On today's podcast, Host Ramses Ja talks with John Hope Bryant on Financial Literacy, and the Future of DEI
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Broadcasting from the Civic Cipher Studios. Welcome to the QR Code,
where we share perspective, seek understanding, and shape outcomes.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
I go by the name Rams's Jah and I go
by the name q Ward.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Indeed, and we got a special guest in store for
you today, So stick around because we are going to
be talking to the one, the only, John Hope Bryant.
For those that are familiar, you might be just as
excited as we are. But for those who might not
be as familiar, John Hope Bryant is one of the
leading economic minds, one of the leading business minds, a
(00:37):
highly sought after political commentary commentator rather and someone who
is constantly going viral for his takes on the state
of Black America, the state of America, and other marginalized communities,
and he often assigns an economic component to his takes.
(01:01):
He's a wildly successful businessman and someone that we've come
to look up to in a lot of ways. So
we've been waiting on this interview for some time and
we're really excited to have a conversation with him a
bit later on in the show. So as a result
of that, today's conversation is going to feel a little different.
(01:21):
Today's episode, rather, is going to feel a little different.
So we're going to move a couple things around just
to make sure that we give as much time to
our special guest as possible.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
So we're also going to have.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
A clapback that Cubes been wanting to get off for
some time, because the truth of the matter is that,
you know, with all the goings on in the back
and forth between you know, Israel and Iran and the.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
United States' role in all of this, there's.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
There's a lot of people that have a lot to
say about, you know, Maga's continued support of the president
or lack of of and Q and I were having
a conversation where he kind of laid bare the reality
of the situation, and so we're definitely gonna going to
get into those weeks.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
I'm looking forward to that and a lot more.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
But we're going to start the show off with a
segment that normally comes later in the show, but we
wanted to start with better Do Better because we can
always learn something, and you know, we do as often
as we can try to teach or to give people
added perspective.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
And so today's better Do Better.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
We're looking at the National Baptist Convention as they have
taken three hundred thousand dollars from Target, So this comes
from black Westchester dot com. The National Baptist Convention USA
has accepted a three hundred thousand dollars donation from Target.
This decision has led to criticism and controversy, particularly in
(02:56):
the context of a Target boycott initiated by certain black
munity leaders and activists who are protesting the retailer's reduction
of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Critics are questioning the
timing of the donation, as accepting the donation during a
boycott effort undermines the boycott and is a stunning act
of betrayal to Black America. Some view the three hundred
(03:17):
thousand dollars as insignificant given targets overall revenue, and consider
it insufficient to address community needs effectively. There are claims
that the nbc USA leadership did not consult with or
reach out to the leaders of the Target boycott before
accepting the donation. The newly installed president of the nbcusa
doctor Boys Kimber, stated that the donation will be used
(03:39):
to provide scholarships, support senior citizens and invest in entrepreneurship programs.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Roland S.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Martin host slash managing editor of Roland Martin Unfiltered last
the National Baptist Convention USA for taking three hundred thousand
dollars from Target in the middle of a boycott. Quote
in a stunning active betrayal to Black America, the National
Baptist Convention has accepted a three hundred thousand dollars donation
from at Target. The leadership of this Black Baptist church
denomination made no effort to talk with, consult or reach
(04:09):
out to the leaders of the Target boycott. Their actions
are reprehensible and they deserve to be called out in
every possible way. Trust me, this is not the last
time I will speak on this. If your church is
one of the thirty one thousand churches under their leadership,
you need to demand that your pastor go to the
record as to whether he or she supports the Convention's
(04:29):
decision to take this dirty money from Target. These questions
should be shouted out on Sunday morning, so please let
us know. Martin posted on social media Friday evening almost
done quote the National Baptist Convention takes three hundred thousand
dollars in target with no public facing programs, no investment
in black businesses, and no accountability. How in the world
(04:53):
are you saying three hundred thousand dollars will support scholarships,
senior citizens and entrepreneurship across the thirty one thousand churches
and seven and a half million people. Make it make sense.
This is a quote from Nicki Porcher, founder of Buy
from a Black Woman, a nonprofit organization that helps bring
awareness to black women business owners and the people who
support them. She posted, community leadership means knowing when to
(05:16):
say no. It means your community comes first. It means
knowing that people trust your choices. I turned down two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars because I understood what was
at stake, But too many people out here saying yes
for crumbs and leaving the rest of us to.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Clean it up.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
This right here is why. Because do you know what
happens now, doctor Kimber, This one agreement might have just,
oh yeah, this one agreement might have just shut down
every other conversation that was in motion. It sends a
message Black people can be divided, and now those of
us doing the real work have to fight even harder
just to be believed, just to be funded, just to
(05:49):
be seen. This isn't how you rebuild trust. This isn't
how you invest in community. This isn't it. And you're
having it in Montgomery. So I know that was kind
of wordy, but I wanted to make sure that there
was a couple of perspectives there. I haven't really found
too many people outside of the organization that received the
(06:10):
money in support of this. It feels like a betrayal,
and it feels like them kind of like giving a
very small free pass to Target. And Target is now
sort of the example the poster child of US taking
(06:31):
back our economic power, of us demanding that, you know,
people be held accountable for the choices they made, the
promises they made, the decisions they made and unmade. And
you know, this organization taking this three hundred thousand dollars,
we know what it means. It means now Target can say, well,
see you, this wasn't us being racist. We still support
you know. And where they had initially pledged, I forget,
(06:55):
I couldn't. I can't remember the number. I couldn't tell you,
but it was a substantial amount of money over several
years to be delineated and support black communities, black businesses,
and kind of helped develop relationships in the Target infrastructure.
Three hundred thousand dollars feels like an easy pass for Target,
(07:16):
and it feels like a cheap cash grab from you know,
this organization. So you know those are my thoughts. Q
anything to.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Add, I mean, you said it all and thirty one
thousand churches, so that's ten dollars a church. So that's
not even like the tithes of one member of one
of those churches. It's an embarrassing it'd be embarrassing no
matter the amount. Right, you and I were in a
(07:46):
position where, you know, it was exploit the people for
the money or do the right thing, and we did
the right thing.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
So this is not we don't have to speak in hypotheticals.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
We've been in this position before and offered a lot
more than three thousand dollars.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
This is kind of my point, man. That's why this
Black people are not a monolist thing. It's not the
flex that people think it is when they say it.
Us not being a monolith is the problem. We're going
to organize a boycott of Target, but if they give
us a couple of dollars, it's all good.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Real a couple of dollars too, right.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
So the bag capitalism, you know, financial prosperity has kind
of replaced every every important building block that we once
held sacred. You can divide black people very easily. You
(08:47):
can find the exception. Start offering money, someone will take it. Yeah,
and I'm not saying that, but I'm sure that those
who oppress us and who fight against our progress, I'm
sure they do. And every now and then they come
across somebody that makes them right. And in this case
it's the National Baptist Convention. It's it's heartbreaking because the
(09:10):
decision was not made by thirty one thousand churches. Then
they bought a few people in a room, maybe one person,
and that person will benefit financially because three hundred thousand
goes a lot longer with one person or a couple
people than it does with thirty one thousand churches, which
might between them have three to five to ten million members.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Yeah, well said well, I guess this is as good
a time as any to get to, you know, the
thoughts that we were sharing back and forth with, you know,
people coming forward suggesting that the MAGA movement was starting
(09:54):
to get frustrated with Donald Trump because they didn't vote
for a war, they didn't vote for the United States
to enter any conflicts or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
So, without further ado your clap back talk to me, q, I.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Think you know, good old DT may have solved the
Rubik's cube on this one, Ramses, White supremacy is bipartisan,
(10:36):
and with regards to morals and character and the Bible
and Christianity, the idea that he'll ever do something that
offends his base so much that they turn their back
on him should be rounding the corner of being a
ridiculous idea for most people if you're paying attention at all,
(10:58):
because with MAGA being the worst, most reprehensible person, and
people's kind of the point, I've seen that a lot. Yeah,
So like there's a lot of new commentary that's suggesting that,
you know, his recent actions, his lies, his escalations, his recklessness,
(11:22):
you know, this might finally be the tipping point where
people will f around and find out and his base
will be eroded and respect respectfully, Ramses, I, I just
think that's delusion at this point.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Anyone still supporting.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Him, anyone that's still voted for him. They're not moved
by morality, they're not guided by facts.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
They're not.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
They're not waiting. They're not waiting waiting waiting to be awakened.
They're not going to wake up one day like, oh
my god, what have I been thinking? Like their decency
isn't going to creep in and changed their mind. You
and I have been talking about this man since he
first threw his hat in the ring in politics, right
and what.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
We already know.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
You stop me if I say something is incorrect. He's
lied openly, often and demonstrably. He's been found liable for
sexual assault by the courts. He cannot finish a sentence
or speech, or any type of monologue or dialogue without
(12:34):
veering into incoherent conspiracy theories. He promised to release the
Epstein files. I think we know why, but he didn't.
He promised cheaper groceries, cheaper gas. Neither one of those
things ever happened him and the people he had pointed to.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
The courts argued that Roe v. Wade was settled law.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Those same judges got installed and overturned. It seems like
every day or every week on social media or on
a microphone or on a camera, he finds someone new
to ridicule, usually a woman, usually a woman of color,
because cruelty, especially to brown, black, and brown people and
minorities and marginalized communities, is a part of his appeal,
(13:23):
is part of what his base likes about him. So
despite all that, his support doesn't waive. I mean, we've
said many a times, just grab him by the h
That was before he was ever the president. Yeah, and
he was still elected the president. So people cringe when
(13:45):
you say it, but it's almost straightforwardly a cult at
this point. The truth doesn't matter. The mega identity does
own the Libs, that's what matters. So Trump has become
the voice for people who felt they needed to be
quiet for a long time, who were told that they
couldn't say and enact their racist ideas out loud.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Not at work, not at church, not around the general public.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
People who did not like to hear that trans people
deserve to have rights, or that gay people could get married,
or that black lives matter. People who want to deny
that police brutality is real, people that want to make
immigrants invaders instead of humans, And for some Americans, all
(14:32):
that political correct woke nonsense was is just too much.
And Donald Trump gave them permission to stop pretending to
be decent, to be loud, ugly, mean, and evil keyword again.
And they love him for that. So starting wars, not
(14:56):
being able to find countries on a map, not being
able to explain the language or history of some place
that he wants to invade. His base doesn't care, man,
And he isn't their president because of anything that he's done.
He's their president because of what he represents. Yea, He's unkind, insecure,
(15:19):
he lashes out, he doesn't read, he resists, intell like,
he blames others loudly, constantly, and irrationally. And for millions
of people, he feels familiar. He feels like home, he
feels like them. And I've told you that many times.
I learned in these conversations that people are not defending
Donald Trump. They're defending the part of themselves that they
see in him, racist enable racism. They're not discovering something
(15:47):
about him that they are that they didn't already know.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
His identity is cruelty.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
And like I said, man, that's kind of the point
being cruel is the point being shameless is the point
being unaccountable, offensive, and a bully. That's the point, being
the villain, that's the point, being lawless and above it
all those are the things that they love about him.
(16:16):
All of those are the point. He's not going to
offend them into not supporting him anymore. The things that
he does that are most offensive, that's why they support
him in the first place.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
All right, mister John Hope Briant, we appreciate you waiting
patiently on the line for us. Now allow me to
give you a proper introduction. I'm sure our listeners who
might not be familiar with all the work that you
do will definitely appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
So.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
John Hope Briant is an American entrepreneur and sought after
thought and philanthropic leader who is referred to as the
Conscious of Capitalism by Leading Fortune one hundred CEOs. Brian
is the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Operation Hope, Incorporated,
the largest not for profit and best in class provider
of financial literacy, financial inclusion, and economic empowerment tools and
(17:10):
services in the United States for youth and adults. Operation
Hope is working to level the opportunity playing field, connecting
communities to the private sector through inclusive capitalism at scale.
Bryant is also chairman and chief executive officer of John
Hope Brian Holdings, Brian Group Ventures, and executive chairman of
The Promise Homes Company, the largest for profit, minority controlled
(17:32):
owner of institutional quality, single family residential rental homes in
the US. Bryan's financial empowerment work has been recognized by
five US presidents, and he has served as an advisor
to three sitting US Presidents representing both parties.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
And he is our guest today. This is the QR.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Code and I am your host. Ramsay's job. All right,
mister John Hope Bryant, welcome.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Back to the show. It is an honor to to
get to hang out with you again.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
My honor. By the way, two things One, I resigned
as chairman of the Promise Homes Company. I sold the
company Christmas Eve, it's public information at this point for
over one hundred million, about one hundred and twenty one
good yea. And I still own thirty five percent or
so of the company. But I'm a passive investor, got it.
(18:25):
And so they're the new owners are doing their thing.
And I was chairman until last year, and you know,
they deserve to go and run it the way they
see fit and I'm off doing other stuff. So that's
for the record. And by the way, are you I'd
love my geography. I'd swear that's Los Angeles behind you.
And is that the Biltmore Hotel?
Speaker 2 (18:45):
That is? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Very good?
Speaker 5 (18:47):
Got it right?
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Very good?
Speaker 5 (18:49):
Right?
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Okay, Well, you know, I'm glad that you shared that
with me because you know, the last time we talked
was about that time, and so you know, my information
is probably a little bit dated, but it's been some time,
and that time based on that, Yeah, yeah, exactly. But
since then, you know, I've seen you doing kind of
(19:12):
more of the same because you've always been the sort
of person that goes viral.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Uh you know, probably a couple of.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Times a month, i'd imagine, But you know, I see
you know, people you know, platforming you in different places,
and people sharing your content because it's so potent and
it's so relevant. And then obviously there's been a lot
of political back and forth over the past four or
five years where your voice has been, you know, sort
(19:37):
of more powerful than ever. Uh So, the last time
you're on you mentioned that financial literacy was like kind
of the main civil rights issue of this generation. So
let's start our conversation right there. Would you revise this
statement given that Trump has been reelected or do you
still feel that way?
Speaker 5 (19:59):
Oh? I double down on it. I triple down on it.
I mean, look, I say this a little tongue in cheek.
This president has managed to do something that hasn't been
done since the nineteen sixties, the second reconstruction in this country.
(20:22):
He's unified Black America. Okay, now it'll take a minute
for your audience some in your audience to get what
I'm saying. But you should never let a crisis go
to waste. Understand the rainbows only follow storms. You cannot
have a rainbow without a storm.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
First.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
You understand that even the Bible suggests that you can't
grow except through legitimate suffering. So all problems aren't bad things.
Sometimes a problem situation, a problem person, the problem environment
pushes you to do things that you were otherwise uncomfortable
to do, things you otherwise would not. Tulsa, which is
(21:10):
talked about as an example of how we wants embraced
free enterprise and all that, it was beyond the fact
that it was one little area in one county in
one state, and it was not ubiquitous across the country,
which is what I'm suggesting we need. We need the
Black Jewish business Plan.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
We talked about that.
Speaker 5 (21:34):
Okay, that's what I'm suggesting. But let's just take Tulsa
as people refer to it. Okay, the reason that Tulsa
existed was because of discrimination, was because of racism, was
because of Jim Crow laws that post reconstruction, post slavery,
post reconstruction pushed back because after every reconstruction, there is
(21:58):
a period two to three years after that where there's
a reaction to that, not a response, reaction emotional that
pushes back against that reconstruction, saying this is way too much.
It happened in the first reconstruction after lincoln'ssassination. It happened
after doctor King's assassination. Johnson led to Nixon. Right, Sure,
(22:22):
I believe it's happened in this reconstruction, if it's a
reconstruction started in twenty twenty, which I believe it did.
George Floyd's murder COVID as a market demarcation mark around
twenty twenty two to twenty twenty three, you start to
see this pushback and then the crowning of that, and
then black folks that I think went way too far
with this freedom high thing, and we abused the moment
(22:45):
in some ways. And there's nothing stupid or the only
is sillier to me than defund the police as a
policy for a national platform is suggesting that tariffs is
a growth strategy for GDP for the cuntree. But in
some ways you could argue that Obama triggered the creation
of the the the the the reintroduction of the current president. Yes, yes,
(23:12):
a reaction to too much absolutely minds. Okay, So if
Tulsa was a reaction to discrimination and bias, thus you
couldn't go to a white dentist, you couldn't go to
a white barber, or maybe you didn't want somebody with
shears hits your throat who was Caucasian. But the reality
(23:36):
was it created an environment where you needed black everything.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Yeah, top about it.
Speaker 5 (23:42):
That created an economy. That problem created TSA, and so
you had this compressed environment. Martuary you know, mark community
based martuaries were created by the black community. It's a
national a national industry, but it was created by Black America.
(24:03):
I'm pretty sure that's true. Check my facts.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
What then I.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
Absolutely know is true is and I'm gonna do something
on my podcast just on on these innovations that the
nine to one to one system, inspired by the emergency
responds emergency system, that whole ambulance and paramedic system was
(24:27):
created by black people. Like that's literally true, and it's
now a you know, and not only is a good help,
is it help for people in the world and around
the country. It's an industry and it's worth billions of
dollars now. Uh, these things created from us. And and
I think it could be argue the drive through restaurant,
drive through resta drive through convenience restaurant that drives you
(24:49):
or through window indirectly came from black people because we
had to go to the side of the restaurant or
the back to get our food. Oh yeah, so so
so out of these negative things came in many cases
a positive reaction that we own. You know, the guy,
(25:12):
the guy who created the insurance company here in Atlanta, uh,
started as a bar with a barber shop and and
and created Atlanta Life Insurance Company as a result of that,
and and institutions and endowed HBC US et cetera. So
what I'm saying is now I mean and so the
(25:33):
first reconstruction. We've had two reconstructions about money and three
about justice. First one was about money and justice. Second
one was about justice access. Third one is about uh
from streets, from the streets to the suites. This is
really about the colors green. Now, God has a sense
of humor. God didn't didn't bring us as far to
(25:55):
not to drop les in our head.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
This didn't happen in nineteen sixty.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
This is when black people were eight percent or something
of the natural population. Whites were ninety one percent of
the population in nineteen fifty two, I believe. But today
we are We're forty percent, give or take black and
brown people of the population. Where almost two trillion dollars
of GDP gross domestic product economic sorry two tree dollars
(26:27):
of economic activity sorry, consumer spending, and within ten years
will be a majority of minorities in this country, this
country as a whole, So thirty percent give or take
of the country's economic activity, the biggest economy in the
world is tied to us. So that means that my
rich frendsy, my poor friends do better. For the first
time in the history in order to stay rich. So
(26:51):
we have got to figure out now they've got to
figure out whether they like us enough to prosper or
do they like or they prefer to speak Mandarin Chinese.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
In twenty all right, simple term, all right.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
So yeah, so, so yes, I believe. I believe that
this government has said we're not doing a lot for you. Goodbye.
The governments in the nineteen sixty said we're going to
give you the justice and access that you were delayed
(27:23):
one hundred years. We're sorry. Here's that. That's now being
a lot of that's being unraveled and reversed. But I
think also beyond the injustice and the indignity of some
of that, and the slight of all that, and the
politics of some of that, which I won't get into,
there's some things with this administration I'm actually trying to
get done for us, like financial literacy for all legislation.
(27:43):
So I do try to find some common ground with
the Secretary of the Treasury, if and and members of
Congress and in Senative. We can get this done in
a couple last couple of years, the next couple of years.
But that said, what they have clearly said in the
short term. To answer your question is you're on your own.
I said all that to say this is not Tulsa,
(28:05):
this is the country. Right, all black people get the memo,
no one's coming to save you, Okay, So you're on you.
So on that point, when I say it's a black
Jewish business plan, I'm not joking, like, well, that's something
that used to be, Like maybe we should get this right,
maybe we should try this now. If you don't fix this,
(28:26):
if you don't try this between the politics and artificial intelligence,
within five years, you're going to be completely irrelevant and
maybe broke. So and by the way, we can't just
blame our problems on the president. He's creating some challenges
on his own. Before this, black people were scheduled to
(28:47):
have a net worth by twenty fifty three of zero
before this administration, So we were already trending in the
wrong direction with regard to our priorities. And this is
why I say that sometimes you need a crisis to
wake you up. I'm not gonna invite it. I'm not
gonna I'm not I'm not saying I want it. But
(29:08):
we are very resilient people. And when the rules are published,
and then playing through this level. When we understand the
rules of the game, we kill it. Yeah, the arts
where you're city, we've killed it. When we say something's
cool and your hair, your your whole look is just
straight up I can't, I can't not stop looking at you.
You're just cool, cooling the game. You people in South
(29:29):
Korea think you're cool. Your look is cool. You've inspired
looks all around the world Asia, I mean, Latin America.
They all try to look like you and Charlemagne and
whoever else. Right, but cool does. But we've met. We
have mastered cool and culture. They have mastered capitalism and commerce.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
All right, keep it close. Part two is coming up
next
Broadcasting from the Civic Cipher Studios. Welcome to the QR Code,
where we share perspective, seek understanding, and shape outcomes.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
I go by the name Rams's Jah and I go
by the name q Ward.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Indeed, and we got a special guest in store for
you today, So stick around because we are going to
be talking to the one, the only, John Hope Bryant.
For those that are familiar, you might be just as
excited as we are. But for those who might not
be as familiar, John Hope Bryant is one of the
leading economic minds, one of the leading business minds, a
(00:37):
highly sought after political commentary commentator rather and someone who
is constantly going viral for his takes on the state
of Black America, the state of America, and other marginalized communities,
and he often assigns an economic component to his takes.
(01:01):
He's a wildly successful businessman and someone that we've come
to look up to in a lot of ways. So
we've been waiting on this interview for some time and
we're really excited to have a conversation with him a
bit later on in the show. So as a result
of that, today's conversation is going to feel a little different.
(01:21):
Today's episode, rather, is going to feel a little different.
So we're going to move a couple things around just
to make sure that we give as much time to
our special guest as possible.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
So we're also going to have.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
A clapback that Cubes been wanting to get off for
some time, because the truth of the matter is that,
you know, with all the goings on in the back
and forth between you know, Israel and Iran and the.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
United States' role in all of this, there's.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
There's a lot of people that have a lot to
say about, you know, Maga's continued support of the president
or lack of of and Q and I were having
a conversation where he kind of laid bare the reality
of the situation, and so we're definitely gonna going to
get into those weeks.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
I'm looking forward to that and a lot more.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
But we're going to start the show off with a
segment that normally comes later in the show, but we
wanted to start with better Do Better because we can
always learn something, and you know, we do as often
as we can try to teach or to give people
added perspective.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
And so today's better Do Better.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
We're looking at the National Baptist Convention as they have
taken three hundred thousand dollars from Target, So this comes
from black Westchester dot com. The National Baptist Convention USA
has accepted a three hundred thousand dollars donation from Target.
This decision has led to criticism and controversy, particularly in
(02:56):
the context of a Target boycott initiated by certain black
munity leaders and activists who are protesting the retailer's reduction
of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Critics are questioning the
timing of the donation, as accepting the donation during a
boycott effort undermines the boycott and is a stunning act
of betrayal to Black America. Some view the three hundred
(03:17):
thousand dollars as insignificant given targets overall revenue, and consider
it insufficient to address community needs effectively. There are claims
that the nbc USA leadership did not consult with or
reach out to the leaders of the Target boycott before
accepting the donation. The newly installed president of the nbcusa
doctor Boys Kimber, stated that the donation will be used
(03:39):
to provide scholarships, support senior citizens and invest in entrepreneurship programs.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Roland S.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Martin host slash managing editor of Roland Martin Unfiltered last
the National Baptist Convention USA for taking three hundred thousand
dollars from Target in the middle of a boycott. Quote
in a stunning active betrayal to Black America, the National
Baptist Convention has accepted a three hundred thousand dollars donation
from at Target. The leadership of this Black Baptist church
denomination made no effort to talk with, consult or reach
(04:09):
out to the leaders of the Target boycott. Their actions
are reprehensible and they deserve to be called out in
every possible way. Trust me, this is not the last
time I will speak on this. If your church is
one of the thirty one thousand churches under their leadership,
you need to demand that your pastor go to the
record as to whether he or she supports the Convention's
(04:29):
decision to take this dirty money from Target. These questions
should be shouted out on Sunday morning, so please let
us know. Martin posted on social media Friday evening almost
done quote the National Baptist Convention takes three hundred thousand
dollars in target with no public facing programs, no investment
in black businesses, and no accountability. How in the world
(04:53):
are you saying three hundred thousand dollars will support scholarships,
senior citizens and entrepreneurship across the thirty one thousand churches
and seven and a half million people. Make it make sense.
This is a quote from Nicki Porcher, founder of Buy
from a Black Woman, a nonprofit organization that helps bring
awareness to black women business owners and the people who
support them. She posted, community leadership means knowing when to
(05:16):
say no. It means your community comes first. It means
knowing that people trust your choices. I turned down two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars because I understood what was
at stake, But too many people out here saying yes
for crumbs and leaving the rest of us to.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Clean it up.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
This right here is why. Because do you know what
happens now, doctor Kimber, This one agreement might have just,
oh yeah, this one agreement might have just shut down
every other conversation that was in motion. It sends a
message Black people can be divided, and now those of
us doing the real work have to fight even harder
just to be believed, just to be funded, just to
(05:49):
be seen. This isn't how you rebuild trust. This isn't
how you invest in community. This isn't it. And you're
having it in Montgomery. So I know that was kind
of wordy, but I wanted to make sure that there
was a couple of perspectives there. I haven't really found
too many people outside of the organization that received the
(06:10):
money in support of this. It feels like a betrayal,
and it feels like them kind of like giving a
very small free pass to Target. And Target is now
sort of the example the poster child of US taking
(06:31):
back our economic power, of us demanding that, you know,
people be held accountable for the choices they made, the
promises they made, the decisions they made and unmade. And
you know, this organization taking this three hundred thousand dollars,
we know what it means. It means now Target can say, well,
see you, this wasn't us being racist. We still support
you know. And where they had initially pledged, I forget,
(06:55):
I couldn't. I can't remember the number. I couldn't tell you,
but it was a substantial amount of money over several
years to be delineated and support black communities, black businesses,
and kind of helped develop relationships in the Target infrastructure.
Three hundred thousand dollars feels like an easy pass for Target,
(07:16):
and it feels like a cheap cash grab from you know,
this organization. So you know those are my thoughts. Q
anything to.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Add, I mean, you said it all and thirty one
thousand churches, so that's ten dollars a church. So that's
not even like the tithes of one member of one
of those churches. It's an embarrassing it'd be embarrassing no
matter the amount. Right, you and I were in a
(07:46):
position where, you know, it was exploit the people for
the money or do the right thing, and we did
the right thing.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
So this is not we don't have to speak in hypotheticals.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
We've been in this position before and offered a lot
more than three thousand dollars.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
This is kind of my point, man. That's why this
Black people are not a monolist thing. It's not the
flex that people think it is when they say it.
Us not being a monolith is the problem. We're going
to organize a boycott of Target, but if they give
us a couple of dollars, it's all good.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Real a couple of dollars too, right.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
So the bag capitalism, you know, financial prosperity has kind
of replaced every every important building block that we once
held sacred. You can divide black people very easily. You
(08:47):
can find the exception. Start offering money, someone will take it. Yeah,
and I'm not saying that, but I'm sure that those
who oppress us and who fight against our progress, I'm
sure they do. And every now and then they come
across somebody that makes them right. And in this case
it's the National Baptist Convention. It's it's heartbreaking because the
(09:10):
decision was not made by thirty one thousand churches. Then
they bought a few people in a room, maybe one person,
and that person will benefit financially because three hundred thousand
goes a lot longer with one person or a couple
people than it does with thirty one thousand churches, which
might between them have three to five to ten million members.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Yeah, well said well, I guess this is as good
a time as any to get to, you know, the
thoughts that we were sharing back and forth with, you know,
people coming forward suggesting that the MAGA movement was starting
(09:54):
to get frustrated with Donald Trump because they didn't vote
for a war, they didn't vote for the United States
to enter any conflicts or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
So, without further ado your clap back talk to me, q, I.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Think you know, good old DT may have solved the
Rubik's cube on this one, Ramses, White supremacy is bipartisan,
(10:36):
and with regards to morals and character and the Bible
and Christianity, the idea that he'll ever do something that
offends his base so much that they turn their back
on him should be rounding the corner of being a
ridiculous idea for most people if you're paying attention at all,
(10:58):
because with MAGA being the worst, most reprehensible person, and
people's kind of the point, I've seen that a lot. Yeah,
So like there's a lot of new commentary that's suggesting that,
you know, his recent actions, his lies, his escalations, his recklessness,
(11:22):
you know, this might finally be the tipping point where
people will f around and find out and his base
will be eroded and respect respectfully, Ramses, I, I just
think that's delusion at this point.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Anyone still supporting.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Him, anyone that's still voted for him. They're not moved
by morality, they're not guided by facts.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
They're not.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
They're not waiting. They're not waiting waiting waiting to be awakened.
They're not going to wake up one day like, oh
my god, what have I been thinking? Like their decency
isn't going to creep in and changed their mind. You
and I have been talking about this man since he
first threw his hat in the ring in politics, right
and what.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
We already know.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
You stop me if I say something is incorrect. He's
lied openly, often and demonstrably. He's been found liable for
sexual assault by the courts. He cannot finish a sentence
or speech, or any type of monologue or dialogue without
(12:34):
veering into incoherent conspiracy theories. He promised to release the
Epstein files. I think we know why, but he didn't.
He promised cheaper groceries, cheaper gas. Neither one of those
things ever happened him and the people he had pointed to.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
The courts argued that Roe v. Wade was settled law.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Those same judges got installed and overturned. It seems like
every day or every week on social media or on
a microphone or on a camera, he finds someone new
to ridicule, usually a woman, usually a woman of color,
because cruelty, especially to brown, black, and brown people and
minorities and marginalized communities, is a part of his appeal,
(13:23):
is part of what his base likes about him. So
despite all that, his support doesn't waive. I mean, we've
said many a times, just grab him by the h
That was before he was ever the president. Yeah, and
he was still elected the president. So people cringe when
(13:45):
you say it, but it's almost straightforwardly a cult at
this point. The truth doesn't matter. The mega identity does
own the Libs, that's what matters. So Trump has become
the voice for people who felt they needed to be
quiet for a long time, who were told that they
couldn't say and enact their racist ideas out loud.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Not at work, not at church, not around the general public.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
People who did not like to hear that trans people
deserve to have rights, or that gay people could get married,
or that black lives matter. People who want to deny
that police brutality is real, people that want to make
immigrants invaders instead of humans, And for some Americans, all
(14:32):
that political correct woke nonsense was is just too much.
And Donald Trump gave them permission to stop pretending to
be decent, to be loud, ugly, mean, and evil keyword again.
And they love him for that. So starting wars, not
(14:56):
being able to find countries on a map, not being
able to explain the language or history of some place
that he wants to invade. His base doesn't care, man,
And he isn't their president because of anything that he's done.
He's their president because of what he represents. Yea, He's unkind, insecure,
(15:19):
he lashes out, he doesn't read, he resists, intell like,
he blames others loudly, constantly, and irrationally. And for millions
of people, he feels familiar. He feels like home, he
feels like them. And I've told you that many times.
I learned in these conversations that people are not defending
Donald Trump. They're defending the part of themselves that they
see in him, racist enable racism. They're not discovering something
(15:47):
about him that they are that they didn't already know.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
His identity is cruelty.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
And like I said, man, that's kind of the point
being cruel is the point being shameless is the point
being unaccountable, offensive, and a bully. That's the point, being
the villain, that's the point, being lawless and above it
all those are the things that they love about him.
(16:16):
All of those are the point. He's not going to
offend them into not supporting him anymore. The things that
he does that are most offensive, that's why they support
him in the first place.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
All right, mister John Hope Briant, we appreciate you waiting
patiently on the line for us. Now allow me to
give you a proper introduction. I'm sure our listeners who
might not be familiar with all the work that you
do will definitely appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
So.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
John Hope Briant is an American entrepreneur and sought after
thought and philanthropic leader who is referred to as the
Conscious of Capitalism by Leading Fortune one hundred CEOs. Brian
is the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Operation Hope, Incorporated,
the largest not for profit and best in class provider
of financial literacy, financial inclusion, and economic empowerment tools and
(17:10):
services in the United States for youth and adults. Operation
Hope is working to level the opportunity playing field, connecting
communities to the private sector through inclusive capitalism at scale.
Bryant is also chairman and chief executive officer of John
Hope Brian Holdings, Brian Group Ventures, and executive chairman of
The Promise Homes Company, the largest for profit, minority controlled
(17:32):
owner of institutional quality, single family residential rental homes in
the US. Bryan's financial empowerment work has been recognized by
five US presidents, and he has served as an advisor
to three sitting US Presidents representing both parties.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
And he is our guest today. This is the QR.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Code and I am your host. Ramsay's job. All right,
mister John Hope Bryant, welcome.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Back to the show. It is an honor to to
get to hang out with you again.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
My honor. By the way, two things One, I resigned
as chairman of the Promise Homes Company. I sold the
company Christmas Eve, it's public information at this point for
over one hundred million, about one hundred and twenty one
good yea. And I still own thirty five percent or
so of the company. But I'm a passive investor, got it.
(18:25):
And so they're the new owners are doing their thing.
And I was chairman until last year, and you know,
they deserve to go and run it the way they
see fit and I'm off doing other stuff. So that's
for the record. And by the way, are you I'd
love my geography. I'd swear that's Los Angeles behind you.
And is that the Biltmore Hotel?
Speaker 2 (18:45):
That is? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Very good?
Speaker 5 (18:47):
Got it right?
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Very good?
Speaker 5 (18:49):
Right?
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Okay, Well, you know, I'm glad that you shared that
with me because you know, the last time we talked
was about that time, and so you know, my information
is probably a little bit dated, but it's been some time,
and that time based on that, Yeah, yeah, exactly. But
since then, you know, I've seen you doing kind of
(19:12):
more of the same because you've always been the sort
of person that goes viral.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Uh you know, probably a couple of.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Times a month, i'd imagine, But you know, I see
you know, people you know, platforming you in different places,
and people sharing your content because it's so potent and
it's so relevant. And then obviously there's been a lot
of political back and forth over the past four or
five years where your voice has been, you know, sort
(19:37):
of more powerful than ever. Uh So, the last time
you're on you mentioned that financial literacy was like kind
of the main civil rights issue of this generation. So
let's start our conversation right there. Would you revise this
statement given that Trump has been reelected or do you
still feel that way?
Speaker 5 (19:59):
Oh? I double down on it. I triple down on it.
I mean, look, I say this a little tongue in cheek.
This president has managed to do something that hasn't been
done since the nineteen sixties, the second reconstruction in this country.
(20:22):
He's unified Black America. Okay, now it'll take a minute
for your audience some in your audience to get what
I'm saying. But you should never let a crisis go
to waste. Understand the rainbows only follow storms. You cannot
have a rainbow without a storm.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
First.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
You understand that even the Bible suggests that you can't
grow except through legitimate suffering. So all problems aren't bad things.
Sometimes a problem situation, a problem person, the problem environment
pushes you to do things that you were otherwise uncomfortable
to do, things you otherwise would not. Tulsa, which is
(21:10):
talked about as an example of how we wants embraced
free enterprise and all that, it was beyond the fact
that it was one little area in one county in
one state, and it was not ubiquitous across the country,
which is what I'm suggesting we need. We need the
Black Jewish business Plan.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
We talked about that.
Speaker 5 (21:34):
Okay, that's what I'm suggesting. But let's just take Tulsa
as people refer to it. Okay, the reason that Tulsa
existed was because of discrimination, was because of racism, was
because of Jim Crow laws that post reconstruction, post slavery,
post reconstruction pushed back because after every reconstruction, there is
(21:58):
a period two to three years after that where there's
a reaction to that, not a response, reaction emotional that
pushes back against that reconstruction, saying this is way too much.
It happened in the first reconstruction after lincoln'ssassination. It happened
after doctor King's assassination. Johnson led to Nixon. Right, Sure,
(22:22):
I believe it's happened in this reconstruction, if it's a
reconstruction started in twenty twenty, which I believe it did.
George Floyd's murder COVID as a market demarcation mark around
twenty twenty two to twenty twenty three, you start to
see this pushback and then the crowning of that, and
then black folks that I think went way too far
with this freedom high thing, and we abused the moment
(22:45):
in some ways. And there's nothing stupid or the only
is sillier to me than defund the police as a
policy for a national platform is suggesting that tariffs is
a growth strategy for GDP for the cuntree. But in
some ways you could argue that Obama triggered the creation
of the the the the the reintroduction of the current president. Yes, yes,
(23:12):
a reaction to too much absolutely minds. Okay, So if
Tulsa was a reaction to discrimination and bias, thus you
couldn't go to a white dentist, you couldn't go to
a white barber, or maybe you didn't want somebody with
shears hits your throat who was Caucasian. But the reality
(23:36):
was it created an environment where you needed black everything.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Yeah, top about it.
Speaker 5 (23:42):
That created an economy. That problem created TSA, and so
you had this compressed environment. Martuary you know, mark community
based martuaries were created by the black community. It's a
national a national industry, but it was created by Black America.
(24:03):
I'm pretty sure that's true. Check my facts.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
What then I.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
Absolutely know is true is and I'm gonna do something
on my podcast just on on these innovations that the
nine to one to one system, inspired by the emergency
responds emergency system, that whole ambulance and paramedic system was
(24:27):
created by black people. Like that's literally true, and it's
now a you know, and not only is a good help,
is it help for people in the world and around
the country. It's an industry and it's worth billions of
dollars now. Uh, these things created from us. And and
I think it could be argue the drive through restaurant,
drive through resta drive through convenience restaurant that drives you
(24:49):
or through window indirectly came from black people because we
had to go to the side of the restaurant or
the back to get our food. Oh yeah, so so
so out of these negative things came in many cases
a positive reaction that we own. You know, the guy,
(25:12):
the guy who created the insurance company here in Atlanta, uh,
started as a bar with a barber shop and and
and created Atlanta Life Insurance Company as a result of that,
and and institutions and endowed HBC US et cetera. So
what I'm saying is now I mean and so the
(25:33):
first reconstruction. We've had two reconstructions about money and three
about justice. First one was about money and justice. Second
one was about justice access. Third one is about uh
from streets, from the streets to the suites. This is
really about the colors green. Now, God has a sense
of humor. God didn't didn't bring us as far to
(25:55):
not to drop les in our head.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
This didn't happen in nineteen sixty.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
This is when black people were eight percent or something
of the natural population. Whites were ninety one percent of
the population in nineteen fifty two, I believe. But today
we are We're forty percent, give or take black and
brown people of the population. Where almost two trillion dollars
of GDP gross domestic product economic sorry two tree dollars
(26:27):
of economic activity sorry, consumer spending, and within ten years
will be a majority of minorities in this country, this
country as a whole, So thirty percent give or take
of the country's economic activity, the biggest economy in the
world is tied to us. So that means that my
rich frendsy, my poor friends do better. For the first
time in the history in order to stay rich. So
(26:51):
we have got to figure out now they've got to
figure out whether they like us enough to prosper or
do they like or they prefer to speak Mandarin Chinese.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
In twenty all right, simple term, all right.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
So yeah, so, so yes, I believe. I believe that
this government has said we're not doing a lot for you. Goodbye.
The governments in the nineteen sixty said we're going to
give you the justice and access that you were delayed
(27:23):
one hundred years. We're sorry. Here's that. That's now being
a lot of that's being unraveled and reversed. But I
think also beyond the injustice and the indignity of some
of that, and the slight of all that, and the
politics of some of that, which I won't get into,
there's some things with this administration I'm actually trying to
get done for us, like financial literacy for all legislation.
(27:43):
So I do try to find some common ground with
the Secretary of the Treasury, if and and members of
Congress and in Senative. We can get this done in
a couple last couple of years, the next couple of years.
But that said, what they have clearly said in the
short term. To answer your question is you're on your own.
I said all that to say this is not Tulsa,
(28:05):
this is the country. Right, all black people get the memo,
no one's coming to save you, Okay, So you're on you.
So on that point, when I say it's a black
Jewish business plan, I'm not joking, like, well, that's something
that used to be, Like maybe we should get this right,
maybe we should try this now. If you don't fix this,
(28:26):
if you don't try this between the politics and artificial intelligence,
within five years, you're going to be completely irrelevant and
maybe broke. So and by the way, we can't just
blame our problems on the president. He's creating some challenges
on his own. Before this, black people were scheduled to
(28:47):
have a net worth by twenty fifty three of zero
before this administration, So we were already trending in the
wrong direction with regard to our priorities. And this is
why I say that sometimes you need a crisis to
wake you up. I'm not gonna invite it. I'm not
gonna I'm not I'm not saying I want it. But
(29:08):
we are very resilient people. And when the rules are published,
and then playing through this level. When we understand the
rules of the game, we kill it. Yeah, the arts
where you're city, we've killed it. When we say something's
cool and your hair, your your whole look is just
straight up I can't, I can't not stop looking at you.
You're just cool, cooling the game. You people in South
(29:29):
Korea think you're cool. Your look is cool. You've inspired
looks all around the world Asia, I mean, Latin America.
They all try to look like you and Charlemagne and
whoever else. Right, but cool does. But we've met. We
have mastered cool and culture. They have mastered capitalism and commerce.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
All right, keep it close. Part two is coming up
next
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