Photo by Noah Cathey: President Thomas, Dr. David Wall Rice, and Demond Martin link together in front of students during the school hymn

By Noah Cathey, Staff Writer

On Thursday, Feb. 20, during Crown Forum, investor and philanthropist Demond Martin spoke to students about the defining choices and applicable lessons of his life.

Martin, co-founder and CEO of WellWithAll, spoke on the topic “Reimagining Resilience and Creating a Path to Purpose.” He began his conversation with Crown Forum Director Dr. David Wall-Rice, Class of 1995, by emphasizing the importance of the moment for Men of Morehouse. 

The most memorable moment of the one-hour session was when Martin chose to give $100 to the first five students who lined up to ask a question.

“There are these moments, and you never know when that moment is going to come for someone to think, ‘I need to step in,’” Martin said. 

“For me, I had several moments where I missed out on my opportunity. If I change any person’s mind in here, it is to make them think, ‘If there’s an opportunity and I need to step into it, I’m going to step into it.’”

One of the key themes of the conversation was Martin’s belief in capitalism and the good it can do for minorities. Using Robert Smith’s decision to forgive the Class of 2019’s student loan debt as an example, Martin argued that economic systems can be harnessed for good. He challenged students to expand their thinking about capitalism. 

“A hammer can be destructive, or it can build,” Martin said. “I want us to have that perspective—to see that it’s not all bad. We can use these tools to actually impact our communities in a significant way.”

Martin founded WellWithAll in 2023 to pursue a cause important to him and his family: wellness. After a personal crisis, Martin sought to create “significant and sustainable” change in the world around him.

“Health is your single greatest asset,” Martin said. “When we talk to folks of color about health and wellness, we are primarily talking from the perspective of fear. We deserve more than that. We actually need to be thinking about not just surviving, but thriving. With WellWithAll, we are trying to put years into our life and life into our years.”

Martin has chosen to dedicate his skills, expertise and network to craft a movement that will shape lives—especially Black lives—for years to come.

“I want this to inspire people,” Martin said. “I just want people to help someone, to do a little bit more than they’re already doing. I saw incredible brilliance in the room here. I want students to study hard, to gain expertise and to use their God-given gifts to impact the world.”

Copy Edited by Editor-in-Chief, Colin Royal