John Hope Bryant

Announcing at Ebenezer Church in Atlanta, Georgia: From Civil Rights to Silver Rights, A Conversation on Leadership

This coming Sunday, February 12th, 2012, at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church led by my friend and partner, Reverend Dr. Raphael Warnock, I will join both civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young and Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, the 5th pastor of America's freedom church in its more than 125 year history, for a special CONVERSATION ON LEADERSHIP: From Civil Rights to Silver Rights, and the new Civil Roghts Issue of Financial Dignity.

Operation HOPE is partnering with Ebenezer Baptist Church to build the HOPE Financial Dignity, Ebenezer, which will be the anchor tenant and partner in the new Martin Luther King, Sr. Community Resource Complex at Ebenezer, and within the broader King Center complex.  The HOPE Financial Dignity Center, Ebenezer is supported by the FINANCIAL SERVICES ROUNDTABLE and its members SunTrust Bank, State Farm Insurance, LPL Financial, Wells Fargo and MasterCard, as well as the US Economic Development Administration, the Coca-Cola Company and the United Way of Greater Atlanta.

Hosted by the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church but not limited to members of Ebenezer, if you are a leader in the greater Atlanta area, you can contact Operation HOPE, Atlanta to RSVP at 404-941-2919, or to get additional information.

 

John Hope Bryant is a thought leader, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and Bryant Group Companies, Inc. Magazine/CEO READ bestselling business author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass) the only African-American bestselling business author in America, and is chairman of the Subcommittee for the Under-Served and Community Empowerment for the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, for President Barack Obama.  Mr. Bryant is the co-founder of the Gallup-HOPE Index, the only national research poll on youth financial dignity and youth economic energy in the U.S. He is also a co-founder of Global Dignity with HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland. Global Dignity is affiliated with the Forum of Young Global Leaders and the World Economic Forum. 

 

Why I Do What I Do

I do it for THIS reason.  To see THIS expression on a young person's face.  Just look at this ~ it is literally priceless. And all I had to do here was to sign and give him a copy of my bestselling business book LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass).  Did you "get" what I just said?  I gave the young man a BUSINESS book.  Not fiction (all good by the way), or a comic, or some rap lyrics (all good too).  But a book on business and leadership, and inspired in the right way, this young man just lit up like a Christmas tree.

This is why I do what I do, and why I believe so passionately in our work in financial dignity at Operation HOPE, and the promise of the silver rights movement.

Our young people increasingly don't have something tangible of even aspirational to believe in, and as a result, we are losing them.

Special From Gainesville Sun: Banquet speaker talks class, money

John Hope Bryant was the keynote speaker at the 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame Banquet.

Buy PhotoBRAD McCLENNY/Special to the Guardian

By CLEVELAND TINKER
Special to the Guardian

Published: Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 5:27 p.m.

Life in the 21st century is about economic freedom more than anything else for blacks in Gainesville, the U.S. and people around the world.

That was the message delivered by John Hope Bryant at the 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame Banquet Sunday night to more than 325 people at the Paramount Plaza Hotel.

Read the complete story here.

 

An Unsung Hero for Financial Dignity: John Rogers, Jr.

Most people know of John Rogers, Jr, if they are aware of him at all (he is low key and humble about his noteworthy accomplishments), as the pioneering chairman and founding CEO of Ariel Capital, which became the first multi-billion dollar investor of private sector funds into the mainstream market (featuring amongst others, the very successful Ariel Mutual Funds), led by an African-American. Others know John Rogers, Jr. as a close friend and supporter of President Barack Obama.  

I know a different, but not an inconsistent John Rogers, Jr.  

The John that I know, and have known on some level for 20 years, partnered together with Charles Schwab & Co to produce a then groundbreaking study on the net worth differences between like-income, like-educated mainstream (Caucasian), African-American and Latino middle class Americans.  The differences in net worth between the racial classes was stark and startling, with much attributed to "what" people did with their money, more so that "how much" they actually earned.  In other words, John was pushing financial literacy empowerment before it had a formal name and definition.  I personally remember this study being one of the influencers that pushed me to call for more silver rights in American life, in addition to civil rights, in the lives of low-wealth Americans; including the black and brown middle class.

RARE Youth in Northern Virginia School Listen to Operation HOPE John Hope Bryant during Virtual MLK Session Featuring Banking on Our Future

Wow -- this proves the power of technology.  Here I gave a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr speech and didn't even know it.  The kids simply pulled up a video of me on their iPad (YouTube) and made it happen for themselves (smile).  The youth were taught a Banking on Our Future financial literacy session as well by HOPE's own Jena Roscoe.

Here at Operation HOPE we believe that financial literacy is the new civil rights issue for this generation.

 

 

12 HOPE Volunteers and Partners Honored on MLK Day by the White House at Ebenezer Church

 

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Dr. Martin Luther King is often quoted stating "Everybody can be great...because everybody can serve." In this spirit it was Operation HOPE's honor to recommend the below individuals to receive the Presidential Drum Major for Service Volunteer Service Award! Congratulations to all! We are very proud of you.

The MLK Drum Majors for Service Award was created to acknowledge and celebrate volunteers who perform extraordinary everyday acts of service with reliability and commitment, but who seldom receive recognition. On behalf of the Senior Administration Officials of the White House Offices of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and Office of Public Engagement, the Corporation for National and Community Service, Operation HOPE, and representatives from faith and community organizations across America we salute these individuals as beacons in their community, and a Drum Major leading the charge and making a difference.

In particular, we thank you for your service and personal contribution to the betterment of Metro Atlanta.  

All honorees joined Reverend Dr. Raphael G. Warnock, Senior Pastor of the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church to attend service on Sunday, January 15th, 2012, where they were recognized.  Ms. Valerie Jarrett, representing President Obama, was also present and gave inspiring remarks to the volunteers. Congressman John Lewis and Mrs. Christine King-Farris, sister of Dr. King.

2012 Presidential Drum Major For Service Volunteer Service Award Recipients:

Starlyn Baxter          Associated Credit Union
Bill Cheeks              ABBA HOPE SE Board
MoniqueTaylor         Boy Scouts of America
Scott Brown            Georgia Pacific - Youth Entrepreneurs
Barbie Palmer         Bank of America
Kelli Bacote-Boone  Atlanta Public School, ATL READS
Grace Lee               Georgia State University
Gary Dryden           Chubb Insurance
Brandi Harvey          Young Fit and Fly
Kim Braud                Nationwide Insurance
Greg Clay                City of East Point
Lillian Lane               Beal Bank

 

SPECIAL FROM THE GAINESVILLE SUN: A Different Struggle

John Hope Bryant, founder and CEO of Operation HOPE Inc., delivers the keynote speech during the 27th annual MLK banquet at the Paramount Plaza Hotel in Gainesville.

By Chad Smith
Staff writer

Published: Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 10:34 p.m.

Martin Luther King Jr. would have turned 83 years old Sunday, five days shy of the third anniversary of the inauguration of the first black president.

The world is significantly different from the one King left when he was assassinated in 1968, with the civil-rights movement giving way to a struggle over class, said John Hope Bryant, the founder of Operation HOPE, which provides economic education in under-served areas, in his keynote address at the 27th annual banquet honoring King’s legacy in Gainesville.

“The 21st century is about economics. Greece’s problem is not more democracy, it’s too much debt,” said Bryant, a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability.

Read the rest of the story here.

 

 

 

 

John Hope Bryant Speaks Before Denver Public Schools for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebrations Tomorrow

SPECIAL FROM THE DENVER POST

MLK program "Painting the Seed, Growing the Seed," will be from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Evie Dennis Campus Building, 1 West Commons, 4800 Teluride St., Denver. The keynote speaker will be John Hope Bryant. Music selections: First Lady of Denver Mary Hancock (Mary Louise Lee); solo selection, Sia Chandler. Info: Sylvia Bookhardt,Sylvia_bookhardt@dpsk12.org, 303-229-1997, or Ani Reddy,Reddy@dpsk12.org, 970-310-4526.

Read more:Colorado events for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19749758#ixzz1jaoCN424
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

 

John Hope Bryant is a thought leader, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and Bryant Group Companies, Inc. Magazine/CEO READ bestselling business author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass) the only African-American bestselling business author in America, and a Member of the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for President Barack Obama.  Mr. Bryant is the co-founder of the Gallup-HOPE Index, the only national research poll on youth financial dignity and youth economic energy in the U.S. He is also a co-founder of Global Dignity with HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland. Global Dignity is affiliated with the Forum of Young Global Leaders and the World Economic Forum. 

 

Advisor for President Obama and Bestselling Business Author to speak in Erie PA at MLK Jr. Community Awards Dinner

John Hope Bryant, Chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE (and an advisor to President Obama) - to Speak at Erie Community Annual Award Dinner.  Author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass), Bryant is the sole African-American bestselling business author in America today.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration Committee will host its Martin Luther King Jr. 2nd Annual Awards Dinner at the Ambassador Convention Center on January 13, 2012. The reception will be at 5:30pm, with the main event starting at 6:30pm. The annual dinner provides a wonderful vehicle to show appreciation to members of the Erie community who have put forth generous and consistent effort to help those throughout the region.

Find complete information on the event here.

Operation HOPE Launches Arabic Version Financial Literacy Curriculum

I was honored to be in Morocco recently, speaking as the closing keynote for the annual meeting of the African Securities Exchange Association and before 22 CEOs for their respective country's stock exchanges, throughout the whole of Africa.  More than 400 delegates attended from countries beyond the African continent, and I was also thrilled to again spend some time with my friend and our HOPE Global Board of Advisors' Chairman, Mr. Sean Cleary, whom I lovingly refer to as the "South African James Bond."  Mr. Cleary, a legend in South Africa who helped to draft the South African Constitution, was also a featured speaker.  The conference was organized, hosted and held by my friend and fellow global advisory board member Karim Hajji, CEO of the Casablanca Stock Exchange.

The launch the Arabic contextualized version of our Banking on Our Future financial literacy curriculum, and a featured part of our Wikia-HOPE Global Money, Morocco Initiative, was no small feat. The actual work to get this done came through the staff of the CSE (for whom I and we are very thankful), but the importance of getting this done, and at this particular time and place in history cannot be understated.