Bryant Speeches and Special Events

Bryant Reflects on the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, 2009

I was honored to join Desmund Tutu and my fellow co-founders of Global Dignity, HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland for both Dignity Day, Davos and the closing session of the annual meeting.  Here I give some summary reflections on the annual Davos meeting, and what the future holds for meetings of all types.  Check it out, share with friends, comment.  You can also check it out on iTunes.

Download Bryant Reflects on the World Economi

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Bryant Speaks at Closing Session of World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos

I was honored to speak at the closing session of the 2009 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, on the topic of dignity.

I was joined on the stage by World Economic Forum chairman and founder Professor Klaus Scwab, Archbishop-Emeritus Desmond Tutu, and Global Dignity co-founders H.R.H.Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Professor Pekka Himanen.

Download Believing in the Dignity of All - Da , or simply download by Podcast at iTunes.

Comment, share.

Bryant Provides Opening Lead Keynote Address for Citi-FT Global Financial Education Summit, Beijing, China

Last week I was extremely honored to travel, on behalf of my friends at Citi, to give the opening keynote address for the Citi-FT (Financial Times) Global Financial Education Summit in Beijing, China.  I provided the U.S. perspective on the global financial crisis, as well as a global perspective on how a new and more relevant era of financial literacy empowerment can help lead us out of the darkness of this generation, and into the bright, sustainable economic future for the next.

During this speech I also reframed my vision for financial literacy going forward, laying out my 8-point plan for practical finanical literacy empowerment.  Because of this, as well as the venue and audience, this is potentially one of my most important speeches ever.

Listen. Comment below. Share. Pass it on. Let me know what you think.  The silver rights movement will need you to make it real in people's lives. Download here. Download Citi-FT Global Financial Education S

A special thank you to Citi, the Financial Times and my new friends at Pearsons and the Pearsons Foundation for making this summit possible.

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Bryant Speaks at AFCPE Annual Conference, Garden Grove, California

Last week I was honored to serve as the opening keynote speaker for the annual AFCPE conference, on the topic "Rainbows After Storms: What Role Will You Play in the Remaking of Economic America?"

Download AFCPE National Conference 2008

Please let me know what you think by commenting below, or share it with friends.  The silver rights movement will need you.

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Bryant Speaks on "The Remaking of America" before the Michigan State University Extension Conference, in Detroit, Michigan

Download bryant_speaks_michigan_state_unive.m4a

Bryant Speaks at Canadian National Financial Literacy Conference

I was honored to give the opening keynote address for the second national Canadian Financial Literacy Conference.  You can check out my speech remarks here or iTunes Podcasts by searching under my name.

Download bryant_speaks_canadian_national_fi.m4a

All the best and with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Bryant Speaks at 2008 Michigan Statewide CRA Conference

Last week I had the honor of keynote speaking at the 2008, statewide conference of Community Reinvest officers in the state of Michigan. A great and inspiring evening. One of those speeches I genuinely enjoyed giving. I think they enjoyed it too. You can check it out on iTunes or download here: Download bryant_speaks_michigan_08_state_cr.m4a

With HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Images from SBA's National Small Business Week

Bryant Speaks Before Native American Indian Financial Education Coalition Policy Briefing on April 30 in Washington, DC

Last week I finally paid proper respect to both the Native American Indian community, as well as my Native American heritage. My mother shared with me that her grandparents were part Choctaw Indian, and thus, so was I. Empowering, and honored to be associated. This combined with my recent DNA test which showed by baseline lineage dates back to Cameroon, Africa, has answered a lot of questions for me, and fulled me with a great deal of pride.

Check out my remarks here, or through by podcast on iTunes.

Download bryant_speaks_native_american_indi.m4a

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Bryant Speaks at SBA National Small Business Week

Yesterday I had the honor of being a keynote speaker for the U.S. Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week festivities, with me in Manhattan, New York City with SBA Administrator Steve Peden, whom I hold in high regard. Check it out here, or on iTunes.

Download bryant_speaks_sba_small_business_w.m4a

Let me know what you think.

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Chairman and founder, Operation HOPE

Vice chairman, U.S. President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy

Bryant Speaks at Harlem HOPE Center for CEO's, Leaders & Luminaries Speaker Series

Last week I led off the Operation HOPE "CEO's, Leaders & Luminaries" speaker series at the Harlem HOPE Center. It was a special time, with special people. Thanks to Lance Triggs for making this happen with excellence (his normal mode).

Others who joined us in Harlem were the Jet's Thomas Jones and boxing great Zab Judah. Also, during the evening my friend Gina Paige, CEO of African Ancestry, unveiled my African history during a "Reveal" ceremony. Very special. I learned that I am of Cameroon origin, on the West African Coast, just like my friend Quincy Jones. Let me know what you think. Pass it on. Share with friends.They can download here...

Download bryant_speaksharlem_hope_center_ceo.m4a

...or get a Podcast at iTunes.

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Bryant Speaks before first ever Roundtable on Financial Education in African American Communities hosted by the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington, D.C.

I was honored to be the closing speaker before the inaugural US Treasury Department Roundtable on Financial Literacy in Washington, D.C. This done in my new role as vice chairman of the U.S. President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy. Two other Council members were present, namely Ted Beck and Ted Daniels, who also spoke.

Check it out. Let me know what you think.

Download bryant_speaks_before_first_ever_us_t.m4a

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Civil Rights Icon Ambassador Andrew Young Gives Landmark Speech on Dr. King's Holiday

Today I had the honor and opportunity to accompany civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young as he gave a landmark speech on the occasion of Dr. King's national holiday in the Washington, D.C. area.

Young served as chief aide, and was a dear friend to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement, or what some consider to be the second American revolution.

Ambassador Young is also my personal hero, mentor, and HOPE's global spokesman. He is also the chairman of Goodworks International, the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University, appointed by then U.S. President Bill Clinton as chairman of the $100 million Southern Africa Development Fund, he served as mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. congressman and a member of the House Banking Committee, UN ambassador for the United States, co-chair of the Atlanta Olympic Games, and has received 100 honorary doctorate degrees.

Speaking before the Inter-Alumni Council of the United Negro College Fund and a breakfast capacity crowd of over 1,200 people, Young outlined his vision for America, as well as for the world. Covering civil rights history, American history, our connection to Africa and the world, Dr. King's history through his eyes, their intimate friendship (he and King), Dr. King's pain and sacrifices over the course of time, ultimately paying the final price with his life, as well as Dr. King's final focus on poverty and economic empowerment.

Listen here to literally one of the most amazing speeches Ambassador Andrew Young has ever given. I believe that Dr. King would be proud.

Download civil_rights_icon_andrew_young_speak.m4a

Let me know what you think. Pass it on.

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Bryant Speaks at 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dinner in Chicago, IL.

This evening I had the distinct honor of giving the keynote address for the 40th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dinner in Chicago, IL. before a capacity crowd of over 1,000 at the Chicago Hilton. This was a particularly special evening for me, as Dr. King is of course my all time hero.

Here I am photographed with one who particularly inspired me the young lady who took this picture with me -- Ms. Anndriene Bell, a 10th grader from Chicago Vocational Career Academy. Ms. Bell told me she had followed my work for some time, and that it had inspired her to become an entrepreneur, and then to found her own non-profit to "give back." I tell Anndriene Bell's story in my podcast, so check it out here on through iTunes. You can download the MP3 here:

Download bryant_speaks_for_mlk_40th_anniversa.m4a

A special thank you and recognition to Reverend Clyde H. Brooks, who is the founder of the dinner, more than 40 years ago, and is one who worked with Dr. King and my personal hero Andrew Young when they led the Chicago Campaign in 1966, living in a 4th story apartment on the westside of Chicago, IL.

I would also like to acknowledge this year's honoree, Mr. Richard Mooney, chairman of Hayes Mechanical (I received this award in 2006, and it was very special), my friend Gregg Steinberg, who co-chaired the dinner with Terry AnCel, and one of the largest benefactors to the dinner, my friend John Burgess, managing director for International Profit Associates.

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Dignity Day India 2007, Afternoon Teaching Session

Here is the classroom session for this year's Dignity Day, India event in New Delhi, as led by my friend Sujeet Kumar of the Forum of Young Global Leaders and World Economic Forum, and myself. As usual, the young people were brilliant and inspiring, and confirmed that young people are the mostly the same, and want the same things, all over the world. Enjoy...

This is a very deep, and inspiring conversation with young people of India, who I am convinced are going to be the change we want to see in the world.

Listen and let me know what you think. Download dignity_day_07_india_afternoon_teaching_session.m4a. You can also subscribe to my free iTunes podcast here.

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Dignity Day India, 2007, Opening Session

This podcast is from the opening afternoon session of Dignity Day, India 2007, as led by my friend and fellow YGL Malvinder Singh, CEO and managing director of Ranbaxy Laboratories, Ltd in India. The Dignity Day series around the world is an initiative of Global Dignity, co-founded by HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland and myself, as well as the Forum of Young Global Leaders and HOPE Global Initiatives.

Of course, I was totally inspired by the youth of India. They are our future. A special thank you to all the other YGL's, including Dan Shine from the U.S., who joined us for Dignity Day, India 2007. Listen and hopefully enjoy. Let me know what you think.

Check it out here Download dignity_day_new_delhi_india_12_1.m4a, or you can sign on to iTunes and register for my free podcast subscription.

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Presenting Dignity Day, Helsinki, Finland

Last week I had the distinct pleasure of joining two very special people to me -- His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, and Professor Pekka Himanen, one of the top philosophers in the world today, of Finland, for Dignity Day, Helsinki, Finland with area youth in a local high school. Memorable, and a rare opportunity to experience all the co-founders in one place, at one time.

I was particularly moved by Crown Prince Haakon's presentation, as he truly showed his humility, compassion, intelligence and intense and personal knowledge on the topics he covered. This is personal to him, and sincere, and it shows. I called him "the people's Prince," but the Finish did one better in a headline in a local newspaper, calling him, loosely translated, "the cool Prince." Enough said.

The presentation starts out with Pekka framing the day and what Global Dignity is all about, some of it done in the native language, then the Crown Prince, then me, followed by some Q & A. Sound quality is generally good, but keep in mind that I was miked but my co-founders were not.

Listen, enjoy, and let me know what you think. Download dignity_day_helsinki_finland_11_.m4a. You can also podcast this and other speeches and events to your iPod, simply by signing up at iTunes for a free podcast subscription. Hope you like it.

Onward with HOPE,

John Hope Bryant

Bryant Speaks Before the World Fellows of the World Economic Forum

Sometimes you speak and you know that what you say is going to have impact; maybe because of your substance and message, and other times simply because you were before a group that really mattered.

Such was the case last week when I traveled to Geneva, Switzerland to speak before a group of Global Fellows aligned with the World Economic Forum, where I am honored to serve as one of the members of the Forum of Young Global Leaders. A special thank you to my friend Martina Gmur of the World Economic Forum, who encouraged me to do this. Glad I did.

You can download the full audio from the interactive "conversation" with these bright, brilliant young minds (and world leaders in the making) here... Download bryant_speaks_global_fellows_of_th.m4a. Note: the first 10 seconds of this Podcast is a little distorted. Do not get frustrated. It gets going after that (smile).

To get a regular podcast download of my speeches, special events, and Banking on Our Future and Dignity Day teaching sessions around the world to your iPod, log onto iTunes here and subscribe.

Let me know what you think.

Onward with HOPE,

John Hope Bryant

Bryant Speaks for Opening of California/Nevada Credit Union League's Annual Conference in San Diego, California

Here I stand with my friend Bill Cheney, president and CEO of the California/Nevada Credit Union League, as he kicks off a fantastic "Force of Nature" 2007 convention for his delegates from two states. I gave the opening keynote speech, and I could not have been happier to do this for a good friend, a defender of HOPE, and for a good cause -- credit unions.

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

Bryant Speaks at Making Work Pay Conference in Omaha, Nebraska

Download bryant_speaks_making_work_pay_for.m4a

Bryant Speaks Before the Pennsylvania Governor's Institute for Financial Education 2007

I was honored to "show up," once again, for my friend Hilary Hunt on behalf of the Pennsylvania Governor's Office and his annual Institute for Financial Education, where I gave the keynote speech last year and this. Great group. Great people. Great state. Great cause.

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant

BANKING ON OUR FUTURE, SOUTH AFRICA TOWN HALL SESSION WITH AMBASSADOR ANDREW YOUNG

Download boofsa_town_hall_mtng.m4a

With HOPE

John Hope Bryant

THE BANKING ON OUR FUTURE, SOUTH AFRICA PRESS CONFERENCE

Download boofsa_press_conference.m4a

THE LAUNCH OF BANKING ON OUR FUTURE, SOUTH AFRICA

Download banking_on_our_future_south_africa.m4a

Bryant Speaks Before Hugenote High School, Wellington, South Africa

What started as a favor to a friend, former Wellington mayor Herman Bailey, also our new board chairman in the Western Cape for Operation HOPE, ended up being a truly inspirational and even an emotional experience for me.

Hugenote High School is what was called during Apartheid in South Africa, a "Class C Model School," or an all white school. Blacks would not have even been allowed to enter campus, unless they were working there as janitors and such, yet alone speak as an authority to all students on leadership and the future of South Africa. I challenged them to do and to be more -- to "become the South Africa they wanted to see..."

Check it out, and let me know what you think. Download bryant_speaks_hugenote_high_school.m4a

Onward with HOPE

John Hope Bryant