This TED Talk features writer, producer, and journalist Reniqua Allen, recorded live at TED Salon, up for debate 2019.

So, on the surface, Troy is the kind of millennial that think pieces are made of.

He's arrogant, self-centered, and convinced that he is smarter than people give him credit for.

His favorite topics of conversation are girls, sneakers, and cars.

Right? Not a surprise for someone who was a teenager just a few years ago.

But Troy's mannerisms, they reveal the patterns of someone who is scared, troubled, and ensure the future.

Now, Troy also embodies many positive qualities his generation is known for.

An entrepreneurial spirit, an independent streak, and a dedication to his parents.

He believes in hard work and has tried gigs in both the licit and underground economies,

but he hasn't had any luck and is just trying to find his way and still dances between both worlds.

When I met Troy a few years ago, he had been employed as a golf caddy at a local country club,

carrying bags for rich men and women who often never even acknowledge his existence.

Before that, he sold sneakers on Facebook. He even tried selling candy bars and water bottles,

but he wasn't making enough money to help his parents out or save up for a car anytime soon.

So Troy saw how hard his immigrant mother from Jamaica worked

and how little she got back in return,

and he vowed.

Troy vowed to take a different path.

So he ended up selling drugs, and then he got caught.

And right now he's trying to figure out his next steps.

In a country where money equals power,

quick money, at least for a while,

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