John Hope Bryant

Operation HOPE Staff Wish John Hope Bryant A Happy Birthday Week!

 

John Hope Bryant Statement on the Passing of Keasha Rutledge Draft

Operation HOPE expresses its heartfelt sympathy to retired NFL linebacker, and HOPE Corps volunteer Chris Draft, on the passing of his wife and friend, Lakeasha Monique Rutledge Draft. 

While no words will compensate for the loss, the joy she brought to so many during her short life cannot be measured. The spirit of Lakeasha lives on with Chris, a volunteer and champion for our 5MK Movement.

Her pain is ended, but her legacy and light remains for a lifetime. Keasha has been "promoted." Gone on, to a better place.

Respectfully and with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

 

Something Most Everyone Can Do

John Hope Bryant Issues A Statement on the Passing of James Garavaglia

In a world where most people just coast, people who live their lives with passion and with both feet planted in their purpose, they just show through.  You really do not forget these people.  Jim Garavaglia was just such a person. He was also my friend.

Jim Garavaglia was by position a corporate senior vice president for Comerica Bank, which has been a long-time partner for the organization I founded, Operation HOPE.  But Jim was so much more than that.

Jim genuinely, and passionately cared about people.  He was the credibility bridge into the corporate offices of one of the most important financial institutions in the country, and he was the very human face for their engagement with the communities they served across the nation.  

Statement by John Hope Bryant on the Passing of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth

While I did not know him personally, his reputation truly did proceed him.  His work with my mentor and personal hero, civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young, one of Dr. King's closest aides and the strategist for the movement, places him in a league of absolute rarity.  His work with Dr. King and Ambassador Young places Rev. Shuttlesworth forever in a place of respect with me, and in my life.

Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth will be remembered forever, for he, along with Dr. King, Ambassador Young and a host of other select leaders with a vision, led what many call the 3rd American Revolution -- the civil rights movement in America. Together, they changed America for the better.  The world is better because he was here.

A special thank you to Ambassador Andrew Young for attending and speaking at Rev. Shuttlesworth homegoing today.  Ambassador Young is the man who always shows up.

Onward and with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

 

 

Saluting An American Icon: Farewell Steve Jobs, You Will Be Missed

And so, a book is closed, and an era in many ways defines by the imagination of one Steve Jobs comes to an end today, with the stunning announcement of his death.  

That said, because of what he built, who he empowered, where he applied his transformative powers, and how he changed the way we worked and lived (and even felt), his legacy will live on forever.

We had no idea of course, when we asked the question in our forthcoming announcement of the Gallup-HOPE Index, "which one of these young people will be the next Steve Jobs," that we would be doing so in the backdrop of his literal passing -- but what a fitting tribute to a man who changed so much, and inspired so many -- including me.  And so, next week, Gallup and the Operation HOPE family will release national data that will hopefully help insure that there will be hundreds more Steve Jobs of and for our future.  

The Operation HOPE family joins me in saluting an American icon, and a global leader for change -- Mr. Steve Jobs.  You will be missed sir.  Your legacy, lives on, and I am not talking about an iPad. I am talking about our way life, our possibilities, and how we actually "see" our world.  Thank you sir. Thank you.

Finally, our hearts go out to his family, and those who obviously loved him so very much.  Please know that he has been "promoted." Gone on, to a better place.

Onward and with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

 

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), and a Member of the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for President Barack Obama.  Mr. Bryant is 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.

 

 

 

John Hope Bryant Mourns the Passing of Mr. Nick Ashford

  

I didn't know Mr. Nick Ashford well when I had the honor of spending some quality time with him earlier this year. That said, it did not take me long to understand that I was sharing a very special moment, with a very special man.

I met Mr. Ashford at a private dinner, along with his amazingly talented wife Mrs. Valerie Simpson, and their children, as the guest of my mentor and good friend Mr. Quincy Jones.  We joined the family as they celebrated Nick's birthday earlier this year in Manhattan, and it could not have been a more special evening. 

Late into the evening, and on into the wee hours of the morning there was laughter, love and memories shared by all.  But what I remember most of all, was the humility and kindness of one Mr. Nick Ashford.  I also remember sitting across from him, and having a fairly deep conversation about what was "important" in life, and I remember marveling at his stated commitment to give more of his time to and for causes he believed in.  He wanted to spend more time giving back.  

A Message From A Friend To The People of Norway

The following speech was given by my friend friend His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, in the days and weeks following the worst terror attack on the people of Norway in at least my generation. I am sure it will inspire you, as it has already inspired me. Full text, shared as follows.

His Royal Highness The Crown Prince
Appeal at City Hall Square 25 July 2011

Tonight the streets are filled with love.

We have chosen to defy brutality with fellowship.
We have chosen to counter hatred with solidarity.
We have chosen to make it plain what we stand for.

Norway is a nation in mourning. Our thoughts go to all those who have suffered loss, who are grieving.

To all who have worked so heroically to save lives and re-establish our security. And to our leaders, who have been so put to the test these past days.

The acts of terror may have targeted the people on Utøya and in the government buildings, but it has affected us all.

With terrible clarity they have shown us how enormous the consequences of one person’s actions can be.

And at the same time they demonstrate that each individual’s attitudes count, that it matters what we choose base our lives on. And how we choose to use this to benefit each other and the society in which we live.

After July 22nd we can never again allow ourselves to think that our opinions and beliefs don’t matter. We must go into every day ready to do battle for the free and open society which we hold so dear.

To our young people: You are our corrective, our courage and our hope. It is you who will shape and determine Norway’s course in years to come. We have none of you to spare. Yet we have lost so many.

No one will take from us the Norway that we want.

Tonight the streets are filled with love.

We have a choice to make. We cannot undo what has been done.
But we can choose what we let it do to us, as a society and as individuals.
We can decide that no one should ever have to stand alone.
We can choose to stand together.

It is up to each of us now. It is up to you and it is up to me.

We have a job to do together. It is a job we have to do around the dinner table, in lunchrooms, in our clubs and organisations, a job for all men and women, in all our cities, villages and towns.

We want a Norway:

Where we can live together as a community, at liberty to think freely and express our views.
Where differences are perceived as potential.
Where freedom is stronger than fear.

Tonight the streets are filled with love.


Note from John Hope Bryant:

HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway is a co-founder of Global Dignity, along with our friend and fellow former YGL, Professor Pekka Himanen and myself. As a result of our deep friendship and the work we do around the world, we spend a lot of time in Norway. Norway, is family, to us all.

My Personal and Deep Condolences for the People of Norway

I am without words, and my heart is full of sorrow for the more than 90 youth and adults who were senselessly killed in a terror attack in Norway. I have already called my closest friends there to express my personal condolences, and to offer whatever help the Operation HOPE family and I can offer. 

As if Norway was family to me, over the past 24 hours I have received many personal and heartfelt messages of condolence around the brutal and inhumane attacks on Norway and her people. Well, Norway is family to me.

This is my opportunity to say this publicly, and to say without question or reservation, that I stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder, and heart to heart with my friends and partners there, as they work their way through this heart wrenching time.

My relationship with Norway goes beyond my deep and abiding, brother-like friendship with HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, co-founder with me and Professor Pekka Himanen of Global Dignity. Or my friendship with Crown Princess Mette-Marit, or the other members of the Royal Family and various staff there.

It goes beyond the many good and decent people I have come to know there over the years, and the numerous trips I have made there for Global Dignity, or what we have come to refer to as our "Oslo Meetings;" deepening even further my bond with Norway.

It starts --- with my connection to the children of Norway, who in many ways could not be more filled with love and care for others, or more well balanced and genuinely interested in the rest of the world around them (particularly the less fortunate parts of our world).

A statement by John Hope Bryant on the exit of a global symbol of fear: hope on the move

I wanted to personally commend and thank U.S. President Barack Obama on his leadership in orchestrating the formal "exit" of one Osama Bin laden.  

Osama Bin Laden was not a Muslim; he was simply a thug, and a terrorist of the worst order.

Osama Bin Laden hi-jacked the legitimate and dignified legacy of Islam, turning it into something no loving individual in the world recognized. 

Osama Bin Laden used his vast intellectual talent, deep financial resources, and broad network of fellow fear-based leaders, to extend a reign of horror in and for our world that is unparalleled since one Adolf Hitler.

Osama Bin Laden brought that horror directly to the door of my home country, the United States of America, and we have not been the same sense.  

Today, that particular reign of terror called Osama Bin Laden is over, and this particular book of fear is (on this point) closed.  Hope is on the move.