Kicking off Black History Month with Billionaire Robert Smith.

Kicking off Black History Month with Billionnaire Robert Smith in conversation at The Miracle Theater on February 04, 2026 at 7:00 PM (Pacific Time). Get ready for an inspiring evening filled with thought-provoking discussions and powerful insights. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from two influential voices in one unforgettable event. Mark your calendars and join us for an evening that will leave you motivated and empowered! with commentary and insights by investor, philanthropist and entrepreneur .

A resource for leaders and aspiring leaders, Lead Boldly pairs seven of MLK JR’s most impactful speeches with insights from Robert F. Smith about why Dr. King’s visionary ideas are so important for leaders to understand and apply today. The book features an introduction written by Dr. King’s daughter Rev. Dr. Bernice King, and the book has been endorsed by Serena Williams, Rev. Al Sharpton, Darren Walker, and more.

Event Details

*All Tickets include a Signed Copy of Robert Smith book:

*Photo Op with Robert Smith

*All tickets include a signed copy of Robert Smith book & Admission to LEAD BOLDLY:

About Book

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated more than 55 years ago, yet his words continue to inspire millions of people, young and old—from all races and backgrounds. During his remarkable life, he embodies bold and compassionate leadership and achieved a level of influence few thought possible for a Black man born in Atlanta just before the Great Depression.

Now, aspiring leaders can reflect on some of Dr. King’s most impactful speeches and integrate his lessons into their modern leadership journeys. Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, offers his own insights and experiences on each passage on how themes like “The Beloved Community”, “Economic Justice”, and “Two Americas” played a central role in his own leadership development and why the visionary ideas of Dr. King espoused are so important for leaders to understand and apply today.

About the author

Robert F. Smith is a philanthropist, entrepreneur and the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners (Vista). A multi Billionaire and one of the richest men in the world. Robert Smith was Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Smith was deeply influenced by his parents, both educators, who instilled in him the values of education and community service. One of his earliest exposures to activism came as an infant when he was brought by his mother to the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. There, he witnessed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. In August 2023, Smith returned to that historic site to deliver a speech to honor its 60th anniversary, reaffirming his dedication to equality of opportunity.

His passion for technology took root in high school when he earned a prestigious internship at Bell Labs. He pursued chemical engineering at Cornell University, graduating in 1985, and later earned an MBA from Columbia Business School in 1994. Before launching Vista in 2000, Smith built his expertise in investment and business strategy through leadership roles at Goldman Sachs. In 2000, Smith founded Vista. Vista is a global technology investor that specializes in enterprise software. Vista’s private market strategies seek to deliver differentiated returns through a proprietary and systematic approach to value creation developed and refined over the course of 25 years and 600+ transactions.

While his business ventures speak volumes of Smith’s achievements, philanthropy remains central to Smith’s mission. His efforts focus on advancing educational reform, healthcare, outdoor access for all and more. In 2019, he made history by eliminating the student loan debt of Morehouse College’s graduating class. He later extended his commitment by eliminating the student loan debt held by the students’ guardians on their behalf. This act inspired the creation of Student Freedom Initiative (SFI) as a scalable solution to the problem of student debt. SFI offers a private loan alternative and other resources for qualifying STEM students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), other Minority Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). In addition, Smith has been a longtime donor to his alma maters, providing financial support over the years, and empowers and uplifts communities by co-leading Southern Communities Initiative (SCI), a catalytic consortium to accelerate wealth creation and economic growth in six Southern communities through locally led, measured and sustained initiatives.

Smith is the Chairman of Carnegie Hall and SFI, on the Board of Overseers of Columbia Business School and a Member of the Cornell Engineering College Council. Smith has received numerous awards for his philanthropic and business achievements, including being named one of Forbes’ 100 Greatest Living Business Minds in 2017, being listed as one of TIME100’s “Most Influential People” in 2020 and receiving the Legal Defense Fund’s National Equal Justice Award in 2023. In 2024, Smith received the Committee for Economic Development’s Distinguished Leadership Award.

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