Milwaukee native Ranell Washington is assistant vice president for commercial banking at Town Bank and co-founder of Social X, which gives young professionals — especially young professionals of color — a network for social and professional engagement. It was the founding of Social X that earned him a spot on Madison365’s Black Power List for 2016.
Rank your Top 5 MCs. Good way to start off the list: Hov (Jay-Z), Biggie (Notorious B.I.G.), Kanye West, T.I. and J. Cole
Which motivates you more: doubters or supporters? I’m going to say that supporters are most important because I truly believe in the statement “It takes a village to raise a child/successful man, woman etc.” Supporters will be there to lift you when you feel you aren’t great enough to accomplish any goals. Doubters are proved wrong by a self-imposed will and people typically don’t accomplish things 100 percent by themselves.
Why do you live in Milwaukee? I am 100 percent Milwaukee … Born, raised, educated, employed and champion of this great city. Milwaukee has a lot of potential and there is a renaissance that I feel I am called to assist in for this season in my life.
What three leaders in Milwaukee under 50 have impressed you the most? My colleague and big brother from another, Joaquin Altoro, who has more hustle than anyone I’ve had the pleasure working with in my more-than-10-year professional career. I’ve learned a lot from him in the past year of our friendworkship (that’s not a word, but it is for this interview). My extremely well-dressed brethren Elmer Moore who is not a Milwaukee native, but has come to the city of Milwaukee and made his presence and love for the city felt via his professional and philanthropic work with a ton of entrepreneurs and non-profits. Last, but not least, Melissa Goins, a real estate developer in the city who is breaking down so many barriers in the real estate industry and is working on the catalytic Garfield school redevelopment project in Bronzeville. #Blackgirlmagic
What’s the biggest stumbling block in Milwaukee to turning the corner on our racial disparities? CHANGE! I think that change scares a lot of people and especially those standing in the way of that change. There is so much work being done to be representative of the population (Minority majority) and create opportunities for those who are truly deserving.
What are your top three priorities at this point in your life? Serving God, finding a wife and leaving a lasting legacy for those who come behind me.
You’re one of the Co-founders of Social X. Why is Social X needed in Milwaukee? Social X is here to assist diverse professionals in loving the City of Milwaukee and maintaining our talented young professionals. We are pushing to be that liaison for companies and other organizations to tap us and collaborate on the brain drain issue we have in the city. Our goal and mission is to help compete with the other cities that most upwardly mobile YPs flock to for great reason, but we believe Milwaukee can be a hub/oasis for diverse talent. We have all of the gems and resources to get it done, but work is needed to push the envelope and change the narrative.
We just got over school board elections here in Madison. One of the issues that came up was school choice. As one of the founding board members of Milwaukee Excellence Charter School, why are charter schools needed? I believe that charter schools can work in conjunction with the public school system by pushing the educational standards and offerings in unique ways. There is some flexibility that charter schools have with fundraising and targeting specific areas of concerns for students almost like a niche type school. Our school system in Milwaukee is definitely improving and adding new opportunities to educate the whole child, so kudos to Dr. Driver and her team at MPS.
Kendrick Lamar or Drake? Both have their lane and make necessary music for the culture, but I have to roll with my #teamdarkskinned brother Kendrick.
As an Assistant Vice President of Commercial Banking at Town Bank, what are the top 5 things people can do to build wealth? I am not a financial planner, I repeat, I am not a financial planner (LOL), but from my years of working with people who have obtained wealth I’ve seen the following:
- Own a business
- Own/invest in real estate
- Own a life insurance policy
- Be a player in the stock market
- Have friends who push you to your highest potential and discuss money with them
What is the last movie you went to see in the movie theater and how would you rate the movie? The last movie I saw in the theater was Get Out. I thought it was a good film and salute Mr. Jordan Peele for breaking all these records as a new director in the film game. Shameless plug, The Milwaukee Film festival begins September 28, 2017 and you DO NOT want to miss it as we have a top 10 festival in the country #MKEFilm #BlackLensMKE
If you weren’t living in Milwaukee, what city would you reside in? I just came back from an amazing trip to Washington D.C. where I participated in the Cherry Blossom 10 miler with our FEARxSX (Forget Everything And Run) captains hosted by District Running Collective (DRC). That city has an energy that is unreal and of course the culture assets are top-notch (Go see the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture). I love the food, real estate and architecture, and the YP scene. They also still get seasons, so I wouldn’t have to totally change my wardrobe.
