November 2023
My Giving Pledge – Jahm Najafi
What’s the impetus to take this leap, which my wife Cheryl and I are doing with intent and joy, at this time in our lives? Parting with half the wealth we’ve meticulously created throughout the decades was not always the plan.
But reflecting on my own journey – starting with immigrating to America at age 12 to join my older brother – it became clear that a cycle of gratitude is urgently needed in our troubled world. A cycle that starts with opportunity, becomes hope and dreams, enables achievement, and matures into gratitude and meaningful giving that heals and lifts. This is a cycle we want to empower and perpetuate while we’re still here (and enjoying life) and after we’re gone.
Opportunity is the seed. We’ve been blessed with it, and always understood the hard work it takes to make something out of it. I learned English as a kid living in Phoenix by watching the Phoenix Suns games, including the NBA finals in 1976. It ignited a lifelong passion for basketball and sports; as an investor I get to nurture teams globally, a living dream. I had a supportive family and a path to education and success and embraced it. Cheryl and I have always encouraged our three children to become what they aspire to be, that it’s possible and to reach for it.
Supporting the underserved is critical when too many suffer diminished access to success paths. We’ve frequently and anonymously supported education and the arts, recently adding social justice and equity. We’re now publicly aligning ourselves with these causes so that others may be similarly inspired to give. We give to programs with tangible results through economic empowerment, employment and career advancement. And as the world suffers more upheavals, we’ll keep adjusting our philanthropy to the areas of greatest need.
The definition of wealth varies depending on who you ask. My answer today is wildly divergent from when I was an ambitious Wall Streeter, a young husband and father, or immersed in building my company. Ask me now and I’ll say it’s the opportunity to live with purpose, to give back to those I love and the world we inhabit.
It’s an honor to join this collective of visionaries committed to making a difference.