Essence Magazine Selects How the Poor Can Save Capitalism as a Top 10 Book for the Holiday Edition

News provided by

Dec 11, 2014, 01:22 ET

ATLANTA, Dec. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Financial dignity nonprofit Operation HOPE announced today that How the Poor Can Save Capitalism, a book written by the organization's Founder and CEO John Hope Bryant, is selected as one of the Top 10 books of 2014 by Essence Magazine. The books are currently listed in the magazine's December issue.

Placed in the 9^th position under the category of commentary, Essence describes How the Poor Can Save Capitalism as "While most pundits focused on the 1 percent of the world's population, John Hope Bryant looked in a different direction and changed the conversation about America's disturbing detachment from poverty."

In July, Mr. Bryant spoke at the celebrated Essence Festival in New Orleans, where he made a lasting impression on thousands that attended. The book outlines ideas for reviving underserved communities, the U.S. Economy and serves as a blueprint for Operation HOPE and the Project 5117 initiative.

An instant bestseller, the book sold out within the first 48-hours of going on sale, June 2^nd. Mr. Bryant has shared "The Memo" (a nickname for the message of the book) with more than 100 media interviews, on radio, television, on-line and in print. The book will be translated into Greek, Korean, Portuguese and Arabic. It is the only bestseller on economics, in the world, by an author of African-American descent.

Since its publication, Operation HOPE has received an outpouring of interest and commitments from private and government partners, volunteers, as well as the growing population of Americans who are struggling paycheck to paycheck in the modern economy and who aspire for a more secure financial future for themselves and their families.

How the Poor Can Save Capitalism is redefining the very definitions of poverty and wealth themselves. Poverty, in Mr. Bryant's estimation, is not just finances; it's values too. Bryant exposes why attempts to aid the poor so far have fallen short and offers a way forward: The HOPE Plan, a series of straightforward, actionable steps to build financial literacy and expand opportunity so that the poor can join the middle class. Operation HOPE aims to eradicate poverty and empower those in underserved communities and struggling middle class to financial dignity.

Mr. Bryant, currently on the 100-City Book Tour has shared "The Memo" throughout the nation and at prestigious locations such as, The Jonathan Club in Los Angeles the Chautauqua Institute in Chautauqua, NY, Indivizible Speaker Series with Mayor Kevin Johnson in Sacramento, the Detroit Economic Empowerment Summit and at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris and the Positive Economic Forum in Le Havre.

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Operation HOPE promotes financial dignity through the delivery of financial inclusion and education tools to underserved communities. Through its core divisions, the organization has provided youth and adult financial literacy, economic preparedness, digital empowerment, promoted home ownership, and assisted with foreclosure prevention to more than 2 million individuals, families, and small business owners. HOPE's next phase is focused on Project 5117, a multi-year initiative that will track and increase business role models for youth, boost credit scores for adults, and empower underserved communities. It also hosts the HOPE Global Forum annually in Atlanta. To learn how you can join Project 5117, go to www.operationhope.org.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130524/DC20526LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/essence-magazine-selects-how-the-poor-can-save-capitalism-as-a-top-10-book-for-the-holiday-edition-300008670.html

SOURCE Operation HOPE