Operation HOPE and City of Memphis to Host Historic Virtual Town Hall at the National Civil Rights Museum Putting Forth “A New Business Plan for America”

April 4, 2025: “Where Do We Go from Here? The Future of Inclusive Economics – and a New Business Plan for America” – Will Feature Insights & Conversations with 100 Influential Leaders in Business, Technology, Policy, Faith, and Entertainment. The event will stream nationwide.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. & ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Operation HOPE and The City of Memphis announced today that they will host a historic virtual town hall and working session on April 4, 2025, the 57^th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. The event, titled “Where Do We Go from Here? The Future of Inclusive Economics – and a New Business Plan for America,” will bring together 100 of the nation’s most influential leaders from various sectors, including business, finance, technology, policy, faith, civil society, entertainment and community development, and feature special appearances by Dr. King’s daughter, Dr. Bernice A. King, and his chief strategist Ambassador Andrew J. Young, who was present on the Lorraine Motel balcony when Dr. King was killed.

Co-hosted by Operation HOPE Founder and CEO John Hope Bryant and Memphis Mayor Paul Young at the National Civil Rights Museum at the former Lorraine Motel in Memphis, the event will feature critical dialogue among the delegates focused on economic empowerment, wealth creation and expanding opportunities for all Americans. Delegates will participate virtually, allowing for a dynamic and inclusive dialogue with some of the country’s most influential voices. This Dr. King-inspired working session on shared culture and vision will help shape a blueprint for inclusive economic growth in the United States.

“Dr. King’s Poor People’s Campaign was an economic justice movement that remains unfinished, and this gathering will build on his work in a modern context,” said John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE. “We stand at a crossroads in America’s economic future, and the incredible voices we will convene on April 4^th will offer critical insights on how we shape the next phase of our country’s dream for inclusive economic prosperity. We are thrilled to partner with Dr. Bernice King and Mayor Young for this historic gathering.”

"Memphis has always been a city of resilience, a city that has shaped history and pushed for progress. It is only fitting that our city and the National Civil Rights Museum be homebase for this powerful conversation and the action it will spark,” stated Memphis Mayor Paul Young. “This day isn’t just about dialogue; it’s about forward motion. We are here to chart a course toward an inclusive economy that ensures every Memphian, and every American, has access to opportunity and prosperity."

In addition to Mr. Bryant and Mayor Young, other featured guests include:

• Thasunda Brown Duckett – CEO, TIAA
• Harley Finkelstein – President, Shopify
• Bishop T.D. Jakes – CEO, TDJ Enterprises
• Steve Steinour - CEO, Huntington Bancshares
• Ray McGuire – President, Lazard
• Van Jones – Commentator & Founder, Dream Machine Innovation Labs
• Charlamagne tha God – Co-Host, The Breakfast Club
• Killer Mike - Grammy Award-Winning Rapper & Entrepreneur
• Richard Phillips - Dean, Robinson School of Business, Georgia State University

And special guests:

• Ambassador Andrew Young – Civil Rights Icon, former UN Ambassador, former Mayor of Atlanta
• Dr. Bernice A. King – CEO, The King Center

Special announcements about the program will be forthcoming, with updates available at https://operationhope.org/dream-forward. A livestream will be available on Operation HOPE’s YouTube, @OperationhopeOrg.

About Operation HOPE, Inc.
Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to "silver rights" with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserved—disrupting poverty for millions of low and moderate-income youth and adults across the nation. Through its community uplift model, HOPE Inside, which received the 2016 Innovator of the Year recognition by American Banker magazine, Operation HOPE has served more than 4 million individuals and directed more than $3.2 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communities—turning check-cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners, minimum wage workers into living wage consumers, and uncertain disaster victims into financially empowered disaster survivors. For more information: OperationHOPE.org. Follow the HOPE conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

About the City of Memphis
Founded on May 22, 1819, Memphis has always been a city of firsts – a place where creativity, culture, and commerce collide to change the world. Currently under the leadership of Mayor Paul Young, Memphis continues to push boundaries while honoring its rich past. This is the city where the blues was born, where rock ‘n’ roll found its fire, and where soul music gave the world its rhythm. From W.C. Handy to Elvis Presley, from Stax Records to Beale Street, Memphis has shaped the soundtrack of history. And innovation is just as much a part of our DNA as music. FedEx put the world at our fingertips with overnight delivery. Holiday Inn set the standard for modern hospitality. AutoZone transformed the way people care for their vehicles. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital redefined pediatric healthcare, saving lives across the globe. And now xAI, the world’s largest supercomputer, is shaping the future of technology right here in Memphis.

Memphis moves to its own beat – bold, soulful, and unstoppable. For those looking to embrace history or to change the world, we say welcome home. Learn more or follow us Memphistn.gov or Facebook or Instagram.