What Does "Wealth" Mean to You? | Aisha Nyandoro | TED

翻译人员: Xiaoyu Zhao 校对人员: suya f.

Growing up in Mississippi,

我在密西西比州长大，

my family never talked about money,

我的家人从来没提过钱，

but I could infer how much people had by pattern keeping at Christmas time.

但是在圣诞节期间，跟据我的观察， 差不多能推断出他们的财务状况。

My uncle Chip was always good for money,

我叔叔奇普总是慷慨解囊，

an absolute delight.

可让人高兴了。

JCPenney's, here I come.

JCPenney’s（一家美国商店），

我来消费了！

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Mama Adele would always give us apples, oranges,

家族的女族长阿黛尔妈妈， 总会将苹果、橙子、奶油糖果，

butterscotch candy, in a brown paper bag.

装在牛皮纸袋里，包好给我们。

It was a gift given with love and it meant a lot

这份充满爱意的礼物

coming from the matriarch of our family.

意义重大。

Now my parents,

现在我的父母，

my parents would make sure my twin and I were fresh in the latest fashions.

他们总能让我和我的孪生兄弟/姐妹 都穿上了最新的时装。

Girbaud jeans, Starter jackets.

Girbaud 品牌的牛仔裤、 Starter品牌的夹克。

Looking good made us feel rich, even if we weren't.

即便我们并不富裕，

这些穿着让我们看起来不错， 有种富人感觉。

So it was interesting

有趣的是，

because I remember having a myriad of conversations

我们大量谈论

about prison reform, the education system,

监狱改革、教育体系、

voter rights,

选民权利，

but a candid conversation about money,

但是关于金钱的讨论，

it never happened.

从未有过。

When I went to graduate school, my world expanded.

当我读研究生时， 我的世界变得更广阔了。

Hearing my friends talk about their overseas adventures

听到我的朋友们侃侃而谈 那些海外的经历与奇遇，

made me envious.

我非常羡慕。

I didn't even have a passport at the time.

那时我连护照都没有。

When I got my first job post graduate school,

研究生院毕业后， 我找到的第一份工作，

I was making 70,000 dollars.

收入为7万美元。

I was rich.

我当时很有钱。

But that shopping spree at JCPenney's was no longer going to scratch that itch.

但是在 JCPenney’s疯狂 消费，已经无法满足我了。

I needed to do whatever I could to be legit wealthy.

我需要尽我所能，变得真正富有。

I think that’s why one of the many Oprah Winfrey episodes that I watched

我想这就是为什么，

我在2000年初看过的 《奥普拉·温弗瑞秀》

[in] the early 2000s stood out to me.

有一集节目给我留下了深刻的印象。

On this particular episode, Suze Orman was the guest.

在这一集中， 苏兹·奥曼是嘉宾。

And for those of you who don't know,

有些听众可能不熟悉这个名字，

Suze is an American author and financial advisor,

苏兹是一位美国作家、财务顾问，

and she has the most perfect white teeth I've ever seen.

我见过的人中，她的牙齿是最白的。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Well, Suze was talking about 401(k)s,

苏兹谈到了退休 储蓄计划，401(k)。

and I got the basic gist of what she was saying.

我大致理解了她所说的，

Save a little money now, have a lot of money in the future.

现在存一点钱，将来就会有很多钱。

Sounded great, amazing, sign me up.

听起来很棒， 这计划太神奇了，

我要报名参加！

So I went to meet a wealth advisor, somebody I met off the internet.

于是我去见了一位网上认识的财富顾问。

I just knew that this random person was going to unlock some magical room

我只知道这个陌生人 即将打开新世界的大门，

and give me all the tricks I needed to be wealthy.

传授给我发家致富的所有技巧。

I mean big house, fancy cars, luxurious vacation.

拥有豪宅豪车，享受奢华假期。

I was excited until I wasn't.

一开始我很兴奋，但到了见面地点， 我的兴奋劲儿很快下去了。

The nondescript building in a strip mall

那只是露天购物中心一座不起眼的建筑，

did not boost my confidence

很难说服我自己

that this was how the wealthy managed their affairs.

那些富人就是在这样的地方 管理自己的财务的。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I was placed in a small white waiting room

进去后，我被安排在 一个小的白色等候室里，

and I stayed there for what felt like forever.

感觉在那呆了好久好久。

Finally, a man came in who could not even bother

最后，一个人进来了，

to learn the correct pronunciation of my name

他甚至都懒得问我名字的正确读音。

and asked me what my goals were for the future.

这个人问我未来的目标是什么。

OK, I'm excited again.

好吧，我又兴奋了。

I know the answer to this.

我知道答案。

Number one, I would like to retire comfortably by the age of 60.

第一，我想在60岁 之前舒舒服服地退休。

Number two, I would like to be able to take care of my mom.

第二，我希望能够照顾好我的妈妈。

His response,

他的回答是：

"I don't know why taking care of your mother is your responsibility."

“我不知道为什么 照顾妈妈是你的责任。”

He then went on to speak in some financial jargon

然后他接着用一些

I could not understand.

我听不懂的金融术语说话。

The entire interaction took me so aback

整个交流过程让我大吃一惊，

that I vowed to share the bare minimum the rest of the meeting.

以至于我发誓，接下来我要和大家分享 那次见面我学到的最基本的知识。

I could not figure out what I was missing,

我无法弄清楚自己错过了什么，

but it made me question everything.

但这让我对一切都产生了质疑。

Maybe I did not know what wealth was.

也许我不知道什么是财富。

Maybe wealth was not intended for people like me.

也许财富不是为像我这样的人准备的。

Maybe I was reaching for too much.

也许我期待的太多了。

So I find it funny, or maybe serendipitous

我觉得很有意思的， 或者说，意外收获的是，

that I think about cash and wealth all the time now.

现在我一直思考着金钱和财富。

For the last ten years,

在过去的十年中，

I've led an organization in Jackson, Mississippi,

我在密西西比州杰克逊领导了一个组织，

that takes a radically community-driven approach to supporting families,

该组织通过采取一种 极具社区驱动的方法，

mainly Black women,

来支持主要是黑人女性的家庭，

that live in federally subsidized affordable housing.

这些家庭居住在联邦 补贴的经济适用房中。

Our programs are strategic and holistic.

我们的项目具有策略性和整体性。

A few years ago,

几年前，

we became concerned that we were not moving the needle on poverty.

我们开始担心我们没有 在贫困问题上取得进展。

So we went to the women that we work with and we said, "What are we missing?"

于是我们去问了那些和我们合作的女性：

“我们漏掉了什么？”

The answers were all different,

答案各不相同，

but the underlying problem was the same.

但潜在的问题是一样的。

The problem was the lack of cash.

问题在于缺钱。

No money for pizza on a Friday night was causing stress.

周五晚上没有钱买披萨， 没钱会带来压力。

Unexpected car repairs were leading to unemployment

意料之外的汽车维修也会导致失业，

because people could not get to and from work.

因为人们无法正常用车上下班。

So we began to research how do you give money,

于是我们开始研究如何向贫困人口捐款，

not another program, to people experiencing poverty?

而不是再推出另一个项目。

In 2018, we launched the Magnolia Mother's Trust,

2018年，我们启动了 木兰花母亲信托项目，

this country's first modern guaranteed-income program,

这是美国第一个现代保障收入项目，

and the first in the world to center its efforts on Black women.

也是世界上第一个 以黑人女性为重点的项目。

(Cheers)

（喝彩声）

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Quickly, for the uninitiated,

对于不熟悉这一概念的人来说，

a guaranteed income is a specific amount of money

保障性收入，是在特定时间内，

given to a specific population over a set amount of time.

向特定人群发放的特定金额的钱。

It's typically funded by private philanthropy

通常由私人慈善机构资助，

or in some instances, the public sector.

或者，在某些情况下，由公共部门资助。

It's not a new idea.

这并非新鲜事物。

Jenny Tillman, a mom and welfare activist,

珍妮·蒂尔曼，一位母亲、福利活动家，

called for a guaranteed income way back in 1972,

早在1972年就提倡保障性收入，

and even Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Nixon indicated

甚至马丁·路德·金博士 和尼克松总统也表示，

that a guaranteed income could help solve for poverty.

保障性收入可以帮助解决贫困问题。

It's not a new idea,

这并非新鲜事物。

but like I said, we are pioneers and our efforts are working.

但正如我所说，我们是先驱者， 我们的努力正取得成效。

We provide 1,000 dollars a month for 12 months to Black mothers.

我们每月向黑人母亲 提供一千美元，为期12个月。

And our goal is simple:

我们的目标很简单：

to provide these women with the breathing room they need

为这些黑人女性提供所需的财务资源，

by giving them the financial resources they need

为她们争取更多喘息的空间，

to dream a little bigger.

从而让她们有机会追寻更大的梦想。

We provide --

我们提供 —

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）

We provide 1,000 dollars a month for 12 months,

我们每月提供一千美元，为期12个月。

and we have proven that 12,000 dollars

我们已经证明，一万两千美元

is a life-altering amount of money.

就已是一笔改变人生的钱。

Yes, it allows you to take care of the practical needs,

是的，这笔钱可以满足人们实际需求，

like getting that car repaired,

比如维修那辆车，

but it also allows you to shift your reality.

但这笔钱也可以让人们改变现状。

Literally, shift your reality from scarcity to abundance,

字面上讲，改变人们的现状， 拥有的资源从之前的稀缺到富足，

from tunneling to imagination,

思维方式从之前的局限到开阔，

from scraping by to genuine opportunity.

生活也从之前的勉力维持 到真正获得进步和成功的机会。

There are over 100 guaranteed income programs

这个国家

currently being implemented in this country,

目前正在实施 100多个保障性收入项目，

and many were inspired by what we started

其中许多项目

in Jackson, Mississippi, of all places.

都从我们密西西比州杰克逊市 启动的项目中受到启发。

Black women have ushered in a movement and it has been beautiful,

黑人女性迎来了漂亮的一场运动，

but it is just the start.

但这仅仅是个开始。

Over the last few years,

在过去的几年中，

as I have watched more and more moms move towards income stability,

我看到越来越多的母亲收入稳定，

I have listened as they have began to dream

我了解到她们开始梦想着

about a life free of economic stress.

没有经济压力的生活。

I have watched as they began to dream about wealth.

我看着她们开始梦想财富。

Now, I understand that the most basic definition of wealth

现在，我明白，财富的最基本定义

is what you own, minus what you owe.

是你拥有的资产，减去你的负债。

And I also know we typically define it as having big cars,

而且我也知道，我们通常 将财富定义为拥豪车、

luxurious vacations,

奢华的假期， 比邻居过得更好，

one-upping our neighbor on this never-ending ladder of economic success.

在这永无止境的”经济 成功阶梯“之上，超越他人。

But for many women, particularly women of color,

但是，许多女性， 特别是有色人种女性，

who do not have access or the ability to earn a living wage

由于薪酬不平等，她们无法获得， 或没有能力赚取工资，

because of pay inequity,

对于这些女性而言，

that definition is meaningless or inadequate.

这一对财富的定义是没有意义、片面的。

Lord knows that we must solve for the racial wealth gap,

我们必须解决种族贫富差距问题，

and it is going to take radical imagination

而这需要激进想象，

and a reinvention of big systems.

以及对大型制度的重塑。

But until then,

但是在那之前，

people cannot be gaslit into believing

人们不能被洗脑，

that their definition of wealth is invalid or less important.

让他们相信，对财富的定义是无效的， 或着财富的意义是什么，并不那么重要。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Bell Hooks once wrote,

比尔·胡柯斯曾经写道

"Definitions are a vital starting point to the imagination.

想象力的起点，关键在于定义。

What one cannot imagine cannot come into being."

超出想象的事物，无法成为现实。

One day I was having a conversation with Coco,

有一天，我在和木兰花母亲 信托的一位母亲可可交谈 。

a mom within the Magnolia Mother's Trust, and I asked her, "What is wealth to you?"

我问可可：“对你而言， 财富意味着什么？”

Without skipping a beat, she said,

她毫不犹豫地说：

"If anything were to happen to me,

“如果我出了什么事，

my family would have the money to cover my burial expenses."

我的家人就会有钱支付我的丧葬费用。”

Asking more and more women the same question,

我向越来越多的女性问了同一个问题，

I have come to learn that wealth is dignified funerals,

从她们的回答中，我了解到， 财富可以让人有体面的葬礼，

the privilege of privacy,

享有隐私的权利，

the ability to complete school, own a business,

支持人们完成学业，做生意，

or the thrill of being the extravagant auntie.

或者是成为富婆的快感。

All of these are definitions of wealth to them.

所有这些都是她们对财富的定义。

Wealth is about a sense of agency, a sense of freedom,

财富关乎一种主体感， 一种自由感，

the collective well-being of the whole.

是一种集体性的幸福。

It is not an individual pathological pursuit.

财富不是个人的病态追求。

For too long, we have allowed financial institutions

长期以来，我们一直允许金融机构

to define wealth and the process by which we build it.

定义财富和我们创造财富的过程。

I have never had a mother say to me,

从来没有一位母亲对我说，

wealth is having stocks and bonds,

财富是拥有股票债券，

equity in her home, or even a retirement account.

无负债资产，甚至是退休账户。

Instead, they dream about what a life of ease and care would look like.

相反，她们憧憬的是一种 轻松的、被关怀的生活。

Another case in point.

再举一个例子。

I was having a conversation with a mom I work with,

我问一位和我一起共事的母亲，

and I asked if she had six months’ worth of savings

她有没有相当于六个月开支的存款

to cover an emergency.

来应对紧急情况。

She started laughing.

她大笑出声，

She could not even see herself in the equation that I was offering.

她甚至无法将自己 置于我所提出的情景之中。

She said that "Before the Magnolia Mothers Trust,

她说：“在木兰花母亲信托之前，

I didn’t even have a savings account, let alone one month’s worth of savings.”

我甚至没有储蓄账户，更不用 说相当于一个月开支的存款了。”

I said, "OK, let me ask the question differently.

我说：“好吧，那我换个 方式问这个问题。

What is wealth to you?"

对你来说，什么是财富？”

She said, "Oh, that's easy.

她说：“哦，这很简单。

All of my bills paid every month

“每个月都能支付所有的账单，

with a little left over for anything extra."

还能有一点额外的钱用于其他事情。”

She knew exactly what she needed.

她确切地知道自己需要什么。

Our narrow definition simply did not address her needs.

我们对于财富狭隘的定义， 根本无法满足她的需求。

Hearing these responses, time and time again,

一次又一次地听到这些回答，

I began to realize that we have to redefine wealth,

我开始意识到，我们必须重新定义财富，

and we actually can redefine wealth.

我们实际上可以重新定义财富。

And a way we do that is by listening to others

“我们做到这一点的方法是倾听他人，

and then by being brave enough to listen to ourselves.

然后足够勇敢地倾听自己的心声。”

So of course, y'all,

所以，大家，

I had to ask myself, what is wealth?

我不得不问问自己，什么是财富？

And I will admit to each of you all because we're best friends now --

而我会向你们每个人坦言相告， 因为我们现在是最好的朋友——

(Laughter)

（笑声）

That when I first asked myself this question, I started crying.

当我第一次问自己 这个问题时，我哭了。

I realized that for over 20 years,

我意识到，20多年来，

I had been holding on to a definition that was not written for me,

我一直坚守着一个并非为我所写，

nor did it mirror my desires.

也没有反映我的愿望的定义。

I never wanted that big house backed up against the lake.

我从未想要那座背靠湖泊的大房子。

I simply wanted what it represented in my mind:

我只是想要它在我心中所代表的东西：

My ability to gather my people, to nourish them, to spoil them,

有能力聚集我所重视的人， 让他们获得和关爱。

to make sure that we were protected and cared for

在我们走出去辛勤工作、照顾他人之前，

before we go out into the world doing the hard work of caring for others.

确保我们自己收到保护和关爱。

Please hear my words.

请听听我的话。

I am not saying that women experiencing poverty simply need space to dream.

我并不是说经历贫困的女性 只是需要梦想的空间。

If you all walk out of this theater with that,

如果你们离开这里时有这样的想法，

I am going to be very unhappy.

我会非常不开心的。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

What I am saying

我的意思是，

is that the space to dream mixed with cash

梦想的空间加上现金，

can lead to transformation that can lead to true wealth.

可以发生转变，从而带来真正的财富。

It is my belief that we, all of us in this room,

我相信，在座的所有人，

are made less [wealthy]

不得不身处一个人们 必须证明自己价值的国家，

by virtue of tolerating a country where anyone has to prove their worth.

因而变得不那么富有。

We may have 500 different definitions of wealth,

我们对财富可能有500种不同的定义，

but we can all agree that we are all degraded by normalizing immoral inequity.

但我们都同意，

社会正常化那些非道德的不公正行为， 损害了社会内每个人的福祉。

After all these years, I have finally --

经过这么多年，我终于——

(Applause)

（掌声）

After all of these years,

这些年来，

I have finally accomplished what I set out to achieve

我终于实现了

all those years ago with that random wealth advisor.

多年前与那位财富顾问 交流时设定的目标。

I am emboldened and empowered to manage my wealth

管理财富时，我变得更加坚定和有力，

and no, I don't mean money.

这里的财富指的不是钱。

I mean, I am a loving daughter,

我的意思是，我是一个关爱长辈的女儿，

I am a mom who takes their boys on vacation

带孩子度假的母亲，

and you best believe I am an extravagant auntie.

你最好相信，我还是一个富婆。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

We have a poverty of imagination about what makes you wealthy.

关于什么让你富有？通常我们 在这个问题上缺乏想象力。

I mean the things that people say about you at your funeral.

我的意思是，

财富是在葬礼上，大家对你的评价。

I mean legacy.

是你的遗产。

But here's the thing.

但问题是这样的。

From where I sit, we can offer that kind of wealth to everyone.

从我的立场来看，我们可以 向所有人提供这样的财富。

And yes, I am going to play on the word here,

是的，我这么说，

I can guarantee it,

我可以保证大家拥有财富，

if we are simply willing to understand

只要我们愿意理解，

that a small financial investment can change someone's life,

小额的金融投资就可以 改变一些人的生活，

giving them the flexibility,

给予她们灵活的生活方式、

breathing room and space

喘息的空间和机会，

to define and build wealth on their own terms.

让她们根据自己的条件定义和积累财富。

And that may be wealth defined by equity, love, honor and delight.

这可能是由公平、爱、 荣誉和喜悦定义的财富。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌声和欢呼）