At a time when I would like to be celebrating exclusively my and our recent successful trip to Saudi Arabia, and the launch of our Operation HOPE Partnership Office there, I am saddened to note the death of our U.S. Ambassador and staff in Libya, one day after my return from the Middle East region.
My heart goes out to the families of those who lost loved ones in this senseless violence in Libya, most notably the family of our U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.
There are no words that describe my sadness, as one of God's children who feels connected to the people of Libya and the Middle East, as I do people here and around the world. I see myself as a global citizen, and thus, things like this impact me personally. I fee the pain as an advisor to our President, President Barack Obama and the Obama Administration, for the U.S. President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability, knowing how much good we — and the President — are genuinely trying to do here and around the world. I feel pain as founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE, having committed my life to making the world a better place, and having just returned launching a partnership office in the region that holds, and continues to hold, so much promise for the region.
I refuse to give up, and I will recommit and redouble our efforts to help and to have an impact, but in this moment I just feel the pain for this family, and for a sense of hope dashed for the moment in Libya.
As I said within the week here on my Blog, "we have to now do at least as good a job building bridges for the next generation, as we have done burning bridges during the last."
With sincere HOPE and condolences
John Hope Bryant
John Hope Bryant is a thought leader, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and Bryant Group Companies, Inc. Magazine/CEO READ bestselling business author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass), the only African-American bestselling business author in America, and is chairman of the Subcommittee for the Under-Served and Community Empowerment for the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, for President Barack Obama. Mr. Bryant is the co-founder of the Gallup-HOPE Index, the only national research poll on youth financial dignity and youth economic energy in the U.S. He is also a co-founder of Global Dignity with HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland. Global Dignity is affiliated with the Forum of Young Global Leaders and the World Economic Forum. Mr. Bryant serves on the board of directors of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation, an NYSE Euronext publicly traded company, and a division of $54 billion Ares Capital.