The Hope People

Humanitarian and founder of Maison Shalom, Marguerite "Maggy" Barankitse, shares her extraordinary story of resilience, faith and the transformative power of love during this live conversation at the 2024 Hope Summit. After witnessing unimaginable violence during the Burundian Civil War, Maggy chose to fight hatred with hope, rescuing children from the Hutu and Tutsi factions and creating a community built on love and reconciliatio...

Former Major League Baseball player R.A. Dickey shares his triumphant story of resilience and faith during this live conversation at the 2024 Hope Summit. From overcoming childhood trauma to becoming the first knuckleball pitcher to win the Cy Young Award, R.A.'s journey is a testament to the powers of authenticity and hope. In this episode, he shares his transition from a conventional fastball pitcher to a knuckleballer, a shift h...

Chancellor I'Ashea Myles made history as the first African-American female civil trial court judge elected in Nashville, Tennessee. Though her academic journey began with a focus on vocal performance, she pivoted her career toward law, relying on her faith, family and the guidance of mentors to chart her path to the bench. Her remarkable journey, marked by resilience and determination, inspires hope in young people as she encourage...

Former MLB player Ben Zobrist is committed to building strong emotional intelligence and mental health in young athletes. Reflecting on his own challenges after achieving his World Series dream, Ben stresses the importance of learning how to navigate the emotions, setbacks and fame that accompany sports success. As founder of Champion Forward, a nonprofit that helps athletes, parents and coaches improve their mental health and conf...

Cody Fry, Belmont alumnus and accomplished musician, blends joy, hope and creativity into his craft, making orchestral music accessible and inspiring for younger audiences. Influenced by a musical upbringing and supportive mentors, Cody shares how he's crafted a unique style that fuses classical and contemporary elements, epitomized by his viral hit I Hear a Symphony. While navigating challenges like anxiety and the pressures of su...

Entrepreneur and leader, James Archer, built a successful business based on dedication to values-based leadership and aligning his core values with those of his employees. James shares his intention to lead with a collaborative mindset, utilizing hope to execute his business ventures to inspire others to fulfill their dreams. His involvement with Belmont's Archer Presidential Scholars program and support for the College of Medicine...

A true Agent of Hope and CEO of Sony Music Publishing Nashville, Rusty Gaston has uncovered the equation he lives by. In this episode, Rusty emphasizes the importance of relationships believing that love and fun are key components to finding success. An ambitious Belmont student who went on to become a prominent leader in the music industry, Gaston's passion for music and his belief in the power of songs to change the world drives ...

Former NBA star, philanthropist and businessman David Robinson shares powerful insights from his journey transitioning from the basketball court to the boardroom, highlighting the critical roles of leadership, hope and education. David also offers a look at some of the challenges he had to overcome changing careers, the faith he's maintained as a guide throughout and explains how he hopes to leave a legacy as an athlete and a human...

Will Acuff, founder of Corner To Corner, and Executive Director Shana Berkeley, share their inspiring journey to create economic opportunities for marginalized communities through entrepreneurship. Will's experience in Nairobi sparked a realization of the importance of neighborly relationships, while Shana, a lawyer turned entrepreneur, emphasizes the value of community engagement and individualized support in their programs. The d...

In a world that feels more chaotic than ever, with conflicts and uncertainty at every turn, hope remains the force that drives us forward, uniting us as a community to strive for more and to do better together. Now in its second season, Belmont University President Dr. Greg Jones returns with more powerful interviews that continue to highlight those who demonstrate what it means to rise above adversity. This season, The Hope People...

Social entrepreneur Dr. Kim Tan joined Dr. Greg Jones to discuss his approach toward addressing environmental and societal needs i...

As Chief of the Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Nahuel Arenas García spends most of his day responding to conflict. As he shared with Dr. Greg Jones, in spite of the chaos, it is the power of human resilience that unites us all and provides hope for f...

In this special episode, Founder and Executive Director of Porter’s Call, Al Andrews, and prominent gospel artist and Porter herself, Janice Gaines, sat down with Dr. Greg Jones for a live recording at this year’s Hope Summit. The duo illustrated how God’s presence led them to their true callings and demonstrated the power of connection through meaningful conversat...

Cece Winans, award-winning Gospel singer, entrepreneur and champion of faith, joined Dr. Greg Jones to expound on her lifelong commitment to God and how utilizing her gifts for His glory contribute to her achievements and confidence in herself. CeCe shares how her faith has helped her maintain hope throughout her career, and why her desire to please God has led to ...

Dean of Belmont’s Thomas Frist Jr. College of Medicine Dr. Anderson Spickard joins Dr. Greg Jones to share how he finds hope through life’s challenges. Anderson shares how the support he receives from others inspires him to train the next generation of medical professionals with empathy and authent...

Cordia Harrington, founder and CEO of Crown Bakeries, joins Dr. Greg Jones to share how her willingness to take risks led to her success as the “Bun Lady,” landing her a spot on Forbes list of Top 100 Self-Made Women for 2023. Cordia explains her journey from real estate to running a multi-million dollar enterprise and encourages young entrepreneurs to give back to...

Betty Wiseman, a trailblazer for women’s athletics in the Southeast and founder of Belmont’s women’s basketball team, and Rick Byrd, former long-time Belmont men’s basketball head coach and College Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, joined Dr. Greg Jones to share how the love they have received from God and their community has enabled them to pour into their s...

Marcus Whitney, venture capitalist, entrepreneur and author of Create and Orchestrate, demonstrates the importance of finding one’s purpose in their work and how taking control of his own narrative has given him freedom he believes contributes to his many successes. As an Agent of Hope, Marcus shares his remarkable journey as a founding partner of Jumpstart ...