Her father was one half of Rodgers and Hammerstein. So it really never defined me. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. And that's it. So I would fight for that and surround myself with people who believe the same thing, because you have to have that brain power in every institution or corporation or nonprofit. I worked with him for over 40 years and we shared the same bathroom for over 30 years, which is more than any of our marriages lasted," said Blank, who's currently valued by Forbes at about $6.2 billion. Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!!! And the great political leaders in the past, they were civil and they were good listeners. But we both said, you know, if we ever had to compete with Handy Dan that was the most successful conventional chain of home improvement center stores in the country at that time it would be with a large, no frills, downmarket store. I concede, as others who know him personally have, that Im stunned that a guy like Gruden who has been a high-profile media/cultural presence for over 20 years, regularly giving live interviews, chewing up air time as a TV analyst and obliging all the other requests for personal contact that go with being a football celebritry could conceal his essential meat-headedness so long and so well. The Falcons leadership knows how to play politics. Like many other enormous corporations the NFL, selling a slick, bristling mix of testosterone and patriotism, ducks away from anything with a whiff of political conflict. Like all stories meant to inspire, he takes some knocks. 9. That was in 1979. Through their work, we envision a social movement in which communities of color are fully empowered, active in civic life, and working together to promote equity, fair treatment, and self determination for all. And then he came up to my suite afterward and it was like 10, 15 minutes later, his face was just full of tears and he said that he was so moved by it. This is chaos. The Gruden e-mails were leaked from a (way too) long-running investigation of the toxic (i.e. I want you to talk to 10 of your friends. The Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR) mission is to ensure elections are secure, voters have confidence in election outcomes and democracy thrives as civic engagement grows. Blank donated another $35,500 to the Democratic National Committee, according to Federal Election Commission filings. There are nearly one million Latinos in Georgia, with one of the fastest growth rates of the Latino population in the nation. A company where we already know from law suits the teams executives treated its cheerleaders like Vegas escorts and, yup, traded nudie pictures of them changing outfits. 14, He also had three children with his second wife of 16 years, Stephanie Blank. But in any event, that was part of just being a good listener. Student Loan Forgiveness and The Ghost of John Kline, (Who?). You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. Arthur is committed to changing the narrative around sports stadiums, said Frank Fernandez, the VP of Community Development at The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, to The Daily Beast. } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. To many Atlantans, myself included, leaving Turner Field was symbolic of the white flight that has defined the city since the 1960s. Arthur Blank is firmly in Joe Biden's corner. To assist with the effective inclusion of community voices, the city of Atlanta participated in the Living Cities City Accelerator program, which streamlined and articulated (PDF) best practices for service providers and community leaders to build stable communities in Atlanta. He said, All of that really gave me time not only for redemption, but more importantly, for reflection. And he said, I really realized that I had done a lot of good things in my life putting aside and playing ball. ", It is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy We have to be better than this moment. He released a statement five days after Gov. Continued: https://t.co/yePGJUaGVV, Ive got a lot of love and respect for police officers., We dont want to see Targets burning. endobj Porn Star Pay Offs, Inciting Insurrection, Sexual Assaults, Bank Fraud, Election Conspiracy and FoxNews v. Dominion. And Blanks role in this project extends beyond the stadium. Animals and Pets Anime Art Cars and Motor Vehicles Crafts and DIY Culture, Race, and Ethnicity Ethics and Philosophy Fashion Food and Drink History Hobbies Law Learning and Education Military Movies Music Place Podcasts and Streamers Politics Programming Reading, Writing, and Literature Religion and Spirituality Science Tabletop Games . Minnesota Legislature, What Are You Chewing? Since then, they have re-organized their focus areas more specifically into four groups: policy advocacy, organizing and civic engagement, impact litigation, and legal services. "People are coming from different places, which is okay, but it's not okay when they're disrespectful; it's not okay when they're not kind. Both John Lewis John, just a month before he passed away and Andy Young have said to me that we do have to recognize that things are better than they used to be. And somebody knocked on the door. I, like almost everyone else, had already started celebrating at halftime. It's good to be different, said Blank, but he said it's the intolerance of some that worries him about the future. 12, Blank has been married three times. 8 . And whether, you know, be it Dr. King or, a great friend to America and a great leader, Congressman Lewis, [who] was a great personal friend of mine and served our country beautifully, would say peaceful nonviolent protest is how we that's how we make progress. I was gagged. "Obviously, it's a tragic time in the history of the. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. "I know Bernie's heart. w !1AQaq"2B #3Rbr Blank who grew up in New York City said he believes the US is going through one of the most tumultuous times in its history. The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. Its also part memoir of how his ethics evolved from watching his father run a neighborhood pharmacy in Queens, New York, to launching multi-billion dollar ventures. Thats great. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In 2022, they plan to connect with over 1 million voters/ potential voters through phone banking, text banking, in-person canvassing events, and going door to door. And we've had a very successful team for the first threeand-a-half years this year. So everything is designed to accommodate the soccer fans so they feel like this is their place as a result of that. Your support makes this possible. Organizations also called to move The Masters, which begins April 8. Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. But Still Not Even an Indictment. Those come first. Copyright 2023 InfluenceWatch. It is time to hold mayoral offices accountable, chiefs and deputy chiefs. How do I do my part in it? And he had to mop the floors for weeks and months on end. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. So, then we opened up The Home Depot. And he recently gave $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden, Forbes reported. /ca 1.0 /SMask /None>> 13 Diana is a left-of-center philanthropist based in Atlanta and anonymously contributed several high-profile donations in the area including a $4 million gift to the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra as well as a nearly $20 million gift to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. We need to recognize those truths. These are not political issues, they are human issues that need serious, earnest attention from leaders and citizens alike who understand that diversity is our strength and fair treatment is everyones right. (And Im not forgetting Colin Kaepernicks protests against police violence, and how the league effectively blackballed him before paying him off to avoid a certain-to-be-nightmarish public trial.). Our history of voting rights is a constant struggle, a repetitive cycle of expansion followed by restriction. But COVID vaccination, as a consequence of being made "political" by belligerent partisans, many of whom love football more than life itself, is terrifying territory for the NFL. Give them hope. Were trying to do the exact opposite of that.. When he came out, he was on house arrest and I took a meal to him and his family from his favorite restaurant here in Atlanta. The Home Depot co-founder, Arthur Blank, candidly shares details of an impromptu meeting in an airport hangar when he was asked to step down, the company's short-term mistake of replacing him. His daughter Dena is the executive director of the Kendeda Fund, a left-of-center private foundation founded by her mother, Diana Blank. For more information about Life Itself, visit the . $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ? I stayed in touch with him to some degree when he was in prison. Of the other 60% who do come, half are rooting for the other team. So I understood what they were saying: They just wanted support noise. The organization works directly with election officials to maintain accurate and complete voter lists and to secure their election technology infrastructure. People are scared and in pain. I want you guys to come up with real solutions. The 79-year-old co-founder of Atlanta-based The Home Depot . Then I would not be bashful about asking questions. stream Nationality: United States Executive summary: Co-Founder of Home Depot. Stop feeding fear and anger every day. Among Blanks diverse interests are the nationwide PGA Tour Superstore chain, three guest ranches in Montana, and a family foundation that counts millions in economic development investments on Atlantas beleaguered Westside among its $660-million outlay to date. Well, I shouldn't say I'm not. "This notion of divisiveness has become, in my humble opinion, maybe, post-Civil War, probably one of the most stressful times I've ever seen in our country," he said. At the time, Atlanta liked to call itself The City Too Busy to Hate, but as more African Americans moved to the city the moniker shifted to The City Too Busy Moving to Hate, as more white Atlantans escaped the city to the northern suburbs. /CA 1.0 The Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. And myself, if you will, I'm at the very bottom of the pyramid as a servant leader and somebody who is there to provide leadership, but also provide whatever that needs to be done for us to be successful. Resistance to Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Futile. A protest has purpose. A number of events over the last couple of weeks have reminded us again that the long, worthy quest for equal justice, civility and unity in America is far from over. 3, By 1981, Home Depots stock went public and raised over $4 million. They said it would take an act of courage on your part to go out on the field and and to be recognized. And, you know, people stood up! Arthur Blank is getting more involved in the political process. America has long struggled to deliver a fair and equitable democracy to all of its citizens. We must not accept or condone violence in any way. Two Gruden compadres, ex-Gophers star and former NFL coach Tony Dungy and his ESPN partner Mike Tirico, both black, are in a bad spot for defending Gruden about his michellin [sic] tires description of another black guys lips. It's not trying influence, but trying to share philosophies of life and stories and thoughts about a certain set of values, which really transcend business, nonprofit, as well as the political arena. GPB is committedto bringing you comprehensive news coverage from Georgia, across the country and around the world. Arthur Blank, owner of Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, co-founder of Home Depot . [Thats] something that I talk about in the book, which most people are not aware of. And Ambassador Young, another good friend would say the same thing. Kemp and the law's backers said it provides some common-sense reformsto ensure elections are secure. But tell me what I can do to help? And they said, Well, you know, the reality is about 40% of our stadium is empty. And so he's used that time since he got out of prison and giving back to community, speaking to young people. And today that's 2,200 stores in Canada, United States and Mexico probably have a market capitalization today of about $300 billion. Blank also contributed $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008. We are better than this We are better than this as a country. It is in effect protecting the teams owner, a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. In order to put this grinding pandemic behind us once and for all? And they love that. There was a six-year period in there, when things went a little south. How best to put it? And if you go to the Museum of Equal Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, [Equal Justice Initiative Director] Bryan Stevenson says the same thing: We need to recognize [that] these 5000 lynchings took place in the United States[a 2019 Report from the EJI documents more than 4440 racial terror lynchings in the U.S. between 1877 and 1950]. And the core values that our forefathers drafted for us they weren't perfect, either, but in their own ways, they strove for those things. Georgia Politics FOX 5 Atlanta ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United Owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday afternoon he believes voting should be made "easier, not harder for every eligible. Who knows how successful theyll be, and many residents worry that economic growth could facilitate gentrification. The views expressed here are the authors' alone, not necessarily the views of their clients, employers or families. But you want your core values to be the same, ideally. Bernardo Little . During the past year, GALEO staff and volunteers have participated in events at food banks, churches, and schools, where they provide information while assisting with free COVID-19 testing and food distribution. And, you know, you see the blending of every type of person and personality you can imagine. A co-founder of Home Depot increased his giving for children in the pandemic because, he said, "they don't always have the tools to deal with what's happened to them.". Blank also owns Atlantas Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a sports and entertainment facility valued at $1.5 billion that hosted the 2019 Super Bowl. Home Depot cofounder, Arthur Blank, is a longtime Democratic supporter and donated $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden between July and September in 2020, Forbes reported. You're going to get a lot of your fellow owners really pissed. Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. But the level where this Gruden idiocy touches the countrys perilous moment is where the NFL arguably one of the most popular and therefore influential organizations/corporations in the country could and should use Grudens buffoonish racism and sexism to make unambiguous statements to its fans, which is to say just about everyone in the country. He's committed to his wife now, his children. NOW WATCH: We combined Trump and Biden's separate town halls so you can watch an actual debate between the presidential candidates, Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission. I have many friends who are no longer fervent Braves supporters. And I think this should be addressed out of respect and out of listening.". (Airlines resisting vaccination mandates for passengers are another prime example of failure of true leadership.) We had the option of going to a variety of companies, doing a variety of things in a traditional sense of management leadership. They put my mother, my brother and I in the living room with one of them and the other was searching the house, looking for cash that wasn't there. And it was early on a Sunday morning. follow. Their siblings, their families, you know, may have gone to battle and wore a variety of uniforms for our country over many, many years. But I know where his heart is and his heart is really in a good place. Players and coaches appear giving quick testimonials. It's a beautiful thing. Show up at the polls on June 9. 15, Two of Blanks children, Dena Kimball and Kenny Blank, sit on the board of directors of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Theres a revelation of Blank stumbling dazedly into a parking lot after being abruptly forced out of Home Depot in 2001, and his devastation after the Falcons epic 2017 loss in the Super Bowl. Blank allowed the previous front office to make shortsighted moves that still are costing the. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. In that way, I don't think my personality, probably, or my patience level probably is not the level it would have to be to sustain myself in this political atmosphere today. And it's all connected not only to associates, but to the communities in which we live and operate. After stepping down as CEO of Home Depot in the early 2000s, Blanks interests centered on a variety of Atlanta-based sports franchises and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, a private foundation that has awarded over $560 million. Left to right: Dennis Ross, Arthur Blank, Bernie Marcus, Pat Farrah, Ron Brill. Walz Cooperation With Law Enforcement Deserves Praise, Not Punishment, If You Think Republicans Cant Ban Abortion in Minnesota, Look No Further than Iowa, Russia, Ukraine and My Seven Months with YouTube. . Now, the last game we had in the Georgia Dome before we moved to Mercedes Benz Stadium in August of 2017, wewere honoring all of our ring of honor members and he was one of them. GALEO engages in advocacy, creates opportunities for engagement and networking, and develops leadership skills for Latino community members. By Bob Bahr October 12, 2021, 5:48 pm. . ", CNN -- Ted [Turner] did a great thing. Georgia businessman Arthur Blank joins with voting groups on Democracy Class Atlanta The Jolt: Arthur Blank teams with voting groups to forge 'Democracy Class Atlanta' Caption Credit:. It's the customers. If you don't make good choices, you can end up being in really bad places. Scott Jensens Unanswered $15,000,000,000 Question. And we need to figure out, you know, how do we move past that and how do we learn from that and how do we get connected with our current reality? They all understand it's, you know, you have an opportunity to be here on Earth and how do you want to leave it? Generally speaking they dont do a lot to lift up the communities and neighborhoods around them. Atlanta, GA 30318 2023 Cox Media Group. We want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burned to the ground. But he did. But I know that his essence, at his heart and his soul, is a really good person that cares deeply about humanity. /CreationDate (D:20210314125741+02'00') GPBs Virginia Prescott asked Blank about some of those stories in a conversationpresented in collaboration with Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlantas Book Festival in Your Living Room, the National JCC Literary Consortium and the Atlanta History Center. Team owner Arthur Blank, who has high expectations for the franchise, sat down with FOX 5 Atlanta one-on-one to talk football, philanthropy, and Kanye West. That Vote for Secretary of State? Its a story about making bad choices and the impact of young people. I mean, I was stuttering when I was senior class president, [and in] student government. "It's healthy to disagree on things, but it's not acceptable to not be kind.". My suspicion is that while Dungy and Tirico and dozens if not hundreds of other NFL leaders may have been surprised by Grudens racist imagery, they arent as unfamiliar with his other boys club stupidity. I think back when I lived in a neighborhood, you know, a small neighborhood, when my mother and dad were alive, we all took care of each other. Its more like cowardly, and meatheaded.
He would say, I don't need to be cut any slack, you know. In recent years Atlantas sports teams have attracted controversies that have highlighted the racial disparities that still largely define the city. And they've worked collectively for the United States, for everybody in this country, 330 million people. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. Lawlessness, vandalism and intentionally upending the peace with any form of violence has never been productive and is not the answer. The Falcons owner, Arthur Blank, the co-founder of Home Depot with a net worth of $3 billion, at first glance certainly fits the bill of your standard billionaire athletic team owner. What Does Hamline Not Understand About Academic Freedom? My dad didn't look at who it was. They're a PR's dream because they rarely say the wrong thing. Prior to the construction of the Georgia Dome they played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium with the Atlanta Braves, and you could see the spot where Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth in home runs. And I know he considers the blessings that we had coming from Home Depot [and what its done] for all of our philanthropy today and all of our businesses today to be something that we're very thankful for. But he was. They were trying to indicate that what the military had fought for these rights, the civil rights, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, etc. . Do it in November. And that's one of our core values as well: Include everybody. The Number of White Teachers About to Get Fired is Exactly Zero. How do you help repair the world if we can use that expression? This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. The statement came about five days after Gov. << a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. A message sent to Arthur Blank from President Obama in 2018, thanking him for his commitment to affordability at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Blank cut concession prices by 50%. This is not the legacy of civil rights in America. CEIR works to build voter trust and confidence, increase voter participation and improve the efficiency of election administration. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. Seventy percent of the players in the NFL are African American a disproportionate number. So you take your time, you get the words out and people will listen to you. So I think that from those days in college where I raised my hand and I know my buddies around the class would think, Oh, boy, here goes another 5-minute answer, you know? And so he carries a weight of authority that somebody who's just called a suit and comes in and talks to them and doesn't quite feel the same, same way. By all accounts, those associated with the new stadium and the Westside view their presence as at least a 10-20 year commitment toward revitalizing a downtrodden community and bringing the city together. He just opened the door. And next thing I know, he was sitting on his knees and with a gun to his head. In their sixth season of Major League Soccer, the Five Stripes bring some new faces onto the field this year. Blank retired as Home Depot's co-chairman in. Now it's ranked like seventh. I'm not sure how they're going to receive you. Its appalling how heavily-to-tightly-managed entities, especially those controlled by a small cluster of well-heeled egos turn into shuddering eunuchs at the thought of riling just an ugly faction of its consumer base. In 1978, both he and future Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank were fired during a corporate power struggle at Handy Dan. Steve Bullock, and the Democratic National Committee, to name a few, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission. And they love the camaraderie. (Confidentiality, you know.) All Rights Reserved. And in fact, one of her famous expressions was: You do the right things for the right reasons and live with the consequences of them. And I'm trying to build that into my life as well. Blank writes about being teased for having a stutter. Brian and Arthur welcomed their daughter Blake into the world via Arthur's sister Aoife, who acted as a surrogate for the couple, back in September -- with Brian previously teasing the documentary before Blake's arrival. I listen to what he says and sometimes I'll cringe. Playoffs, playoff championships, etc. Currently, over 200 Westside residents are working on the stadiums construction and the foundation has funded, among other things, Westside Works to help residents find employment and learn job training skills. Politicians, business owners and celebrities are speaking out to share their thoughts on Floyds death, the issues his killing have brought to the forefront and the protests that turned to chaos, specifically in Atlanta. And part of that is reducing our environmental impact.. I understand that, but I respect it," said Blank. Yet the team continues to unite Atlantans during the ups and downs. Scott Jensens Dramatic Fall Shows Ads Still Matter. Today, Blank is the Chairman of AMB Group LLC, parent company of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All of which is, yknow, really classy stuff. I mean, it wasn't like, You're Republican or Democrat. Kirk Cousins Failed His Character Test, But the NFL Gives Him Its Highest Award for Character Anyway, Bidens Junk Fee Fight Should Include Broders Deli as Well as Las Vegas. 6 0 obj I mean, you write a book like this, it's really getting into kind of the political arena. So the answer would be yes. The foundation is . The Braves leaving town also represented an end to the multicultural hub in the heart of the city that was forged by those Olympics. Over the next two years (2021-2023), we will create an inclusive relationship with and among these grantees to share ideas, best practices, lessons and challenges. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. Citizens and municipalities have for far too long believed these baseless claims, paid for the stadium, and watched them lie dormant during the offseason as the new businesses never came. The largest donor was Falcons owner Arthur Blank.