As a former educator, I spent years in the classroom looking into the eyes of students who had all the talent in the world but were often hemmed in by the zip code they were born into. I founded Memphis College Prep because I believed that if you give people a real chance—not just a seat in a room, but a real path—anything is possible.

Now, as I run for Shelby County Trustee, people often ask me: "Michael, why the Trustee’s office? Why go from the Commission and the classroom to the county's 'banker'?" My answer is always the same: Because everyone deserves the chance to get ahead, and everyone deserves the opportunity to build generational wealth.

In Shelby County, we have resigned ourselves to the status quo for too long. We talk about poverty as if it is an immovable mountain, but I see it as a lack of access—access to capital, access to tools, and access to the modern financial knowledge that others take for granted. The Trustee’s office manages upwards of $4.5 billion a year. That is a massive lever for change.

Moving Beyond the Paycheck A better future isn't just about finding a job; it’s about economic mobility. It’s about the freedom that comes when you aren't forced to work three jobs just to keep the lights on. When I talk about generational wealth, I’m talking about a shift from "income" to "equity."

I’ve spent the last decade self-teaching myself the complexities of investment management—how to build a stock portfolio, how to protect credit, and how to grow a nest egg. These shouldn't be secrets kept for the one percent. As your Trustee, I won't just collect checks; I’ll be an educator-in-chief. I want to scale financial literacy so that it isn't just a field trip or an elective, but a fundamental skill that 100% of our citizens can use to build a legacy for their children.

When we empower a family to understand debt, manage their credit, and begin investing, we aren't just helping them pay today's bills. We are changing the trajectory of the next generation. That is how we break the cycle of poverty. That is how we build a Shelby County where everyone can thrive.