John Hope Bryant

An Operation HOPE Client Testimonial That Made My Day...

A very special thank you to Michael Shepherd, Chairman and CEO of Bank of the West, along with the Bank of the West family, for making the HOPE Financial Dignity Center, Oakland -- and client experiences like this --- possible.

This is what we mean, when we say from 'civil rights to silver rights' empowerment for all.

 

 

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Homeownership Empowerment Expo with Congresswoman Janice Hahn and City of Carson Mayor Dear This Weekend

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Civil Rights to Silver Rights Quote of the Day

John Hope Bryant and Operation HOPE at SEDCO Holdings, Saudi Arabia: Sparking the Entrepreneurship Generation

 

Homeownership Empowerment Expo with Congresswoman Janice Hahn and City of Carson Mayor Dear This Weekend

 

Son of Carson, California, Lance Triggs, division president for Operation HOPE, returns to his home city this weekend with real resources, and solutions, to help, lift, advance the lives of those who now call Carson, California home.

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I was so very happy to hear that Operation HOPE's own Lance Triggs, who also happens to be a very dear, life-long friend to me, joined together and in partnership with another dear friend, U.S. Congresswoman Janice Hahn, along with City of Carson Mayor Dear, to organize a very successful Homeownership Empowerment Expo in Lance's hometown of Carson, California.

The prodigal son returned home in a big way. He and HOPE had just under 600 participants in attendance (capacity was 450). Major Banks (Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi, Ocwen -- formerly GMAC) were all represented to provide first time home buyer and loan modification assistance.

Bravo Lance Triggs.  You are a living testimony to and for all the good that your amazing parents poured into you, in those critical early developmental years living in Carson, Calfornia. I am so proud to see you now as the man you are, president of the HOPE Financial Dignity Center division nationwide, and now bringing hope, silver rights empowerment and solutions back to the people of Carson.

Lance, you are indeed, I believe, what Dr. King had in mind my friend. Saluting Lance Triggs, and all that he has done to advance our communities and silver rights over more than 18 years with Operation HOPE!

 

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Onward and with HOPE.

 

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.  Mr. Bryant is a thought leader represented by the Bright Sight Group for public speaking. Mr. Bryant serves on the board of directors of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (NYSE: ACRE), a specialty finance company that is managed by an affiliate of Ares Management LLC, a global alternative asset manager with approximately $59 billion in committed capital under management as of December 31, 2012. 

 

 

Making A Difference, Even When You Don't Know You Are...

 

Dear Mr. Bryant,

 

You may not remember me but I was that bellman that you talked to at the Hilton in Destin a year or so ago. You gave me your card and told me to e-mail you when I moved to Dallas. I seemed a bit skeptical at first because I didn't know why you would ever help out someone like me, just a regular person. Honestly I looked you up on the Internet to get a better understanding of who you are and what you believed and stood for. I was impressed. It's very inspirational and I decided in my own life to make the changes I needed to become a better person and also inspire people around me to do the same things. This e-mail isn't about asking for anything because I grew up in a military family that worked hard for respect and everything that we need. The reason I wrote this is because I want to know what continues you to drive forward in the things you do. I moved out here in Dallas about 3 weeks ago, a couple of potholes along the road, but still managed to make it out here. I wanted to start something new and fresh and to see what else is here. Hopefully this e-mail makes it into your hands and hope things go well for you. I'll continue to keep moving forward and to keep making it like you did. It's good to see inspiration and hope still happens. Thank you for your time.

 

Richard 

Huffington Post: Solving Poverty ~ Poverty Is the New Racism

John Hope Bryant

Bestselling business leadership author and philanthropic entrepreneur

Solving Poverty: Poverty Is the New Racism

Racism use to be the worst thing that those outside America's corridors of power had to deal with. But today, racism is sorta like rain. Racism is either falling somewhere, or it's gathering. So we might as well get out an umbrella in a color we like, and start walking through it; because it's not going to change -- so we must.

In Dr. King's day the issue seemed to be one of love or hate, but today the issue is less about love or hate, and more about of what I would call "radical indifference." Today, folks don't even care enough about you to hate you.

I remember a young man, years ago, going on and on to me about how then President Reagan hated black folks. That he was a racist. I had to correct the young man. I told him that to the best of my knowledge, President Reagan didn't know any black folks (well), didn't grow up around any black folks, didn't have any real lifelong relationships with black folks, and there were no black folks in his immediate family. When he awoke in the morning, it's not that he hated black folks -- he wasn't even thinking about black folks. It was not love or hate, but simple indifference. With no real relationship with black and brown America, no rational link, and no reason to be compelled to really care, this situation doesn't so much suggest he was a good or a bad man, but rather a human one.

Today I look at what's going on in Greece, where 150 immigrants were recently attacked, and it becomes obvious that underneath the violence was a corroding economic tension. A country that was broke, and people who were quickly losing hope, and jobs too. They saw 'those immigrants' as a threat to them, their prosperity, their stability, and the future aspirations of both themselves and their families. The problem was economic. The problem, was poverty.

There is a difference between being broke and being poor. Being broke was economic, but being poor is a disabling frame of mind and a depressed condition of one's spirit. And we must vow to never, ever be poor again.

Read, comment on and share the full article on the Huffington Post here.

Bryant Reflects on Alabama Tornadoes: It Killed More Than Lives

I am so very pleased that Operation HOPE will soon be able to move its 'silver rights' empowerment agenda, and specifically our HOPE Office of Small Business & Entrepreneurship work focused on nurturing and bringing up growing small business, minority small business and entrepreneurship in the state.  I am particularly thankful to leaders in and out of the state that encouraged our engagement on the ground there in the weeks and months following these devastating tornadoes.  Finally, I want to thank the U.S. Economic Development Administration and its leadership for the federal support here, which will be amplified by and further supported with private sector support. More on our plans in and for the state and her people to come.

That said, I was so distressed that in the period immediately following the worst tornadoes recorded in the southern states, and Alabama in particular, Operation HOPE and I were not in a position to help. Ultimately, I was actually a little disappointed in myself.  We followed all the rules.  I and we waited to make sure we had covered all the appropriate bases, paid respect to all leaders at the state, county, city and local level, and we covered all the appropriate protocols as a national partner for FEMA around emergency financial disaster preparedness, response and recovery. We even opened up our national call center for HOPE Coalition America based in Poway, California, a donation made available through our partner CoreLogic.  And yes, of course we helped each and everyone of those that called us.  But what we should have done is different.  

We should have -- no I should have -- simply placed HOPE staff on the ground, immediately and at our own expense if need be. But we did as we were counseled, and on that point I am glad we paid our proper respect to leadership.

What breaks my heart are the countless thousands of poor and struggling low-wealth individuals and families, be they white, black or brown, who never had an opportunity to access the immense federal resources that were available to those impacted by the disaster; from enhanced FEMA support, to low-interest SBA loans for rebuilding, to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).  Furthermore, there was the that work I believe we could have done between survivors of disaster, along with the banks, credit unions, insurance companies and other private companies with which we have strong working relationships, and that had substantial investment in the state.  Work such as that we completed successfully for more than 200,000 survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

Presenting the Operation HOPE Business in a Box, Atlanta Pilot Program Competition

 

This short video says it all. It is the "magic" that we have been talking about. That I have been dreaming about, ever since I came up with the vision of and for HOPE Business In A Box this time last year on my my birthday.  My birthday is February 6th, 2013, and seeing this vision made real is the best birthday present that this "proud pappa" could have (smile).

Thank you to Mary Hagerty, president of the HOPE Youth Empowerment Group, the Atlanta team, led by Jay Bailey, Tara Dennis (youth agenda) and others there, along with everyone who helped to make this real.  

A special thank you to Ms. Natasha L. Foreman, MBA, dedicated HOPE Corps volunteer, small business owner and the HOPE Business In A Box coordinator in Atlanta, Georgia.  She worked tirelessly to see this through from concept to reality for these bright young kids (our leaders for the future) in Atlanta.  

Meeting the President, Before he was President

As we celebrate the second inauguration of United States President Barack Obama today, I am reminded of the first time I met the man we now know to be President,  when he was not yet our President.  He was actually the U.S. Senator from Illinois, and we were both honored guests at the annual Black History Month event organized at the White House by then President George W. Bush.  I wanted to meet him, and was introduced to the Senator by my brilliant government relations chief, Jena Roscoe, who has worked for me since she left President Bill Clinton's White House as his associate director of public liaison.

I shared my silver rights vision of Operation HOPE with the Senator, wanting to do more to serve the constituents of his state; with financial literacy for youth, financial and economic empowerment for adults and families, and financial dignity for all.

The Senator was supportive of our work, which we appreciated, but what also became immediately clear to me was both the aspiration and talents of the man I met as U.S. Senator. A man who was already looking far beyond even what I could have imagined as his possible impact.  It became clear to both Jena (Roscoe) and I that he was going to achieve much more in short years to come.  His view of his bold and energizing leadership contribution was clear even then. Very clear.

Today I have the honor to sit in service of the man I once met in another time and space.  This man, is now the newly inaugurated President of the United States of America. President Barack Obama. Only in America.  Only, in America.  What a great country.

Honored to serve.  And now it's time for us all to get down to work.

Let's go.

 

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.  Mr. Bryant is a though leader represented by the Bright Sight Group for public speaking. Mr. Bryant serves on the board of directors of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation, an NYSE Euronext publicly traded company, and a division of $54 billion Ares Capital.

 

 

John Hope Bryant Speaks Before, Receives Award From, the Young President's Organization and World President's Organization of Saudi Arabia

I was deeply honored to be asked by my new and good friend Mr. Hasan Aljabri, CEO of SEDCO Capital, to be the featured speaker before the Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Chapter of both YPO (Young President's Organization) and WPO (World President's Organization), where Hasan is group chairman.  

The best part of the meeting though was not the talk, which was fantastic and very engaged with YPO and WPO members and spouses, nor even the incredible and beautiful chapter award they bestowed upon me at conclusion (with a holy inscription from the Koran).  It was being introduced by my new young friend, Hasan and Vivian's son, Aboudi.  He is the future of Saudi Arabia and the entire MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, and young people like him give me hope.

I spoke on the issue of my bestselling book LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bas), which has been well received within the country, but more so, I wanted to frame out a new and bold thought leadership conversation, both for and in the country.  

I spoke about a new vision for Saudi Arabia -- one dependent upon the development of what I now call the '"new software of human development," and not so much the current fuel of petroleum.  

I spoke about the now 60% of the population in the country which is presently below the age of 25 years old, and how this is either a national security threat, or with a bold new strategy and plan in place, a strategic advantage on the entire world.  

I for one believe it is an advantage, and I believe the country and its leaders can see the plan, and the pathway forward too.  But rainbows only follow storms. You cannot have a rainbow, without a storm first. 

I spoke about these men (and also women) becoming the role models they want to see in Saudi Arabia, and that according to Malcolm Gladwell's book the TIPPING POINT, with only 5% role models, every community stabilizes.  

I spoke about how according to the Gallup-HOPE Index, here in the U.S., only 5% of our youth have a business internship or business role model, and how for us this reflects either a pivotal tipping point, or a reflection point.  

I spoke about how leaders in the United States, and not just in Saudi Arabia, must make some critically important decisions over the next 5-10 years about who, and whom we want to be when we grow up, so to speak.  The decisions over the next 5-10 years, will impact generations to come.

And so, here is the question. What if the business elite of Saudi Arabia decides to move their business role model number in Saudi Arabia upwards to 10% or 20% or more, and what if they decided to inspire a generation of young entrepreneurs, small business owners and what I call 'self employment projects?'  

If they did this, by say 2020, everything in Saudi Arabia would change.  Everything.  Because life is all about dignity, love and aspiration.

They would become the change they want to see in the rest of the world...and their own too. 

Present at the session included top business leaders such as Mohamad Abu Dawood from Clorox Corporation, Hussein Shobokshi whom I believe to be a hero in the country, Amr Khashogji, who bridges East and West,  Zahid Zahid, Dr. Adnan Soufi, CEO of SEDCO Holdings, another new friend, and my brother Amr Ahmed Banaja, my bridge at SEDCO.

And this, this is what family should look like. This is what being a global citizen is all about. 

Okay, let's go... Onward, to a better world.

 

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.   Mr. Bryant serves on the board of directors of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation, an NYSE Euronext publicly traded company, and a division of $54 billion Ares Capital.

 

WANTED: A New Revolution of 100 Million Youth in the Middle East

I had just returned from the Middle East on the day prior to the devastating terrorist act of September 11th, 2012, in Libya.  I was visiting Saudi Arabia, and experiencing almost the total opposite engagement with leaders looking toward in the region.  Last week in Libya, and thereafter other places throughout the Middle East region, chose to curse the darkness.  I experienced leaders who decided to light candles, towards a brighter future.

I came to Saudi Arabia with a simple message -- in the MENA Region (Middle East and North Africa) you have a population that will be 60% under the age of 25 by 2020, and in Saudi Arabia this is already the case.  This is either an incredible opportunity, or it is a problem on a scale unparalleled in modern human history.  Just that simple, and their choice.  Not mine.  Theirs.  The leaders I had the opportunity of spending time with, from one part of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to the next, and from some of the wealthiest enclaves to some of the poorest communities, were all unified in yes, recognizing the problem, but more so focusing on the untapped opportunity (of the region's growing youth population).

The MENA region is anticipated to have a population of more than 180 million by 2010, and a need for 100 million jobs.  100 million.  A doubling or more of the current jobs calendar in the region, basically.  And there is no greater national -- no global security threat than a region that is majority youth, under the age of 25, who are exposed to the outside world and those possibilities and opportunities (the Internet, social media, etc), with too much time on their hands, no jobs, even fewer entrepreneurial opportunities, and increasingly without hope.  The most dangerous person in the world, is a person with no hope.