What happens when a powerhouse businessman and a world-renowned wellness leader join forces for social good? An initiative that’s poised to change the face of leadership development.
Famed author Deepak Chopra and billionaire philanthropist and entrepreneur Robert F. Smith recently announced The Soul of Leadership, an initiative focusing on mental well-being and leadership development within the Black community. Per a news release, the partnership comes by way of the NeverAlone movement which will focus on providing mental health services, leadership development courses specifically for Black youth interested in entrepreneurs.
“In order to build the leaders of tomorrow, first we must set a solid foundation where young people can fully thrive,” added Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. “Addressing mental health is a critical component of this leadership development. By arming Black youth with tools to understand their mental and emotional needs, we are setting them on the path to success and creating empathetic leaders of the future that have a greater capacity for understanding and navigating the world around them.”
This is one of the many impactful moves Smith has made to affect advancement in the Black community. As previously reported by ESSENCE, Smith announced that he will gift $15 million to Cornell’s College of Engineering to support underrepresented students. Additionally, in 2019 he paid the outstanding tuition costs of Morehouse’s entire graduating class. This newest initiative is just another example of his deep investment in the enrichment of Black lives.
“I am privileged to work with Robert Smith on this much-needed initiative for the empowerment of our future leaders, particularly from the Black American community,” said Dr. Deepak Chopra, founder of The Chopra Foundation in a news release. “As our nation focuses greater attention on the current mental health epidemic, we must deploy our resources in an equitable manner to ensure that everyone is able to receive the help they need.”
The Soul of Leadership will begin in early 2023 online with a free virtual catalog of leadership development courses.