Christian Spine Surgeon, Dr. Claybrooks, Helps Students and Parents Achieve Financial Freedom and Education Success; Completes The Black Student's Guide Series
buzzz worthy. . .
Hillary Clinton's efforts are great, however, financial literacy starts at home, and is a topic that needs to be addressed with urgency in the black community; Until we (African Americans) are financially secure, we will always be at the mercy of others
Detroit, MI-With Americans bearing $1.2 trillion in student loan debt, and about eight million of them in default, 43-year-old spine surgeon, Dr. Roderick Claybrooks, reveals tips on how to manage student loan debt and more with the completion of his three-book series adding "The Black Student's Guide to Financial Success," and "The Black Parent's Guide To Financial Success" to the existing "The Black Student's Guide To Success," all available at Amazon.com and www.blackstudentsguide.com.
The book series is three motivational titles, covering an array of topics for success, birthed after Dr. Claybrooks encountered several patients in the emergency rooms of Detroit that were living beneath their potential, and not maximizing their gifts.
"I decided to add the financial guide to success books because I believe that freedom is everyone's birthright," says Claybrooks. "Many African Americans lack control of their finances thus bound by the shackles of financial bondage."
The goal is to help the reader understand how money works in the world, how to manage money, how to invest, and overall, how to navigate successfully through life by making informed and effective decisions for long-term success.
There are many political debates and studies being held due to the outrageous student-loan debt and default, in particular, the affect it has on minorities.
states, "The average white family has ten times the net worth of the average African American family. That's about one hundred to one hundred ten thousand dollars for whites compared to ten to eleven thousands dollars for blacks."
According to a study, led by Micere Keels, associate professor in comparative human development at the University of Chicago,"More than 500 Black and Latino college students has confirmed that many encounter obstacles after enrolling in college without adequate financial resources."
2016 presidential candidates are also revealing plans to help graduates with their student loan burdens.
Democratic front-runner, Hillary Clinton's New College Compact proposal, would cost $350 million over ten years to get rid of some of the financial burdens that students face when borrowing money for tuition. Jeb Bush wants to end student loan debt before it even begins by providing less expensive higher education options. While democratic hopeful, Martin O'Malley, would like to help alleviate student loan debt by providing more affordable options as well as better plans to repay debt.
Although it is great to see the concern, Dr. Claybrooks believes no one is dealing with the obvious. He says, "Financial literacy starts at home, and is a topic that needs to be addressed with urgency in the black community."
When asked why he did not stay in his lane and just write medical books, Claybrooks explains, "I have a tendency to write about things that seem to be great areas of struggle in the lives of the many people that I encounter. It's like an iceberg. There may be a small tip on the surface but there's something much bigger underneath."
His book series stems from real life situations. They are guides to educate, encourage, and edify, with realistic suggestions and results, for those serious about succeeding in school and beyond.
"Being a physician allows me to interact with people from a wide range of backgrounds. I've taken care of preachers, politicians, lawyers and criminals. I've treated the world famous as well as obscure individuals,"explains Claybrooks. "For the most part, people have a high level of trust in their doctor. People literally trust us with their lives. This intersection of health and humanity allows me to see beyond disease and into the core of the makeup of people's lives."
His passion to be successful, and his ability to contribute to the African American race, is a responsibility he will always contribute to and fight for.
"I understand that my encounters with a very small percentage of the population, if extrapolated across this entire country, means that hundreds of thousands and likely millions of others are experiencing the same struggles I see in the people that I engage," says Claybrooks.
As a group Dr. Claybrooks feels African Americans should place a significant amount of emphasis on discrimination and equal rights, however, not at the expense of economic empowerment.
"Until we (African Americans) are financially secure, we will always be at the mercy of others," states Claybrooks. "Wealth and finance provide a degree of autonomy and control over our lives that few other things can."
For more information, please visit www.blackstudentsguide.com
