When Kendrick and Nyanna arrived at the 2022 HOPE Global Forums, neither imagined they would leave having met their future spouse. They came from different places but were drawn together by a desire to learn, to grow, and to serve their communities.

At the time, Nyanna was living in Massachusetts and working in politics. She was actively seeking spaces that aligned with her values and was eager to learn from others committed to uplifting their communities. Kendrick, meanwhile, was building his life and leadership in Alabama, centralized in community engagement.

Kendrick and Nyanna met on the second day of the 2022 Forums gathering during a refreshment break, and the conversation quickly turned meaningful. They discovered that they shared a deep commitment to helping others. Nyanna spoke about her family’s nonprofit, The Focus Is Our Children, and her own initiative, Move in Love—both centered on providing community resources and spreading kindness. Kendrick shared his work organizing an annual anti-bullying event that brings together city leaders, mental health professionals and local families. In fact, the Phenix City Mayor was the one who introduced him to his Operation HOPE Coach, Mike Lainez.

For Nyanna, the Forum’s power was in its diversity and reach. “It was amazing to be around so many people of color of different descents…doing amazing work in their communities,” she said. Just as impactful were the ideas attendees could take home. “You can go to conferences and learn a lot, but it’s really about what you bring back to your own community to help it flourish. That conference helped me see things more clearly—it gave me more insight, and honestly, it gave me hope.”

Kendrick found inspiration in the unexpected moments—especially watching Operation HOPE Founder and CEO John Hope Bryant on stage. Seeing Bryant confidently ask for sponsorships and partnerships in real time shifted Kendrick’s mindset. “Watching him ask for help like that really opened my mind,” he said. It reframed how Kendrick viewed leadership, showing him that asking for help wasn’t a weakness, but a necessary part of scaling his work to benefit the community.

After they went home to their own states, they stayed in touch and eventually married. In 2025, they returned to the HOPE Global Forums together—and brought their one-year-old son! “It felt like an anniversary gift,” Kendrick said.

While the conference helped bring them together around shared values and community impact, it also sparked personal financial growth. One message from John Hope Bryant resonated deeply with both of them: homeownership as a pathway to building wealth. They began to see buying a home not just as a milestone, but as a strategic step toward long-term stability and generational opportunity—and they committed to working toward it together.

Through Kendrick’s success working with Mike, Nyanna was inspired to enroll in Operation HOPE’s Credit & Money Management Program, where she partnered with Coach Syreeta Garrick. Through their individual financial coaching journeys, they were able to position themselves well to buy a home together in Alabama.

Today, Kendrick and Nyanna are looking ahead with the same curiosity and openness that first brought them to the HOPE Global Forums. They’re focused on building emergency savings, traveling, and eventually building a new home on land Kendrick owns. For them, travel isn’t just about seeing new places—like that first HOPE Global Forums gathering, it’s about the experiences that stretch their thinking. “You never know who you’ll meet when you get out of your comfort zone,” said Nyanna.

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