Thomas Tull ’92, founder and CEO of Legendary Entertainment and a member of Hamilton’s Board of Trustees, was part of a group of foundation and business leaders invited by President Barack Obama to discuss his “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative at the White House on Feb. 27. The new initiative will bring foundations and companies together “to help more young men of color facing especially tough odds to stay on track and reach their full potential,” President Obama said.
According to a White House press release, “President Obama reiterated his belief in the core American value that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should have the opportunity to succeed -- regardless of the circumstances of your birth.” Participants in the White House summit discussed ways in which they and their companies can work with the initiative to improve the life outcomes of boys and young men of color.
Other attendees included founder and chairman of America’s Promise Alliance Colin Powell, retired basketball great Magic Johnson, NBA commissioner Adam Silver, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The foundations supporting the president’s call to action have already made extensive investments, including $150 million in current spending. Obama vowed to continue collaboration with the business sector and foundation community to build on their success. At the White House meeting, foundation heads announced that over the next five years they seek to invest at least $200 million, alongside additional investments from their peers in philanthropy and the business community, to find and rapidly spread solutions that have the highest potential to expand opportunity for boys and young men of color.
