Operation HOPE and City of Memphis Reveal Latest Speaker Line-Up for Historic Virtual Town Hall at the National Civil Rights Museum Featuring 100+ Influential Leaders

April 4, 2025 Event - “Where Do We Go from Here? The Future of Inclusive Economics – and a New Business Plan for America” – Will Feature Insights & Conversations with Senator Raphael Warnock, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, Open AI Founder Sam Altman, Alex Rodriguez & more

Event will Stream Nationwide

MEMPHIS, Tenn. & ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Operation HOPE and The City of Memphis announced today the latest speaker line-up for their historic virtual town hall and working session taking place 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 to discuss economic empowerment, wealth creation and expanding opportunities for all Americans.

The event, co-hosted by Operation HOPE Founder and CEO John Hope Bryant and Memphis Mayor Paul Young at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, will also include 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. 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.

Newly added speakers to the event include:

• Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) – U.S. Senator, Georgia
• Doug McMillon – President & CEO, Walmart
• Sam Altman – Co-Founder, OpenAI
• Alex Rodriguez – Chairman & CEO, A-Rod Corp
• Dr. George T. French – President, Clark Atlanta University
• Rodney Hood – Acting Comptroller of the Currency
• Tip “T.I.” Harris – Artist, Entrepreneur, Activist
• Brian Hooks – Chairman & CEO, Stand Together
• Michael Milken – Chairman, Milken Institute
• Mick Mulvaney – Former White House Chief of Staff
• Joseph M. Otting – CEO, Flagstar Financial
• Stephen Steinour – CEO, Huntington Bank

In addition to these exciting new voices, 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

And special guests:

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

The latest details about the program are available at https://operationhope.org/dream-forward. A live stream 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.