trying to get inside the mind of the power collector. The only thing that I can come up with is that one half of the phrase power collector is the word collector.

In this historical moment, Black People are demanding justice, equality, and a better shot at the American Dream. The power collector looked around, then chose to go back to the Black Community to collect.

There may be a few people reading this who may be thinking, “Well you can’t be a Tubman all the time. Sometimes you have to make money.” Well, then let’s break this down into the three groups that a person can fall into.

1. A power collector
2. A Tubman
3. Half of the time, the individual is a Power Collector and the other half, a Tubman.

I am not particularly concerned about categories two and three. However, several people have come across my path who fall squarely into category one, and this concerns me.

At this precise moment in history, a power collector is completely useless to the Black community.

If there is a power collector out there that’s thinking, “I’m not useless. I’m providing an example to Black children of how successful they can be.”

We don’t need you to provide an example of success. We had a Black President. We are well aware of how far a Black person can go. A Black person can occupy the highest office in the land. If you think you’re helping anybody by modeling success, you are not. You are only helping yourself. That is the trademark of a power collector, acquiring power only to help yourself.

It may have worked in 1980, 1990, 2000, or even 2010. However, in 2020, when Black people desperately need a change, it is no longer acceptable.

Right now, the Black Community needs Tubmans.

So how do you tell if you’re a Tubman?

I would encourage you to get a notepad and make a list called My Tubman List. Document every instance you used your resources to support another Black individual.

If the list is empty, do something immediately to rectify that situation.

If the list has one or two items, then keep going. As we all know Harriet Tubman went back 19 times.

It may take a whole lifetime to have 19 items on your list. This is perfectly OK. What you don’t want to do is walk around with an empty list.

Justifying an empty list could stem from the belief that significant change for the Black community is dependent solely on external forces that are oppressing us.

However, if you believe that a portion of the necessary change should stem from us, then an empty list is unacceptable.

In July of 2020, as I write this, there is a shift going on in minds, hearts, and in the atmosphere. The Black community is committed to pursuing equal access to justice, liberty, prosperity, and freedom.

If you do nothing with your power right now, the stakes are too high and many will be left behind.

However, you can choose to take your power and go back to the Black community to help someone else along their journey. By doing this, you can be part of shaping a new reality, just as the first Tubman did.

This article was originally published on July 27, 2020.