By Anita Ward, President, Operation HOPE, Inc. Miriam Frost defies conventional definition. She’s a New Yorker who delivers calm, a mother of two boys who exudes an inner peace, and a former manager of corporate customers who knows nothing but empathy. Miriam Frost is a peaceful soul in a world filled with rage – a […]
Author Archives: Thought Leader
Posted inArts & Culture Seen, Thought Leader
Life is an Eight Count
By Angelica Pugh, Program Director for NBAF NextGen Artist Program The best way I describe who I am is to compare my career journey to that of a series of eight counts. You know, “1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8” or preparing a routine presentation with a countdown AND “5,6,7,8.” In dance, I have three ways I teach my students and […]
Posted inArts & Culture Seen, Thought Leader
What Happens When Women Don’t Tell Their Own Stories? Wikipedia’s Massive Gender Gap and How to Change It.
By Eva Berlin, Digital Content Specialist, High Museum of Art Wikipedia is the world’s largest and most popular online research tool. The web-based encyclopedia offers a wealth of well-cited information contributed by people like you and me. And it’s all available for free. So, what’s the problem? Women’s voices and stories are too often […]
Posted inUncategorized
On Relationship Capital.
By John Hope Bryant Everything — is the result of relationship capital in your life. Everything. I founded and now run the largest nonprofit financial inclusion and economic freedom organization in the United States. It’s called Operation HOPE. Its 20M annual budget is sustained not just because of its ‘good and noble and proven works’ helping others, it is also […]
Posted inFinancial Inclusion, Thought Leader
Bespoke: Cedric Brown and his Collections
By Anita Ward, Operation HOPE As a toddler, Cedric Brown expressed himself best with a pencil, paint and paper; he saw the world through the optimistic lens of color and by the time he reached 10 years old Cedric found his voice and passion in art and fashion design. Even at that young age, he […]
Posted inArts & Culture Seen, Thought Leader
A year of Artist in Residency at Anne O Art Gallery
By Diana Toma Spring 2018 arrives and I’ve been dreaming about creating large-sized paintings for quite a while. Problem is: my home studio is not adequate for painting and storing multiple large pieces. It must be my lucky day – as I scroll through my Facebook feed I notice a friend’s post. It says gallery […]
Posted inArts & Culture Seen, Thought Leader
Art, America and People of Color
By Lewinale HavetteForeign children of color often shoulder the burden of success of their parents.As a Liberian female visual artist, I know that this truth permeates my culture.The prevailing fact is that artists of color are unequally represented in the art world, despite the heavy influence , in art, of African, South American and Asian […]
Posted inFinancial Inclusion, Thought Leader
Soak The Rich? Hold On One Minute.
By John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Operation HOPE, Inc. I recently appeared on CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box’ in Manhattan, talking about a range of important issues of the day, in my role as founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE. The one issue that stuck with me, is this growing obsession with ‘soaking and penalizing’ the rich […]
Posted inArts & Culture Seen, Thought Leader
ART is the heART in Education
Yes – the role of the arts in our Atlanta community is multifaceted! It relates to its value; its economic impact; its role in economic, community and neighborhood development and redevelopment; its strength in enhancing the human connection and its legacy for generations to come! Many people still see the arts as frills and fluff; […]
Posted inArts & Culture Seen, Thought Leader
Accessibility Starts By Listening to What Your Patrons Need
By Lara Smith, managing director of Dad’s Garage Accessibility. This is a word that comes up so often in the nonprofit art world. We are asked in grant applications how “accessible” we are. We tout accessibility as a way to bring in new audiences. But what the heck does this word even mean. The first […]
Posted inUncategorized
The Mise en Place of Chef Vawanda Richardson
By Anita Ward, Operation HOPE Close your eyes and imagine an aromatic kitchen where the flavors of the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and Asia are fused. Nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, and cloves marry beautifully with basil, oregano, and rosemary. Fresh ginger root, lemongrass, and lime leaves create a giant melting pot of savory flavor – bold, spicy and […]
Posted inArts & Culture Seen, Thought Leader
Entrepreneurship in the Arts: Dance Canvas’ path to startup, growth, and finding a place in the community
By Angela HarrisI wrote a retrospective blog in 2014, looking back on why I founded Dance Canvas and how as a young artist, I discovered the value of entrepreneurship. In thinking about the SaportaReport blog and offering insight on my experience as an entrepreneur in the arts, I look back on my experiences founding an arts […]
Posted inUncategorized
HOPE Global Forum 2019
In less than 100 days (99 to be exact), hundreds of thought leaders and influencers will converge in downtown Atlanta for the 2019 HOPE Global Forum. Held May 29-31, this year’s meeting will be hosted in a new location, the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. This location is very significant to Operation HOPE and the Silver Rights […]
Posted inArts & Culture Seen, Thought Leader
Inspiring those who inspire us
By Alvin Townley“When you’re in a combat zone, you exist in two worlds,” explained Colonel Randy F. Rizor. “You’re in a world of constant diligence, struggle and hurt whenever you’re on duty. Then you retreat to another world when your day’s mission ends. You create your own home, a place of escape – a place of peace, […]
Posted inFinancial Inclusion, Thought Leader
EVERYTHING I EVER NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT BUSINESS I LEARNED RIDING MOTORCYCLES
By Anita Ward, President, Operation HOPE When I was 12 I drove my first motorcycle into a tree at the bottom of State Road hill. Bruised and embarrassed I stared up at the sky through rustling leaves laughing in the wind. Undeterred, I returned to the top of the hill and tried again. A few hours later […]
Posted inFinancial Inclusion, Thought Leader
Compassion for Those Working Paycheck to Paycheck in America
I keep saying that 70% of Americans live from paycheck to paycheck, and 64% of Americans (not poor people) don’t have $500 in times of an unplanned financial event in their lives, but few things made these stats and facts more real and immediate than the government shutdown. About 800,000 federal government employees — many […]
Posted inArts & Culture Seen, Thought Leader
The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre – a new stage for Atlanta
By Susan V. Booth, Jennings Hertz Artistic Director, Alliance TheatreArthur Schopenhauer, speaking of Leonardo Da Vinci, said that while “talent hits a target no one else can hit, genius hits a target no one else can see.”I love that.I love that because hitting a target that no one else can see – yet – is […]
Posted inFinancial Inclusion, Thought Leader
NFL announces launch of “Inspire Change” Initiative
This release originally appeared on the Operation HOPE website Operation HOPE awarded social justice grant to support the nationwide HOPE Inside network. The National Football League today announced the launch of the Inspire Change platform, showcasing the collaborative efforts of players, owners and the league to create positive change in communities across the country. Working […]
Posted inArts & Culture Seen, Thought Leader
Podcasts are on the rise, and for great reason
Two years ago, if I mentioned podcasting to a friend – even a Millennial – I was commonly met with a blank stare or a passing mention of “Serial,” the first-ever podcast to reach mainstream audiences. Now, when I mention I own podcast production company FRQNCY Media and host The Cultured Podcast, the response is […]
Posted inFinancial Inclusion, Thought Leader
Los Angeles to Atlanta: A Journey toward Economic Inclusion
By Anita Ward, President, Operation HOPE As a recent transplant to Atlanta from Los Angeles, I found myself glued to my television as the NFL set the stage for Super Bowl LIII in my new hometown. Downtown Atlanta already teems with a bevy of game day activity and advertising, and as of Sunday (Saints fans […]
