This is some experiment. When the economy crashed in 2008 Chad Petterson lost his Wall Street job. A bunch of his associates weren’t far behind. What happens when men lose their Wall Street jobs? “By giving up the lives they once knew, they find the lives they’ve always desired.” And so the men who once lived a Wall Street lifestyle now live a Jane Street existence on the city’s East Side, a symbol of the violence that has marred the city, hoping to provide some perspective to their past and help to transform a neighborhood in need. Twelve men. Twelve months. One mission. Wall Street Exodus is a challenge led by Petterson and displaced Wall Streeters who had no clue what it’s like to live in a troubled neighborhood, but bring a lot of brainpower to the task. And oh yeah, they’re filming this for a possible documentary and reality series. Wiley Mullins www.unclewileys.com, the genial entrepreneur, urged Petterson to select Bridgeport for this experiment.
It’s been quite an awakening for the boys. In the days after they moved into a multi-family home on Jane Street they were greeted by a surge of neighborhood violence and a law enforcement response team searching for perpetrators. That’s some welcome party.
Check out the Wall Street Exodus video and more below:
Wall Street Exodus is a project in which Wall Street professionals re-purpose their financial and business skills to create self-sustaining businesses for the world’s poor, starting right up the road from Wall Street in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
The project’s objective is to transform lives. This will occur in three ways. First, the lives of the poor in the areas visited will be transformed through increased income and job opportunities from the businesses created. Second, in the process of helping others, the Wall Street professionals themselves will see their own lives transformed and re-“purposed”. Third, to expand the reach and the impact of this transformation process, all aspects of Wall Street Exodus will be captured on film. This will be used to create an unprecedented reality television show and a ground-breaking documentary film.
All publicity is good publicity.
I like it. Plan to stop by to say “hello.” Twelve men. Twelve months. One mission. In the East Side. I’m intrigued.
This is very cool. Way to go, Wiley Mullins.
WOW. Thank You.
All well and good. These folks may be indicative of a turning point for our nation; however, Bridgeport once again is being used as a poster child for urban decay. This Remington Ruin that serves as backdrop, time and again, was created by the powers that be including the City administrations, Development Office, Sal DiNardo, William Finch, Robert Curwen, etc. It was a thriving arts colony, written up in the NY Times and the Habitat for Humanity Warehouse and it was systematically made into the canvas of urban decay for this documentary. Reminiscent of the Mary Moran 60 Minute embarrassment.
Bravo Lennie. It takes a lot to put a chink in this armor and put a tear in my eye, but this one did. Thank you to these 12 “apostles” as well for doing their part to try to help Bridgeport get back on the business grid. Maybe others will notice?
Happy to have people with work experience, some advanced education perhaps, and a need to put their human resources to work in a new way present in Bridgeport. Because of the expected changes mentioned in the video, I will assume the 12 men enter the City with basic respect for the people they will meet at all levels. Since they come from other communities where the day-to-day problems, issues and concerns encountered are probably different, hopefully they will learn deeply about the community so as to arrive at business ideas, alternatives and possibly solutions that will put people to work productively and also generate revenue. To the extent the dozen new residents were employees rather than entrepreneurs in their previous work, may mean the assessment, risk-taking, and resource-staking mindset and actions may not be present, but we have one year as a community to look at changes. Welcome the new voters! (Hope they take a look at Bridgeport Finances 101 and 101A on YouTube to assist their grounding.) Look forward to learning more about the new path they are traveling. Time will tell.
Not just working experience, but serious business experience, and that’s something that is terribly wrong with politicians … the lack of outside business experience where failure comes to haunt and success rewards you.
Bob,
“Not just working experience, but serious business experience” you say, but I did not see where in the article enough info was provided to indicate that. What did you see that I am missing?
Personally, my business life since the day following college graduation nearly 50 years ago has been part of what came to be named the “financial services” business or profession. In recent years as regulation allowed banking, securities and insurance organizations to merge, the walls formerly containing previously illegal activities were torn down. Ethical practice was replaced by “too big to fail” and industry volatility saw large numbers hired at times to shovel paper (and money) into the maw of giant institutions, only to be terminated when a zig or a zag in law or government regulation or “new, new thing” happened.
So let’s be hopeful but with some realistic assessment of the facts. Time will tell.
My original comment was people who worked for Wall Street firms for a paycheck and benefits and then found themselves out on the street were not necessarily entrepreneurs.
So while I’m intrigued by the idea of this reality show, I’m curious why it is they are only focusing on *men* who have lost their Wall St. jobs. Jobs held by women made up over 70% of the financial sector jobs that were lost during the crisis. I’m not sure why the casting notice on the project’s website wants to only focus on men. Weird. And disappointing.
Maybe women didn’t apply for the Wall Street Exodus positions. Not every bijoux babe qualifies for the rugged individualism needed to survive in Bridgeport, never mind the job of raising $100,000 or creating jobs in a harsh environment.
Wiley is one of hell of a guy. He’s also done great work in the South End with the Boy Scouts.
*** Let’s hope they’re no longer on Jane St. now that the cat’s out the bag so to speak. Everybody and their stepsister will be looking to pay them a visit for one reason or another, no? Let’s hope Bpt benefits in the end from whatever outcome this experiment ends up bringing to the forefront! *** HERE WE GO! ***
“By giving up the lives they once knew, they find the lives they’ve always desired.”
Bullshit! They would never have given up the lives/careers they once knew–they were let go by Wall Street. Now, they face the lifestyle they never wanted to be a part of. Welcome to the 99%!
Imagine a black man in a suit with a big ‘W’ on his chest flying around Bridgeport. Hector Diaz would love that!
unclewileys.com
Here’s what I did today:
www .Only1CanBeTheBest.com
These men could find a job tomorrow if they really wanted to. They are and were great business people who are used to putting major deals together and getting things done. That is why they were paid so much, because they know how to get the job done. By doing this film, a lot of light will not only be shed on Bridgeport and its problems, but will also be shed on Bridgeport’s political process, like who is helping the people of Bridgeport, who is sitting back and collecting a paycheck and who is obstructing real progress. These guys will figure out very quickly who is a scumbag and who is truly trying to make a difference for people and their communities–and they will be their voice (hopefully). And when they do, it will be on camera for everyone to see.