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On the 57th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, civic and business leaders gathered virtually at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis to discuss strategies for building a more inclusive U.S. economy.
The town hall, titled “Where Do We Go from Here? The Future of Inclusive Economics – and a New Business Plan for America,” was organized by Operation HOPE in collaboration with the City of Memphis. It brought together roughly 100 leaders from across the business, tech, policy, and faith sectors.
The event was co-hosted by Operation HOPE founder and CEO John Hope Bryant and Memphis Mayor Paul Young. Among the prominent speakers were Dr. Bernice A. King, daughter of Dr. King and CEO of The King Center, and Ambassador Andrew J. Young, the former U.N. ambassador and longtime civil rights advocate.
“Dr. King’s Poor People’s Campaign was an economic justice movement that remains unfinished,” Bryant said during the event. “This gathering builds on his work in a modern context.”
A Focus on EquityThe discussion centered on how to create economic systems that offer more equitable access to wealth and opportunity—especially for historically marginalized communities. The program included remarks from:
Thasunda Brown Duckett, CEO of TIAAHarley Finkelstein, President of ShopifyBishop T.D. Jakes, CEO of TDJ EnterprisesSteve Steinour, CEO of Huntington BancsharesRay McGuire, President of LazardVan Jones, founder of Dream Machine Innovation LabsCharlamagne tha God, co-host of The Breakfast ClubKiller Mike, rapper and entrepreneurRichard Phillips, Dean of the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University
Many speakers emphasized the need for cross-sector collaboration to close racial wealth gaps and support small businesses, workforce development, and community-driven investment.
A Symbolic SettingThe location carried weight. The National Civil Rights Museum stands at the former Lorraine Motel, where Dr. King was assassinated in 1968 while in Memphis to support striking sanitation workers.
“Memphis has always been a city of resilience,” said Mayor Young. “A city that has shaped history and pushed for progress.”
Speakers acknowledged the unfinished nature of King’s vision—not just in terms of civil rights, but economic justice. Many pointed to current disparities in homeownership, small business funding, and access to financial services as evidence that systemic barriers persist.
The conversation highlighted several central ideas, including the need for economic systems that are inclusive by design, not exception; the importance of generational wealth-building as a tool for long-term equity; and the role of education, financial literacy, and technology in expanding opportunity.
Bryant and other speakers stressed that the event marked the beginning of a larger movement to align American capitalism more closely with justice.
“Economic empowerment isn’t charity,” he said. “It’s the unfinished business of civil rights.”
For more details and updates, visit Operation HOPE’s website: operationhope.org.