Blog Posts
Black Enterprise: Rent-to-Own as a Pathway to Homeownership
April 30, 2025Black Enterprise wrote about the ideas I have been pushing to make renting a path toward ownership instead of a dead end. Black homeownership still trails the national rate by nearly 20 points. The whole experience around homeownership is tied to aspiration, economic growth and wealth creation. We s
Birmingham’s Financial Literacy State of the Union with Mayor Randall Woodfin
April 29, 2025Birmingham opened IMC Financial Freedom Project Week with a Financial Literacy State of the Union at the historic Carver Theatre, and I was glad to share the stage with Mayor Randall Woodfin and Dr. Sullivan. When a mayor makes financial literacy a citywide priority, it changes what families believe
Forbes: Financial Literacy Is the New Civil Rights Movement
April 24, 2025Jabari Young, senior writer at Forbes, sat down with me for a 45-minute conversation during Financial Literacy Month. The headline Forbes chose says it plainly: financial literacy is the new civil rights movement. My grandparents’ generation fought for the right to sit at the lunch counter. Th
Teaching at West Point
April 22, 2025It was a true honor to be invited to the United States Military Academy at West Point. I joined Don Peebles, Tracy Maitland and Kneeland Youngblood in a class led by Frank Luntz to talk with cadets about leadership, business and building wealth. These young men and women are being trained to lead un
Remembering His Holiness Pope Francis
April 21, 2025On behalf of Operation HOPE, our Board of Directors, and Lead Director Tim Welsh, we at Operation HOPE join the global community in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope …
Empowering Financial Inclusion: How Digital Tools Unlock Wealth for All
April 7, 2025A joint whitepaper by Operation HOPE and Robinhood Markets, Inc. Digital tools are crucial for financial inclusion. In today’s digital era, it makes sense that financial institutions have leaned into …
The Breakfast Club: Dream Forward, Tariffs and Financial Literacy
April 4, 2025I came back to The Breakfast Club on the morning of our Dream Forward town hall. We covered the tariffs dominating the news, what they mean for working families, and why financial literacy is the foundation for any real economic growth. Dream Forward was built around one question: what is America
Operation HOPE and Financial Literacy for All Launch Green Socks Day Challenge to Advance Financial Literacy Across America
April 2, 2025Green Socks Day to Take Place April 30 as a National Call to Action for Financial Literacy MonthATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In an effort to celebrate the advancement of financial literacy as a …
Turning Negative Experiences Into Learning Ones with HOPE’s Help
March 21, 2025written by: Lisa Karel Sometimes a little thing can have a major life impact. That was the case for Shaniqua R. in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. When she was 18, she signed …
More Than Just a Credit Score: Nicole’s Financial Wellness Story
March 14, 2025written by: Lisa Karel Operation HOPE is often the first place people experiencing a financial emergency will turn to for help. As a result, it’s not uncommon for Operation HOPE …