Dr Naa-Du Laryea sparks debate on capitalism and the cost of Black success

As global conversations around race, inequality and economic justice continue to gain momentum, Black Studies scholar, financial anthropologist and author Dr Naa-Du Laryea is challenging long-held assumptions about how Black people relate to capitalism.

Through her book, Black Capitalists, A Blueprint for What Is Possible, she presents a thought-provoking argument that Black communities are not merely victims of capitalism’s exploitative structures, but can also reshape and redefine the system to serve collective progress.

Dr Laryea argues that race significantly influences how individuals participate in capitalist economies. Rather than viewing this difference as a limitation, she believes it offers an opportunity to create a more equitable and inclusive economic system, particularly within Black communities.

She maintains that while capitalism has historically been associated with exploitation and racial injustice, ignoring the system is not a viable option since it remains the dominant global economic structure.

Instead, she encourages a critical engagement with capitalism that produces better economic outcomes for Black people while promoting social good.

Her book blends memoir, ethnographic research and economic theory, drawing from her personal and professional journey. As the child of African immigrants, Dr. Laryea experienced firsthand the complexities of identity, opportunity and economic mobility.

Her career trajectory took her into elite financial spaces, including Goldman Sachs, where she worked as an analyst within the Environmental, Social and Governance framework.

This role exposed her to the inner workings of global finance and corporate power, shaping her understanding of how economic systems function.

Dr Laryea’s academic achievements further strengthen her argument. She holds a dual PhD in Sociocultural Anthropology and Black Studies from Yale University, where her research focused on Black participation in global capitalist systems.

Her work has received recognition from major institutions such as the National Science Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

She has also contributed to academia as an Adjunct Professor at the NYU Stern School of Business and has worked with JPMorgan Chase as a racial equity investment strategist and researcher in asset and wealth management.

At the centre of her book is the concept of Black Capitalism, which she describes as a model where profit generation is pursued alongside community upliftment.

According to Dr Laryea, individuals who practise Black Capitalism often operate as outsiders within traditional capitalist structures but deliberately adapt and reshape these structures to benefit both themselves and their communities.

She highlights examples of individuals who combine financial success with social responsibility, demonstrating that economic empowerment and collective advancement can coexist.

Some of the most personal reflections in the book stem from her childhood experiences. She recounts how her family relocated after her mother won a housing lottery, leading her to attend an all-white school for the first time.

That experience exposed her to visible models of wealth that were often associated with whiteness, prompting her to question what it meant to be Black and financially successful, and what sacrifices or challenges might come with that pursuit.

Beyond her academic and financial accomplishments, Dr. Laryea is also an entrepreneur.

She is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kelewele, a Brooklyn-based lifestyle brand inspired by her Ghanaian heritage. Through the brand, she explores cultural identity while building economic value rooted in African traditions.

She has often emphasized the importance of Africans investing in themselves, highlighting initiatives in Ghana and across the continent where local entrepreneurship, skill-building, and culturally rooted business models are reshaping economic opportunities.

Her recent commentary on Ghana and Zambia’s bilateral cooperation underlined the potential for African countries to leverage their own resources, talent, and capital to build thriving economies without solely relying on external systems.

Black Capitalists ultimately presents a call to action rather than a defence of capitalism. Dr Laryea urges Black communities to confront the realities of the economic system while using their lived experiences to transform it into one that balances profit with fairness and social impact.

She believes that the responsibility lies with individuals and communities to leverage available opportunities to build a more just and inclusive economic future.