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. 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. 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. 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. In recent years Atlantas sports teams have attracted controversies that have highlighted the racial disparities that still largely define the city. Big Game by New York Times Magazine writer Mark Leibovich, BLM Has Achieved Much More Than Its Critics.
C q" The Blank foundation also emphasizes environmental sustainability and aims to support programs that foster this message in the Westside. The 79-year-old co-founder of Atlanta-based The Home Depot . Arthur Blank greets a crowd of cheering Atlanta United fans in 2017. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. But the two subsequent CEOs the gentleman there today, Craig Minear, the CEO and president Ted Decker both live the culture. Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. Like all stories meant to inspire, he takes some knocks. This is chaos. Owner Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Flacons reacts before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 10, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Wednesday he is encouraged by the progress of quarterback Desmond Ridder and the potential of building around the rookie. So the answer would be yes. For the last two decades, sports have united this largely racially divided city, and partially due to the actions of the Hawks and the Braves, the Falcons could ill-afford to have a stadium plan that was not only racially inclusive, but also worked to incorporate the surrounding community. Blank also contributed $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008. The Braves leaving town also represented an end to the multicultural hub in the heart of the city that was forged by those Olympics. I listen to what he says and sometimes I'll cringe. !, Do not fall for this foolishness!!! And the Falcons new stadiumscheduled to open this summerwith an estimated cost of $1.5 billion, $200 million coming from Atlanta hotel-motel taxesis definitely big and shinny with tons of gadgets to enhance the fan experience. But this is where the similarities with most other stadiums end. He had a gun on his lap, sitting on his right thigh. I want you guys to come up with real solutions. He fielded multiple quarterback-related questions and spoke glowingly of Ridder, who. We were living in a single-bedroom apartment in Queens. Now, there's no place for violent protest. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. In 1978, both he and future Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank were fired during a corporate power struggle at Handy Dan. He would say, I don't need to be cut any slack, you know. We sold out the entire stadium in two-and-a-half hours. 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. meathead) culture inside the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. 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. I remember I called the commissioner then, who was Paul Tagliabue, and I say, Well, Paul, I have this idea. And I think this should be addressed out of respect and out of listening.". But, you know, I think the word civility is terribly important today in the political world in which we just don't see it the way we need to see it. Also watchRISING UP: A Westside Story,a documentary film by David Lewis Productions that gives viewers a detailed look into the ideation, construction, and impact of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the city of Atlanta. And then as Dr. King wrote in his last book, which his wife published a year after he passed away. CEIR works to build voter trust and confidence, increase voter participation and improve the efficiency of election administration. But in any event, that was part of just being a good listener. /SA true You know, dig in [your] heels and it becomes, "My territory, your territory," etc. He had three children with his first wife Diana Blank, whom he divorced in 1993. We Have Every Reason To Expect a Lot More from the NFL, no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out. 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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]. Peaceful protests of the past have led to new ways forward. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will also be home to Atlantas MLS team, Atlanta United FC. Is the Jensen-Birk Campaign Minnesotas WOAT? Arthur Blank enjoys one of his favorite hobbies at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, one of three guest ranches owned by Blank Family of Businesses. 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. And I love him. Atlanta Falcons employees are most likely to be members of the Republican Party. It's good to be different, said Blank, but he said it's the intolerance of some that worries him about the future. Blank told Business Insider that despite their political differences, their different leanings never got in the way of their ability to work together as partners or as friends. So that was a low price a lower price than before Michael Vick the star quarterback was born 22 years before that. No. Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. For years, Americans have fallen prey to the con of wealthy businessmen who want to build shiny new sports arenas yet dont want to pay for them. /CreationDate (D:20210314125741+02'00') Well, I shouldn't say I'm not. We believe that voting rights are critically important, and our home state of Georgia is at the center of the struggle. Our democracy is made stronger when we hear from all Americans on the issues of our day whether they be national or local. A protest has purpose. We are better than this We are better than this as a country. Fernandez says that they intend to use the stadium as an anchoring institution, and that the number one thing people in the community said they wanted are jobs. If you sit in your homes instead of burning your home to the ground, you will have time to properly plot, plan, strategize and organize and mobilize in effective ways., Two of the most effective ways is first taking your butt to the computer and making sure you fill out your census so that people know who you are and where you are. It's the customers. Those come first. I had another NFL player, while [Vick] was in prison, come visit me and say I came from exactly the same neighborhood, but it was in a part of Pittsburgh. So sadly, Michael was raised in an environment where that was kind of normal behavior, if you will. 6 0 obj I seriously doubt the leagues TV ratings or ad revenue would suffer an iota. Minnesota Legislature, What Are You Chewing? So it really never defined me. And they love the camaraderie. ', We have to be better than this moment. Atlanta rapper, advocate Killer Mike has message for protestors https://t.co/zb3oMHK7sx, "You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country. << But really, in my view, it's mostly that talking to young people about, you know, here's somebody who's been there, done it, gotten on T-shirts, lived it, and somebody whose name they respect or the least they know of, I should say, in most cases. Were trying to do the exact opposite of that.. (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.). Why Is Doc Jensen Still So Obsessed With His Long-Disproven COVID Claims? During the 2020 elections, Blank contributed $300,000 to Biden Victory Fund, $35,000 to the Democratic National Convention, and tens of thousands of dollars to state Democratic Party committees. 9. 7, Blank founded the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in 1995 and has awarded over $560 million to causes such as education and early childhood development. Max died when Arthur was 15, leaving his mother to grow what became a multi-million-dollar business. It had to do with our set of values.". Arthur Blank on NFL kneelers: 'Players have no interest in being disrespectful to flag' Political Insider By Jim Galloway, Political Insider Trump is apparently referencing a highly sourced. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Home Depot cofounders Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus have long been on separate sides of the fence when it comes to politics. Their siblings, their families, you know, may have gone to battle and wore a variety of uniforms for our country over many, many years. And my mother was giving him a lecture saying, You realize this is not what your parents would want you to do. After stepping down as CEO of Home Depot in the early 2000s, Blank's 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. Philanthropist Arthur Blank has thrown his support behind a new voter education initiative aimed at young people. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! He received his MBA from Harvard. GALEO strives for a better Georgia where the Latino community is engagedcivically, and its contributions and concerns are recognized. The organization works directly with election officials to maintain accurate and complete voter lists and to secure their election technology infrastructure. And Blanks role in this project extends beyond the stadium. "I think one of the things that is wrong with America today that we can work on and become better at is that we need to become better listeners to each other and we need to be better about understanding where people are coming from," Blank said. (Airlines resisting vaccination mandates for passengers are another prime example of failure of true leadership.) But that was typical of my mother. w !1AQaq"2B #3Rbr "It's not a red issue or a blue issue, it's about how you treat people, whether it be guests, fans, customers, associates, or shareholders in the case with HD," said Blank, whose Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has granted over $800 million to help underserved people across the nation. He just opened the door. We have to be better than burning down our own homes because if we lose Atlanta what else do we have?, I want you to go home. 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. For more information about Life Itself, visit the . They want to have a home-field advantage. The couple filed for divorce in 2013. Tikkun Olam [a Jewish concept of repairing the world through action]. And, you know, living in poverty, we had friends coming by all the time and what have you. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. 1 2 . And Ambassador Young, another good friend would say the same thing. Arthur Blank is worried that capitalism is getting a bad rap. By Bob Bahr October 12, 2021, 5:48 pm. I want you to talk to 10 of your friends. Your support makes this possible. They all have a great set of eyes and they're all different. 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%. 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. And that's it. And somebody knocked on the door. Low Expectations and Dark Hopes for the New Year, Minnesotas Wealthiest Social Security Beneficiaries Shouldnt Be First in Line for Help, Time to Limit HOAs Solar Panel Policing Powers, Pop Quiz: How Many People Actually Know Whats Going On?. 3 0 obj 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. Home Depot co-founders pictured in 1979, a year after the first store opened. Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!!! 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. He released a statement five days after Gov. 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. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . Arthur Blanks brother, Michael, and his father, Max, are photographed outside the OES Pharmacy family business, in 1940. 1 0 obj That coming the day before the New York Times dropped the bomb(s) about Gruden calling the NFL commissioner a faggot, ripping the leagues concussion protocols, (in other words, Grudens pro-concussion) and trading nudie pictures of cheerleaders. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. /Title ( A r t h u r b l a n k p o l i t i c s) (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images). Blank writes about being teased for having a stutter. And we've had a very successful team for the first threeand-a-half years this year. follow. Falcons owner Arthur Blank made a $15 million donation on Tuesday to The Cooper Institute, run by its founder Dr. Kenneth Cooper, a friend of Blank's and a strong proponent of preventive medicine. Falcons owner Arthur Blank is weighing in on Georgia's sweeping overhaul of election laws. These are the kinds of people we need in leadership today, not thinking about red, blue, purple. All the issues that Colin [Kaepernick] raised at that time [2016-2107] about the social injustice and lack of equality and equity in the criminal system and all those issues, I think they were real then and they're certainly real now. "This grant will help The Center add to its existing . But my mother would say to me, You know, what you have to say is important. The Atlanta media thrashed Arthur Smith, Terry Fontenot, and Arthur Blank about their interest level sometime after the news broke. Weve never won a Super Bowl, and this years loss in Super Bowl LI was especially hard to take. We dont have the answers, but we are committed to listening and responding to the people who have made this their lifes work and to the citizens they serve. OMG, Democrats Are Criminally Bad At Marketing What They Accomplish. Can We Please Kill Off the Tipping Mumbo-Jumbo? 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. endobj All of which is, yknow, really classy stuff. The perceived linebetween politics and sports further blurred when Major League Baseball's union chief said players are ready to discuss moving the 2021 MLB All-Star Game out of Truist Park. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. "So, you know, I love him. [Thats] something that I talk about in the book, which most people are not aware of. I was gagged. Today, Blank is the Chairman of AMB Group LLC, parent company of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. !, And listen to me, be careful where you are getting your information to JOIN protests!! It is my hope that we take this terrible moment in our history to elevate that conversation toward productive action and lasting, positive change. Despite being widowed at a young age, his mother managed the familys mail-order pharmaceutical business and sold it to a large retail conglomerate. And I told him before, You get in a convertible and drive around the field and Michael, there are 73,000 people in the building. MATTIE'S CALL: A 9-month-old baby girl was reported missing from the Ellenwood area with a man police say was diagnosed with a mental illness. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. The NFL could and should be a leader among other giant corporations in taking stark stands against belligerent stupidity like racism (which it is sort of good at in a lipservice/signage kind of way, considering 70% of its players are black) and sexism (where it has a long ways to go, despite promoting Breast Cancer Awareness Month with pink shoes), but also right now for wait for it COVID vaccinations. You're going to get a lot of your fellow owners really pissed. A Member of the Blank Family of Businesses. Where did your parents come from with your grandparents? We all came from someplace else, other than the other Native Americans. So we had 35, 40 players kneeling before that, after that speech, we had close to 300 players kneeling because they took it personally and their families took it personally and their parents and their siblings and their grandparents and their heritage was being challenged. Soon after, Blank met his third wife Angela Macuga whom he married in 2016 and later announced their plans to divorce in 2019. Our history of voting rights is a constant struggle, a repetitive cycle of expansion followed by restriction. And I remember he told me, he said, You know, when [I went into] the prison system, they gave me three pair of underwear, three shirts, three pair slacks, three socks and one pair of shoes, and that was it. He said, That was all I was going to have, as opposed to the lifestyle he was leading before. And I remember him looking at me saying, If I told your mother what you just said, she would wash your mouth out with soap. But that was the last thing I said. I said, Look, I'm going to be a new owner, tell me what I can do to help. /Subtype /Image About Arthur Blank Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus cofounded Home Depot in 1978 after being fired from their jobs at a regional hardware store. This must happen more than every four years, because theres no offseason for democracy. Opponents of the bill argue it's too restrictive and targets minority voters. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In order to put this grinding pandemic behind us once and for all? Seventy-threethousand stood up and clapped, gave him a great hand. Its a story about making bad choices and the impact of young people. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. It's the fans. You know, better than in the 40s and 50s, but not where we should be. He's committed to his wife now, his children. I mean, it wasn't like, You're Republican or Democrat. How? So, I would say it was very successful. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. And if I stop talking now for two minutes, you realize just how long two minutes is. 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. Scott Jensens Dramatic Fall Shows Ads Still Matter. But, we really could not have done it without great service, great pricing, and great product knowledge. Paul, are you OK? I was going to call his secretary, thinking Paul got a heart attack or something. Sadly, sometimes these young men and women get involved in that cycle and they never get out of it. 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. The wealthy propose tax increases on the poor and middle class to pay for their new stadiums, and they claim that new businesses flocking to the area will magically cover the costs. Organizations also called to move The Masters, which begins April 8. Expand. I mean, you know, all those things. 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, Another Home Depot cofounder, Bernie Marcus, is an. 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. /Length 7 0 R 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. stream As I've said, 95% of my estate is going to be recycled back through our foundations and they will provide their insights and their leadership and their views and values that their father and their mothers would be very proud of. You need to figure out something else to do for the rest of your life. And after a while, he said, Would you please shut up? And she never did. 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. 5 Other Blank family businesses include the nationwide PGA TOUR Superstore as well as a handful of ranches across the country. 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 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. 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. (To his enormous credit, Leibovich burned up all the access his name and the Times brand afforded him to tell a story the average sports writer only dares hint at.) The Westside also suffers from severe flooding problems, and the stadium has a 1.1 million gallon storm vault underground to trap and reuse their rain water, and help prevent flooding. 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. However, many Americans are still being denied access to their vote and their ability to fully participate in our democracy. The portfolio includes nearly $10 million in grants to 12 nonprofits that represent a diverse set of organizations with a strong presence in Georgia and the Southeast. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. More must be done to address the underlying issues that have led to these incidents across the country. 10, Following proposed changes to Georgia voting laws in early 2021, Blank released a statement saying, We should be working to make voting easier, not harder for every eligible citizen, and that his businesses and family foundation will support efforts that advance voting access for the citizens of Georgia and across the nation. 11 Blank also participated in an online call with over 100 corporate executives to discuss taking action following changes to state voting laws including the possibility of delaying investments in states that pass allegedly restrictive voting laws. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. Blank told Business Insider that despite their differences, running a company is "not a red issue or a blue issue" and is instead about sharing the same values. And it's all connected not only to associates, but to the communities in which we live and operate. In a time when more than half of Americans are dissatisfied with the state of our democracy, the most powerful way to demonstrate and have our voices heard is through the vote. He's done a lot of work in terms of animal rights, which has been great and been appreciated by all of those agencies and all those institutions. But he was there and he finally said, Listen, you own the franchise, you have the option. So I'm happy to see that, you know, he came back to Atlanta and spent time here. 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. He owns the team, after all. The league has recently been running in-game PSAs pushing cancer and mental health awareness screenings, etc. 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? Atlanta Falcons vNew Orleans Saints Owner Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Flacons reacts before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 10, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. One of the robbers tied me up in the bathroom, the bathtub, and I said a few things to him, which, at 10 years old, I don't think my mother even knew I knew those words. The Athletic's Felipe Crdenas joined Georgia Public Broadcasting's Orlando Montoya tohelp breakdown what fans can expect this year on and off the field. Lawlessness, vandalism and intentionally upending the peace with any form of violence has never been productive and is not the answer.