New York, New York — Socially conscious CEO and author Gibson Sylvestre, MBA launches the world’s first virtual volunteer program to honor Civil Rights Icon John Lewis—a friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Congressman from Georgia.
Sylvestre had the auspicious opportunity to visit with the late Congressman John Lewis and recalls asking Rep. Lewis what gave him the inner strength to get beaten in Selma and not retaliate during “Bloody Sunday” on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, in Selma, Alabama.
Rep. John Lewis responded by saying, “Son, you have to the right thing simply because it’s the right thing to do.”
Those works ran over and over in Sylvestre’s mind. Rep. Lewis’ marches and leadership in the Civil Rights movement lead to the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson which outlawed discrimination in voting.
The Civil Rights icon who was a friend and colleague of Martin Luther King Jr. passed away on July 17th, 2020.
“He was one of my heroes! I was heartbroken to the core! He died the same day as longtime Civil Rights leader and icon Rev. C.T. Vivian. As I was mourning the passing of Rev. Vivian my chief of state sent me a text that Rep. John Lewis had passed as well, my heart was broken in two” says Sylvestre.
Out this deep sense of pain Sylvestre wanted the memory and message of these Civil Rights leaders to be remembered by serving others while maintaining social distance. The movement is called the “John lewis virtual volunteering Program”.
How does John lewis virtual volunteering Program work?
Harnessing the power of social media the John lewis virtual volunteering Program works by:
- 1) Finding a Virtual Volunteering opportunity
a. Please visit www.catchafire.org to search virtual volunteer opportunities from the comfort of your home.
b. Please visit www.translatorswithoutborders.org to volunteer as a translator for people is dire situations i.e. needed to interpret doctor’s messages for COVID-19 patients as well as people facing justice issues.
c. Please visit www.crisistextline.org if you are very empathetic to help people going through depression, suicidal thoughts, etc. You can literally save a live my simply sending a text message to this 24/7 text line open to individual experiencing deep pain and suffering.
- 2) Posting your story of service to #Johnlewisvirtualvolunteering
Use our hashtag (#Johnlewisvirtualvolunteering) to post how many hours you volunteered as well as your service story. Please be mindful to keep specific details confidential as we don’t want to reveal personal information about the individuals we assist.
The goal of the program is to promote volunteering, mental health, and service to others while remaining safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. We seek to honor the memory of Rep John Lewis through service. Go to Gibson Sylvestre’s Instagram page: @gibsonsylvestre777 or www.gibsonsylvestre.com to find out more information.
The goal is to log at least one billion volunteer hours by December 31st, 2020.
Feel free to reach out to us for interview requests or any questions you may have. Reach out to us at: https://www.gibsonsylvestre.com/contact
About Gibson Sylvestre , MBA
Gibson Sylvestre, MBA has been coaching people to be the best version of themselves for over two decades. He has coached professional athletes in the NBA and NFL as well as other professional sports to be peak performers. He has shared the stage with U.S. Presidential candidates, Harvard graduates, as well as top CEOs and executives.
Mr. Sylvestre has been mentioned in Yahoo! Finance, FOX, CBS, Wallstreet Select, New York Times, Yahoo! News, Digital Journal, Star Tribune, FOX 34, Daily Press, NBC, Telemundo, The Miami Herald, NBC, Market Watch, The CW, ABC, Mammoth Times, San Diego Herald Times, and USA TODAY.
Mr. Gibson Sylvestre is a distinguished member of THE GUILD® elite platform that offers business leaders from all over the world the opportunity to obtain proven expertise by top experts. THE GUILD® curates the top subject matter experts to solve hard business problems, as a cost-effective alternative to internal staffing or traditional consulting. He is a graduate of Life Work Leadership® an invite-only CEO group that emphasizes balancing family life, business life, and community engagement.
Gibson Sylvestre a best-selling author he has written several poignant books such as:
Staying Positive In A Negative World, The Science of Internet Marketing, The Science of Business Mastery, Supersize Your Life, Leadership Sideways, Being A Promotable Person, Transformational Leadership
In 2010, Mr. Gibson Sylvestre was named African American Achiever Distinguished Nominee presented by Jim Moran Family Enterprises and Southeast Toyota. In addition, Mr. Sylvestre was the recipient of the National Minority Leadership Award presented by the United States Achievement Academy. Mr. Sylvestre is a Selfgrowth.com distinguished expert—a platform that hosts the world’s top thought leaders like Tony Robbins, Ken Blanchard, Oprah Winfrey, Gibson Sylvestre, and Dave Ramsey.
Gibson’s relentless desire to help others succeed has led him to reach countless lives around the globe. Many have been inspired to reach their untapped potential.
To find out about his work, podcast, or brand visit: www.gibsonsylvestre.com
Celebrity Endorsements
"Gibson, thank you for your fascinating book. I have read through it on the plane flying home. It is an answer to prayer."
—Barbara Bush-Former First Lady of the United States of America/wife of George H.W. Bush, 41st president & mother of George W. Bush, 43rd president of the U.S.
“Ever since I met Gibson Sylvestre, I’ve admired his energy and enthusiasm for helping people become the best version of themselves. When he speaks, he speaks from the heart—with knowledge and experience that can help any individual or organization be better than they are today.”
—Dr. Ken Blanchard -Coauthor of The New One Minute Manager® and Servant Leadership in Action/World’s Leading Management Expert
“Ever since I met Gibson Sylvestre his positive energy was contagious. He genuinely loves people and you can’t fake that! He is sharp, intelligent, and a master communicator. He has the perfect skills to assist large corporations as well as individuals succeed in life or in business. Gibson is America’s choice for anyone seeking to take their game to the next level!”
—Les Brown -World’s leading motivational speaker
“On many levels and in many different ways, we can have a tremendous impact on our world. If you’ve already identified ways you can touch your neighbors, Gibson’s book will help encourage and strengthen your spirit. If you have not, these pages will help you find that path!”
—Sammy Morris-NFL Player, New England Patriots
“I would like to take this opportunity to recommend Gibson Sylvestre to your company. I am convinced that his hard work, determination, and enthusiasm will be an asset to your organization.”
—Mr. H. Wayne Huizenga, Jr.-Miami Dolphins Part Owner and Huizenga Holdings, President
Where Can Listeners Find the Podcasts?
All of Mr. Gibson Sylvestre’s MBA’s podcasts can be found on every platform where podcasts are offered (Apple Podcasts, IHeart Radio Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts, and Google Podcasts). The podcast feature mercurial, smart, interesting, and fearless content created to engage and inform listeners. www.gibsonsylvestre.com/podcast
