Welcome, welcome were very excited to have you at the barnes noble event series. Featuring john bryant and latest best seller the memo five rules for your economic liberation were very excited to have you with us today and we also want thank barnes and mobile for , you know, allowing us to be here with all of you. John hope bryant is founder chairman and ceo of operation hope. Largest Nonprofit Organization and United States focusing on Financial Inclusion and financial serving over 3. 6 million youths and adults since 1992. Chairman bryant is also the chairman and ceo of the Group Venture and promise home company the largest for profit minority controlled owners for Single FamilyResidential Rental homes in the United States. In addition to that, chairman bryant was recently named by American Bank and magazine for the 2016 innovator of the year. And hes also served last five United States president s as a counseling as a counselor and advisor for all of them. Were very excited to have him this afternoon. And we look forward to a great conversation and book signing featuring his latest best seller the memo without further adieu, i like to invite and introduce afl you to chairman, founder, ceo john hope broint at this time and hi friend. [applause] come here, so because im founder hey buddy. Because im a founder of operation i dont know if i can change rule here honor citizen is one of our individual Success Stories so i prefer if you hear from her first is that okay . Im sorry im from a black church everybody responding. Is that okay . Yes. Yeah, okay. Part of the work of operation hope and again as i mention john hope brient is the visionary of our organization. Is Financial Inclusion and empowering youth and adult to improve economic quality of life one of those individuals who have been blessed by chairman bryants vision in the work of operation hope is laverne, she has been such an inspiration to not only those of us at operation hope but the community that we serve especially here in the great city of atlanta. Laverne has is going to tell you a very inspirational story about her life, her path, her journey, to empowerment. But also how it could affect each and every one of us so without further adieu i would like to have ms. Laverne come up with a Small Business program part of operation hope tied to ebenezer location here in city of atlanta so without tort adieulet have round of applause for ms. Laverne. [applause] hello everyone. My name is laverne and im from tampa, florida. And i have a 26yearold son im also second oldest of three siblings and a aunt of one beautiful niece and two handsome nephews but mostly i would read my speech but today i felt inspired to go ahead and seek my speech free style. I would normally read it because i do suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder so i pause it is because im rying to recall some information. But i migrated from florida in 2015. After i had received my masters of Business Administration in 2013. Unfortunately, i was not able to utilize my degree in Corporate America back at home the way i thought that had i would be able to so i was encouraged to migrate here in 2015 and to explore some opportunities here locally. I have a nice savings enough saved, and i committed myself to a commission only position in Insurance Industry which was very costly in the long run. So to make a long story short, i was doing very strong and well ended up going through afl my savings, client started canceling, i lost my commissions and edably lost my apartment. So probably around in december of 2015, i would end up calling had my vehicle home for about three days. Afterwards i staid at the Salvation Army from calling different shelters trying to find a place to secure some housing i was compelled to start calling different shelters and Salvation Army was kind enough to open up their doors or for six lornlg character building month when is i would receive a diagnosis as being posttraumatic stress disorder and from the crisis that i went through. The lady over at the Salvation Army she gave me a referral for a Housing Program where im currently living at now for permanent housing which is in the king district. So one day, i was walking in the neighborhood and decided to stop at the king district to see what exactly was on these grounds. Being from florida, im trying to connect more with my heritage, and so as i was walking through the church, i saw sign that said operation hope cafe. And i received some good Old FashionedSouthern Hospitality from the staff at operation hope. So i started asking questions what is this operation hope o about . So it was explainedded to me basically you can turn your dreams into reality. So coming from brokenness with crisis and housing and everything, that really had inspired me. So i immediately connected with my credit counseling couch who started working on my credit repeer and then three months my credit score increased by 40 to 50 poins. Then i was encouraged to take a homeowners Workshop Program where i met mr. John hope at the first time and so u throughout this whole process, im getting these coaching these coaches that would normally cost 500 to 5,000 an hour to help you free of charge now i just graduated last week from the Small Business entrepreneur class because my aspiration is to start a nonprofit 501c3 for those prevention. My profit, my nonprofit will financially support their enkefers by paying their application fees and rental deposits for those transitioning out of a homeless situation and to permanent housing. I didnt think that this was have been possible because of my disability changes without a Financial Plan and not having any support from anyone on the outside. Well operation hope steps in and my business advisor wases able to help me put together a Business Plan and i also received support are from a Financial Advisor on my financial for my company. In march of this year, i was able to register my companys name. Probably not probably but next year within six months i should be up and running off the ground because of the support that i received from operation hope. Not only that, i have a life coach that is helping me literally set realistic goal and put a plan of action into place that is totally realistic for me to achieve within the next year to 200. Another goal of mine is to be homeowner before 2020 with operation hope helping me with with my excuse me with operation hope helping me with my budgeting, Financial Planning, this will definitely be possible and so here today, what i want everybody to really take from this conversation is, so many people say theres no help out here. That we cant get anyone to help us. With operation hope theyre not just talking about a dream. Theyre making a dream become reality. And one of my famous quotes from a very worthy history maker mr. John hope himself is doing good for others pays off. And i want to thank everyone for listening to me today. [applause] is that inspiring . Really this many compass of what john hope brient and book is about the memo you know laverne took it upon herself to empower herself she didnt allow to say they were not possible an allow obstacle and interaction in her life to keep her from staying focused on the the goal and her dream. And so shes a great example of, you know, following through and and making things happen for her life. I was able to attend her Graduation Ceremony this past week with ten other graduates. And it really just speaks to the spirit of the memo and so were very excited to have you here today. To hear directly from the author himself John Hope Bryant im proud to say been a friend of john since going back to compton. Over 30 years. And recently i just moved to atlanta so im even more excited to be here personally to share this experience with you. So again without further adieu lets give a round of applause for founder chairman and ceo of operation hope John Hope Bryant. Its hard to spike publicly and she did a great job, and one note is all from your heart. From this wonderful store barnes noble. Women empowerment who said with guys running these and world screwed up. Could be true thanks for having me here. What did you say youre not running store youre running a part of the community. Part of the community so honored to be here thanks for having me. Thanks for being here. I want to thank cspan for for recording this and getting wortd word out o about what were doing and the crew that is part of the atlanta process for cspan which is first class run by oughts woman of empowerment. I have been speaking all over the world. 100 countries ive had had a chance to travel to. Countless cities and i get to see all of the reflections of us all of the complexions of us. And what is really interesting about this bock and about this message is that it is universal. The last time i spoke was in new york city last week and audience what was also filmed was mostly main stream. This audience is mostly of color. And what is beautiful about this is some people would say that we dont read books. Its real tack. Talk but the reality is that Number One Group of book buyers are black women. I dont know if you knew that. Number one group of book buyers are black women. And if you look at what is propelled this book of what got my facebook wrong at 11,000 followers a week, a week on Financial Literacy and Economic Empowerment is primarily but primarily people of color. Who decided to take their life back and so you should be proud of sitting in a moment in history and being part of history making. History never feels historic when youre sitting in it. If you seem like another day. So what if i told you that the new color wasnt black, white, red, brown, or yellow as in skin color . But the new color was green . As in the color of u. S. Currency. What if i told you that the next movement was not going to be in the streets as in civil rightses. But more so in the sweets as in silver rights. What if i told you it wasnt about raising color line but really about class and poverty. What if i told you that were sit manager a moment in history but history never feels historic when youre sitting in it but like another day but that doesnt mean history is not changing right underneath your feetsome and some people would say in the midst of all of this that theres a conspiracy to keep, quote, some people down. Im going to confirm today that theres a conspiracy. But its not the conspiracy you think. Its not white people against black people. Its not black people against brown people. Its not indian and asian against anybody else and none of the things that you thought or youve been told. If those who had unconsciencely against those who dont. So nobody is getting in the morning saying that they hate you or they want to jam you up or see you as a failure. Nobody has energy for all of that. People who make money and Building Wealth arent getting up thinking about you. And thats the rob. Did you get that . I tell you im from black church used to seeking to respond i didnt know were having a conversation. Hey, tim are we having a conversation is this okay. With a q and a by the way i have no notes here. This is from my heart from my head right directly to you. So i know what im talking about. Feel free to interrupt me whenever you feel compelled. Theresst a conspiracy but its not the one you think. The the issue is is not love or hate today its radical indifferent. Nobody cares enough about you to hate you. Now i dont marine that literally and i dont mean your family loves you, your friends love you. But people on the streets those who are Running Companies those whosh Building Wealth. Care mostly about themselveses so not waking new the morning let me hurt, hate on you. Theyre talking, in fact, its a high level of private schools. Private Roads Private communities. Private planes, private security, private lives. They dont hate you. Theyre not thinking about you. And i put this in the the book. Im getting ahead of myself and talk about rules and then were going to have a real conversation. So rule number one with on this conspiracy that is under mine and your aspiration when i say your aspiration i need to be clear because this is primarily an audience of color but for the same thing to a mainstream caucasian audience to a meet in new york city and say to everybody is that your problem today is not that u youre black or white but what i call the invisible class. Youre invisible l to power youre invisible to wealth youre invisible to you dont feel like your vote counts thats why 100 Million People didnt vote. Theres a prom innocent guy who has done a lot for civil rights but he didnt vote but proud and didnt vote but i have a problem for that and that creates an environment where some people become elective in office that dont represent your interest or maybe even public interest. But we endorse that by note voting. But when owe feel invisible you dont show up in your own life extremely important point that means bad guys win. So i want to make clear here that theres a boogeyman in your life but its not just your life but 0 of everybody in america because 70 of all americans are living from paycheck to paycheck. So if youre living in new york city and making 70,000 a year, youre struggling to make ends meet and living in atlanta, georgia, making 50,000 a year, 40,000 a year which is palace struggling to make ends meet can i get an amen you sew that wasnt a black amen wasnt a white or lat know amen but just an amen youre living in small town of alabama making 30, 25,000 a year and shrug ling to make ends meet and live in a white Rural Company 25,000 a year struggling to make ends meet. So you have too much at the end of your money. Theres a third of american who is have to sell their car to raise 3,000. 65 of americans dont have 500 in savings for an emergency. Did you hear that . 65 of americans dont have 500 thats not a racial thing thats a human thing. And so theres something going on in if the world this is a global issue by the way. 1 of the worlds population own half of the wealth of the world. Im going to repeat that. By the way these are not just rich caucasian but rich aaron, rich russian yes rich africans, these are just rich people from all parts of the world who got the memo. So you have 1 in the world that own hatch of the worlds wealth not equity and not sustainable but theres a way to go about leveling that Playing Field that makes sen and way to go about it that does not. Let me tell you the way it does not people say well we like socialism. Im saying they say they hate rich people heres any response to that. No you dont. No, you dont you hate a rich people until you become rich. Can i get an amen. Amen. What you hate is a gamed system. What you hate is being manipulated. What you hate is feel like no matter how hard you work, you just cant prosper. Youre on a treadmill and no matter how hard you work, no matter how hard you take care of your children you cant seem to get ahead and if youre smart and intelligent and you want to get a College Degree and you kept your nose clean and didnt break any law and never went to jail and yorp a model citizen, and you cant succeed theres a perception then that it must be a rigged system. Correct . Ill suggest Something Else you never got the memo and it is not written down anywhere and not in a university book. Its not in a curriculum no one ever taught you me know not written down not for you but 80 in fact world never got memo so become to the concept of we want socialism. Not just what the crown prince of norway yesterday in new york who is the it future king of thor way which as you know that part of the world is known for sort of a socialist type of approach. But its not socialism. Because even if you wanted to have money like a socialist this is perez told me this when i was in jordan he was in israel you must collect money like in israel. Am i getting too deep . Ill repeat this. Even if you want to district money like a socialist, challenge everything that im saying if you understand by the way. You must first collect money like a capitalist. Before you give it away you have to collect it. You cant give away something you dont have. So you say well explain to me norway a wonderful country theyve got oil. [laughter] they were poor 100 years ago but they found oil and they took that oil and used it for good purposes. And now having one of the largest puppedz in funds in the world. Sweden socialist country and they have agriculture and torse rei not a lot of poem so they basically without damaging the environment are able to take noser of this Agricultural Land and sell chop lumber and sell it to a world that needs desk, chair, and banisters. Now this gets to my Central Point first rueful of my book is live in a centralized system embrace it. First rule of the book that you are capital theres two things that i want you to understand. Let me deal with a Free Enterprise system first. From a time you get up in the morning till time you go to bed at night, if your life is not about money if your life is not about god or love, your life is about money. I want you to think about challenge everything im saying now. This is not me speaking to you and bring a conversation so you can interr