Crazy Money With Paul Ollinger

Kay Madati was born to a single, Tanzanian mother who died when he was 12. Kay and his brother were then adopted by a very affluent caucasian couple who lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. His new family situation was an uncanny mirror to the plot of Diff’rent Strokes, one of the most popular American TV shows of the early 1980s. In a very short period of time, Kay went from a world where “black kids were never supposed to be anything but working class” to attending Riverdale Country School, an elite and nurturing private school in which teachers opened his eyes to his own massive potential. His experience, while rooted in tragedy, is a testimony to the transformative power of adoption and how parenting, education, and access are undeniable sources of privilege.  Kay eventually graduated from Georgetown University and went on to a career in media, working for some of the world’s most prestigious corporations, including BMW, CNN, Facebook, and BET Networks where he was Chief Digital Officer. Most recent