Does Money = Happiness? 💵

This newsletter is usually about happiness — not money.

But for some people, money is happiness.

For some people, everything is going well — health, mood, social and family life, faith, and maybe even a strong career. But there’s a missing piece.

Financial security.

It’s a phrase you might hear a lot, but what does it really mean?

Financial security means having enough money to cover your basic needs and handle unexpected expenses without worrying about running out of funds.

In a volatile world with rising inflation and rent rates, financial security can mean the promise of a paycheck.

For some people, it means unlimited world travel or shopping sprees.

For others, that definition is still unclear.

That’s why I’m partnering with Betterment to help readers figure out their own definitions.

Click the banner below to build your financial future the easy way.

Betterment is my first sponsor on the Beehiiv version of my newsletter. I’m happy to share the company's resources, and proud to make a name in this space.

By the way, clicking that banner above helps me tremendously! Each click generates revenue and helps me figure out what you’re interested in, so click away!

Until next time, hustlers 🫡

Columbia University vs. Harlem, New York 🥊

A community such as Harlem in its prime may never exist again in New York, especially if Columbia University has something to say about it.

From being the birthplace of greats like James Baldwin and Tupac Shakur, to spawning the Harlem Rennaissance, Uptown is a sacred haven of Black culture and excellence.

It was the stomping grounds of Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Duke Ellington, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes and so many more.

But why? And how? How did one place inspire and generate so much tangible greatness, especially in spite of so many oppositions?

Jim Crow, racial prejudice, and disenfranchisement were no match for the sheer power of will and intrinsic greatness native to Black Harlemites and the community they built.

The keyword above is community. With no government support and constant discrimination from all angles, Harlem blossomed from nothing to something great in the short span of a few decades. The Black New Yorkers and migrants from across the U.S. realized that, if they came together and supported themselves, they could become an autonomous entity that could both provide and fend for itself.

And it was a success. In the 20th century, Harlem became a symbol of Black achievement, a community built through resilience and creativity. Movements aimed to celebrate Black life, confronting the reality of racism and exploring themes of identity, pride, and empowerment.

As the century progressed, Harlem continued to evolve. It became home to thriving Black-owned businesses and institutions. Harlem went from a neighborhood to a center of immense cultural and intellectual power.

It became a symbol of what was possible when Black people took control of their destiny and created spaces where their voices, art, and ideas could thrive.

In other words, Harlem became dangerous to the systemic racism that was shaping the American landscape. Racist developers, politicians, and residents sought to neutralize this threat to their existence.

The prestigious Columbia University began to see its ambitions for growth collide with Harlem’s increasing prominence as a cultural and political force. This expansion mirrored patterns of urban development (we see you, Robert Moses…) where powerful institutions, such as universities, acted as engines of displacement and gentrification, reshaping communities to fit their needs while pushing out marginalized groups.

As Columbia steadily acquired more land in Morningside Heights, the neighborhood became an intellectual enclave, with an increasingly insular culture.

Meanwhile, Harlem’s cultural and political vibrancy posed a direct challenge to the elite and predominantly white institutions of power in the city, including Columbia. The rise of Black intellectualism, political activism, and economic power in Harlem was seen as a threat by many who sought to maintain control over the city’s most valuable assets—land, wealth, and influence.

In other words, those who controlled the land controlled the future, and a Black future was bad news for the white elite.

Columbia’s expansionist agenda became more aggressive, directly threatening the livelihoods of Black and working-class communities who lived on the land the university sought to occupy.

In the 1960s, Columbia planned to construct a gym in Morningside Park, a green space that acted as a buffer between Harlem and Morningside Heights — a geographical barrier keeping Harlemites away from the area.

The proposed gym, which would feature a “backdoor for coloreds”, sparked outrage and protests. The protests successfully halted the gym’s construction, but Columbia’s expansionist ambitions never truly ceased.

It’s just the latest chapter in a long history of displacement and gentrification, one in which the university plays a central role. Just as the power of Harlem began to materialize, opposing forces sought to suppress and eliminate this.

Today, Columbia continues to grow, acquiring more properties in Morningside Heights and surrounding areas, including of West Harlem. Since 2009, Columbia has been devouring around 400,000 sq. feet of land from Harlem and Washington Heights ANNUALLY.

So, what can we do?

Find resources, information, and actionable ways to help on Defend Harlem’s Instagram.

Share this post to get the message across.

The legacy, homes, livelihoods, and the history of a people are all at stake.

It’s time to fight back.