The young man featured center stage here is one Samuel Reed, or shall I say, "Mr. Samuel Reed." I met young Samuel yesterday during a youth town hall meeting in Houston with my friend Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee. Just looking into his deep, committed and positively focused eyes tell a great deal of the story, but let me tell you what I know.
Samuel is a straight A student from an otherwise under-privileged area of Houston. Young Samuel believes in himself, because someone along the way told him he was "somebody." I tried to amplify that message on yesterday, when I featured Samuel in my remarks at the park rally event where I spoke.
Samuel reminds me of, well me. He is 10 years old and is today a much better student than I was at his age. And so it figures, if I have succeeded on some level, there is no reason why young Samuel cannot succeed beyond his wildest dreams.
Samuel cand his friends could have been out running the streets on a beautiful, sun-filled Saturday afternoon, but instead he and they were hanging with me and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, as we made the case for a new 21st century "investor class of young leaders" who will insure, their their self-confidence, financial literacy and silver rights, that this financial crisis never happens again. Samuel, his teachers and school, his mentors, parents and friends, make me proud and give me hope in America.
One person can make a difference. On yesterday, Samuel Reed was that one person.
For information on how you can make sure your child receives the financial literacy education and silver rights he or she will need growing up in the free enterprise democracy we call America, go to www.operationhope.org.
With HOPE
John Hope Bryant