Robert F. Smith will be interviewed by radio personality Steve Harvey in the first episode of the “Beloved Benefit Conversation Series,” from the organizers of the annual “Beloved Benefit” gala.
The annual Beloved Benefit event raises millions of dollars for nonprofit organizations in the metro Atlanta area. To date, more than $5 million has been raised, benefiting more than 38,000 individuals, including 2,600 youth.
While there won’t be an event this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers will launch the “Beloved Benefit Conversation Series” that will stream online every two weeks. Each episode will be half an hour long, and the series will feature national leaders in candid conversation on race, economic mobility and the continued efforts to realize Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of the “Beloved Community.” Future episodes will feature Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Michael Santiago Render (“Killer Mike”), and Jason Carter among others.
Smith is an active philanthropist, known for announcing his plans to pay off the student loans of nearly 400 Morehouse College graduates during his 2019 commencement address at the historically Black college. He is also a leading voice in the U.S. on issues of systemic racism and economic and social justice, leading corporate efforts to close racial disparities and working with the highest levels of government to help Black-led businesses secure small business loans amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The six conversations will be viewable worldwide at www.belovedbenefit.org. Viewers can also register to watch the series.
