Whenever you hear a promise, whenever you hear a proposal, whenever you hear a crisis, whenever you hear a solution, ask one question: WHO IS GETTING PAID? Because money leaves footprints. Follow the money and you'll often discover who benefits. Follow the money and you'll often discover who has influence. Follow the money and you'll often discover why certain problems never seem to get solved. Affordable housing? Who is getting paid? Education reform? Who is getting paid? Political campaigns? Who is getting paid? Crime coverage? Who is getting paid? Economic development? Who is getting paid? Private school vouchers? Who is getting paid? Social media? Who is getting paid? Then ask a second question: Who owns what is being paid for? Because there is a difference between participation and ownership. There is a difference between receiving services and owning the companies providing those services. There is a difference between living in a building and owning the building. There is a difference between working a job and owning the business. When you start asking who is getting paid, you begin to understand who is building wealth. When you begin to understand who is building wealth, you begin to understand why some communities continue moving ahead while others remain stuck in place generation after generation. The wealth gap doesn't appear out of thin air. It is created through ownership. Ownership of businesses. Ownership of land. Ownership of housing. Ownership of contracts. Ownership of media. Ownership of capital. And when the same groups consistently receive the ownership while others primarily receive the services, the outcome should not surprise anyone. If you truly want to understand why we continue to find ourselves at the bottom of the wealth gap, follow the money. Find out who is getting paid. Then find out who owns what is being paid for. The answers to those two questions will explain more about wealth, power, and opportunity than most headlines, speeches, or political promises ever will. THE BLACK WALL GOLDEN RULE: If you want to understand what's really happening, ask who is getting paid. If you want to understand the wealth gap, ask who owns what is being paid for.