Blog Posts
Treasurer Ervin and Operation HOPE Partner on Free Economic Empowerment Programs for All Chicagoans
December 12, 2020IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Marilyn Katz/Brian Berg 312-953-1225/312-282-8260 Treasurer Ervin and Operation HOPE Partner on Free Economic Empowerment Programs for All Chicagoans Chicago, IL (December 11, 2020)—Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin …
“It’s Never Too Late to Gain Financial Dignity”
December 8, 2020Juanita González is a 65 years old grandmother living in Memphis, Tennessee. She has always been a hard worker and responsible, but managing her finances in a way that was …
Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson partners with Operation HOPE, Inc. to launch DeKalb Entrepreneurship Training Program for small businesses and residents at no cost
December 7, 2020FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 7, 2020 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson partners with Operation HOPE, Inc. to launch DeKalb Entrepreneurship Training Program for small businesses andresidents at no cost $200,000 of District 7 …
Squawk Box: The Coronavirus Balancing Act
On CNBC’s Squawk Box with Kevin O’Leary, the question was how to balance public health and financial health heading into the winter. This is a rich man’s virus. You and I can separate in our homes behind our gates and be okay. My friends working at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Best B
In Memoriam – Mr. Oliver Bell
November 23, 2020The HOPE family is widespread and far reaching. It includes our supporters, partners, current program participants and alumni, as well as our current and former staff. As such, we rejoice …
Commonwealth Club: American Opportunity Is Still Alive
November 19, 2020The Commonwealth Club of California hosted me for a virtual program on Up From Nothing. My argument was simple. American opportunity is not dead. With the right mindset and the right practices, anyone can still achieve the American Dream, whatever their starting point. I know because of where I star
Roland Martin: Standing Up Black Business With Shopify
October 27, 2020A week after we announced 1 Million Black Businesses, Roland Martin brought me on to explain what the Shopify partnership actually gives an entrepreneur and how to get started. At HOPE Global Forums that month, I also sat down with Harley Finkelstein for a longer conversation about why Shopify made
Up From Nothing: A Conversation With Weaving Influence
Weaving Influence hosted an hour-long conversation on Up From Nothing and the question at its center: how do we change our mindset from survivor to thriver to winner? America is still the land of opportunity. The stories in the book, from my family and from people who built something from nothing, a
CNBC: Operation HOPE and Shopify Team Up for Black Entrepreneurs
October 20, 2020Shopify President Harley Finkelstein and I went on CNBC together to announce our partnership to help create one million Black-owned businesses, with Shopify committing up to $130 million. Protest got the country’s attention in 2020. Ownership is how we turn that attention into something perman
Bloomberg: Keep the Stimulus Talks Going
October 7, 2020Bloomberg Television asked me about the breakdown in stimulus talks in Washington, the week after Up From Nothing came out. Ending those talks with millions of families still hurting was cruel. I also gave the Federal Reserve credit for injecting stability and confidence into the economy when it nee