10 Things You Didn’t Know about Raphael Bostic

Who is Raphael Bostic? Unless you spend a lot of time in the academic world or the financial world, you may not have heard of his name in the past. However, that doesn’t change the fact that he has consistently and rather tirelessly worked for positive change in communities, both from a local standpoint and on a broader scale. The truth is, there are probably a lot of things you don’t know about this particular individual but if you keep reading, you can find out 10 of the most important and in some cases, most astonishing things about him. Who knows, by the time you’re finished with this article, you might be inspired to go on your own journey in search of more information about him.

1. He spent years working in academics

He’s always been interested in education, with a firm belief that a proper education is one of the first steps to overcoming virtually any type of adversity. As such, he started working with the University of Southern California in 2001. His goal was obviously to teach young students about the financial world but it didn’t stop there. The thing he held closest to his heart while there was his ability to make a true difference in his community while simultaneously teaching others how to do the same.

2. He’s been directly involved in programs to help people find housing

Who better to be involved in programs to help individuals struggling to find housing than an academic who also specializes in the world of finance? As such, he put his education and his expertise to good use while working with HUD, an organization that helps individuals of limited income find decent housing. Thanks to his work with the organization, dozens of people who might not have otherwise found adequate housing were able to do exactly that, taking a major step toward creating a better life for themselves and their families.

3. He calls the northeastern part of the United States home

To be more specific, he grew up in New Jersey and despite the state’s rather checkered reputation, he still considers it to be one of the most special places in the contiguous United States. It also gave him the spark that he needed to work in the housing market and help individuals of limited income find a place to live, as New Jersey has had issues with unaffordable housing for years. He saw firsthand what it was like for people that didn’t have a lot of money and he decided early on that he wanted to make positive changes in order to find solutions to these issues.

4. He graduated with a double major

In 1987, he graduated from Harvard University, a feat unto itself. If that weren’t enough of a challenge, he managed to do so with a double major. Granted, he majored in economics, as you might have already guessed. The thing that might surprise you is that he also majored in psychology, something that he has been able to use in a practical sense as he helps individuals better themselves and their communities.

5. He went to college a second time

Granted, this really isn’t all that unusual. In fact, most people that do very well as business professionals attend college more than once in their lifetime. In his case, he graduated with a doctorate in economics just a few years after his graduation from Harvard, this time attending Stanford University.

6. He now leads a regional Fed bank

There are very few people in the world who are capable of leading a regional Fed bank, and he is obviously one of them. In his particular case, the location he is in charge of gives him an opportunity to use all of his skills up close and personal. Located in Atlanta, there are more affluent locations and those that are less so. This gives him an opportunity to make the most of his skills and his education once again.

7. He’s able to look at things through a unique lens

Being a black man himself, he’s capable of looking at things in a way that some other individuals may not be. For instance, he has routinely said that racism drags people down from an individual financial perspective, all while simultaneously dragging down the economy of that particular region. He’s seen it happen firsthand and he’s worked with other individuals who have been victims of such circumstances.

8. As such, he has something unique to bring to the table

As a direct result of his previous experiences, he’s able to bring something to the table while working at the regional Fed bank that most people have not yet been capable of bringing. He understands the correlation between racism and financial impact and he is consistently working to create better circumstances for individuals who find themselves at a disadvantage because of it.

9. His opinions can be backed up with facts

It’s one thing to have an opinion but it’s another thing entirely to base a set of opinions on cold, hard facts that have been proven time and again. That’s precisely what he does. He doesn’t merely decide that certain circumstances make it harder for some individuals to find adequate housing and good pay and then put those opinions out there. Instead, he’s able to reference stacks upon stacks of documents that prove his point.

10. He’s also openly gay

You would think that things like sexual orientation and the color of one’s skin would no longer matter, but unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case for everyone. As a black man who’s also openly gay, he’s experienced more than his fair share of criticism and he’s found a way to rise above it in almost every case. He also knows how hard it can be to do that and he works from a position of power in order to educate others so they can do the same thing. In short, he works to make his corner of the world a better place.

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