Author: Thomas Sheffield

Sustainability by Thomas Sheffield A racist is insane. The late Toni Morrison said in an interview when asked how she felt about racism, she said it feels insane and it is insane. So we need to stop paying attention to insanity until they get therapy. We are wasting our time dealing with racist like our president as he says insane things. We spend too much of our time fighting with racists and need to spend more of our time on self improvement and lifelong learning. We need to spend our time building businesses and respond to them by taking their…

Read More

By Thomas Sheffield When I am talking about Power, I am not talking about the TV show.  I am talking about the power we have as consumers.  African Americans make up 14% of the population (47 million) and make up $1.3 trillion annual economy.  This is enough to be the 15th largest global economy in the world.  This is real power.  I do realize many of us are living pay check to paycheck.  This may make you feel powerless but you must realize, you still have power and you still matter. Some researchers believe statistically African Americans are headed into…

Read More

By Thomas Sheffield According to many economist, a recession is coming.  An inverted yield curve is a good indicator of a recession as the yield of a 10 year bond is less than the yield of a 2 year bond.  A recession will affect the people of color more than any other group.  People in our community are the last ones to feel the effects of a positive economy and the first to feel the effects of a recession.  The fed already cut interest rates to head off the impending recession but that may not be enough.  What can be…

Read More

By Thomas Sheffield It seems every time we look up, there is another data breach.  Identity theft has been a growing problem here in the US.  We depend more and more upon the internet to do things faster and more efficiently.  We do our shopping, banking, pay our bills, research and entertain ourselves through the internet.  A price we pay for this convenience is the chances of our identity being compromised.  There are now over 12 million victims of identity theft per year.   5% or roughly 600,000 of the victims are African Americans.  Around 35 million Americans have been…

Read More

By Thomas Sheffield I just love a good steak.  I really love a good burger.  I am definitely a carnevor.  I could go to a cookout and just eat all meat.  No veggies, just meat.  Pork, chicken, turkey, and yes, a good steak.  Don’t waste my time with a veggie or cheese pizza.  What is the point of paying money for pizza without meat?  I could just make a grilled cheese sandwich instead of paying $10 on a cheese pizza.  This is the way of thinking, my wife, my doctor and my family have been trying to get me to…

Read More

By Thomas Sheffield Many residents of Nashville have been told in no certain terms, to get out of our neighborhoods, get out of those houses, get out of our community, get out of our city, just get out!  Nashville’s rapid growth has caused developers to look for and come up with creative ways to force us out of town.  It has become so bad, we have become short sighted and believe we have little or few options.   The Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act, which were passed in the 1960’s prohibited discrimination in…

Read More

By Thomas Sheffield 2019 is flying by fast.  The month of May is almost over.  Do you remember your New Years resolution?  Did you keep your commitment to lose weight, save money, stop smoking, drinking, swearing, cheating and/or gossiping?  Did you keep your promise to read more, pray more and to be a better steward of your blessings?  I don’t know about you, but all these resolutions or promises I made to myself have seemed to fall by the wayside and I do not feel any better off than I did just 6 months ago.  However, all is not lost. …

Read More

By Thomas Sheffield We Americans have grown too soft.  We have fallen victim of the constant praises being bestowed upon us even if they aren’t warranted.  We have become accustomed to hearing the US is the greatest country in the world!  We have the smartest people in the world!  We create the best businesses in the world!  We have the strongest military in the world!  We have the greatest healthcare in the world!  We have the greatest economy in the world!  We build the greatest products, grow the best crops, have the cleanest coal, and the best water, air and…

Read More

By Thomas Sheffield The good Lord blessed us with five basic senses.  The government and business community will lead us to believe our sense of smell is not working.  If you travel around Nashville on Briley Parkway in Bordeaux, you will occasionally get a whiff of what is going on at the landfill.  Bordeaux,  predominately black neighborhood is and has been dealing with environmental justice issues for decades.  The fight to close the landfill in Bordeaux has been going on for more than 40 years and its residents thought the fight was over.  We thought it was closed and the…

Read More

By Thomas Sheffield The 84th NFL Draft will be held April 25-27 and the eyes of the world will turn to Nashville Tennessee.   The lives of many of people will be changed forever during these 4 days visiting our great state.  Some college players will become richer then ever as they become millionaires overnight.  For many athletes, this will be the highlight of their lives.  A dream come true as they celebrate with their friends and families.  Many of these athletes are black and have overcome the odds stacked against them.  And we Nashvillians will, for the first time,…

Read More