Anyone who knows me is keenly aware of my thoughts about billionaires: I don’t think one person needs that much money in a lifetime. I think having ungodly amounts of money gives billionaires a disproportionate amount of power in almost every facet of politics and policy. And as we have seen in the likes of people like Elon Musk, some billionaires can model themselves after movie villains and begin to interfere in elections, technology, and so much more.
Although I was critical of Michael Bloomberg at times when he served as the 108th mayor of New York City, I must admit that my admiration of and gratitude to “post-mayoralty Bloomberg” knows no bounds.
Recently, the former mayor donated to Johns Hopkins University, his alma mater, essentially providing free tuition to medical school students for years to come. Just a few weeks ago, Bloomberg made a $600 million donation to various HBCU medical schools—the Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C.; Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Ga.; and Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn., will each receive $175 million. Obviously, Bloomberg did not attend an HBCU, but his donations to these institutions are the largest three ever made to HBCUs and will roughly double the existing endowments of all three of these institutions. The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles will also receive $75 million.
Bloomberg’s donation will assist Black medical students in their pursuit of becoming Black doctors for generations to come. My sister is a Black doctor and I see how much her presence changes how patients receive care, better understand their own medical needs, and become more trusting of the entire medical profession. Black doctors matter to patients, their families, and nurses, and at every level of hospital administration. Bloomberg’s generous donation will ensure that more Black doctors will serve in hospitals and clinics across the country. I don’t think we’ll ever truly know the extent to which his donation will change the career and health outcomes and prospects of Black people for generations to come.
Each month ,I give a little money to the Meharry Medical School because I believe in helping the next generation of Black doctors succeed. My little donation is truly a drop in the ocean compared to Michael Bloomberg’s, but it is a reminder that we can all do our part to help create the world we want to see.
When evaluating politicians, I always remind my students that no elected official is perfect and we will always have areas where we disagree on policy, implementation, or perceived effectiveness. I also remind them that we must recognize when our electeds—past or present—use their power to help make the lives of citizens better. Bloomberg has done just that, and I will be forever grateful for his investment in the future of Black medical institutions and Black people more broadly.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.