ATLANTA — January 2026 — As communities across the nation prepare to honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE, will lead a series of high-impact engagements this week, convening leaders across generations, institutions, and sectors around the unfinished work of economic dignity and democratic participation.
From private leadership dialogues to public keynote moments, Bryant’s King Day schedule reflects a singular throughline: that hope must be paired with strategy, and service with implementation.
Private Leadership Dialogue with West Point Cadets and National Figures
Thursday, January 15 | Atlanta
Bryant will host a private, invitation-only dialogue at Operation HOPE headquarters with visiting United States Military Academy (West Point) cadets, alongside civic and policy leaders, including Frank Luntz and Ambassador Andrew Young.
The closed-door conversation will focus on leadership, democracy, service, and the responsibilities of the next generation—bringing together military discipline, civil rights legacy, and contemporary civic strategy in a single room.
Later that day, the cadets will attend the Martin Luther King, Jr. Beloved Community Global Summit as guests of Bryant. Attendance at Summit sessions is ticketed and independently organized.
Featured Evening Master Class at the Beloved Community Global Summit
Thursday, January 15 | 4:00–4:30 PM ET National Center for Civil and Human Rights | Atlanta Watch the Livestream Here
That afternoon, Bryant will deliver a featured Evening Master Class at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Beloved Community Global Summit, presented by The King Center and led by Dr. Bernice A. King.
Titled “Hope Is a Strategy: Why Economic Dignity Is the Civil Rights Issue of Our Time,” Bryant’s remarks will challenge leaders to move beyond inspiration and toward execution, reframing hope as economic infrastructure grounded in financial literacy, credit access, entrepreneurship, and ownership.
The Summit will be livestreamed, extending the conversation to a national and global audience.
Keynote at Georgia’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration of Service
Friday, January 16 | 10:00 AM ET North Wing Steps, Georgia State Capitol
Bryant will conclude the week’s public engagements by delivering keynote remarks at Georgia’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration of Service, hosted by State Representative Billy Mitchell, Chair of the Georgia MLK Advisory Council.
Speaking from the steps of the State Capitol, Bryant will call for renewed commitment to service, unity, and economic empowerment, underscoring the link between financial stability and a healthy democracy.
“Dr. King understood that you cannot heal a nation politically if people are broken economically,” said Bryant. “This moment calls for service with substance and leadership with accountability.”
Lalohni Campbell
404-593-7145
Operation HOPE
https://operationhope.org/