Artificial Intelligence and Banking
Artificial intelligence is often presented as an objective tool for decision-making, but recent research suggests that AI may replicate the same racial biases already present in the banking industry. As lenders adopt these technologies, questions about fairness, transparency, and accountability are becoming more important than ever.
Interview with Jon Mulkin
In this interview, Hope Credit Union Chief Mortgage Officer Jon Mulkin reflects on four decades in mortgage lending, from leading home loan operations at Morgan Stanley to helping first-time homebuyers build wealth through Hope’s mission-driven approach. He shares insights on affordable housing, community development, racial equity, and the future of mortgage lending in underserved communities.
City Survey: Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is a city shaped by a rich history, strong community ties, and ongoing efforts to address economic inequality. These Better Banking Options—from Hope Credit Union to local CDFIs and minority-owned institutions—are helping provide access to capital, support underserved communities, and strengthen Montgomery’s local economy.
Our Response to Hope's 2022 Impact Report
Hope Credit Union’s 2022 Impact Report demonstrates what mission-driven banking can accomplish when lending is focused on people traditionally excluded from financial opportunity. From first-time homebuyers to Black-owned businesses, Hope continues to invest in communities overlooked by conventional lenders.
A Reflection On Our Trip with Hope Credit Union
What does community banking look like in practice? On a trip through the Deep South with Hope Credit Union, we met civil rights leaders, visited community development projects, and saw firsthand how mission-driven lending can help create economic opportunity in communities affected by generations of discrimination and disinvestment.
Latine Banks To Move Your Money To TODAY
Latine-majority banks play an essential role in providing banking services, lending, and financial access to communities that have historically been underserved by traditional institutions. Here are some of the best-known Latine-majority banks in the United States.
Why You Should Be Banking With First Independence Bank
First Independence Bank is Detroit’s only Black-owned bank, investing in Black communities through housing loans, small business lending, and local banking services.
Why You Should Be Banking With Tri-State Bank of Memphis
Tri-State Bank of Memphis is a historic Black-owned CDFI and MDI that has supported Black homeownership, churches, and civil rights efforts for decades.
City Survey: Memphis
From Black-led banks to community-focused credit unions, Memphis offers several Better Banking Options making real investments in local neighborhoods and families.
Why You Should Be Banking With OPTUS Bank
OPTUS Bank is a historic Black-led bank in Columbia, SC, investing in underserved communities through wealth-building loans and community-focused banking.
Anti-Racist Personal Finance: 5 Ways to Fight Racism With Your Money
Your financial choices can help support racial justice. From banking with Black-owned institutions to investing intentionally, here are five ways to align your money with anti-racist values.
Black Credit Unions You Should Move Your Money to TODAY
Black credit unions play an important role in expanding access to affordable financial services, community lending, and economic opportunity in Black communities across the United States.
Black Banks You Should Move Your Money To TODAY
Looking for a meaningful way to support Black communities financially? Black-owned banks and Minority Depository Institutions help expand access to housing, business loans, and banking services in historically underserved neighborhoods across the country.
Why Native American Banking Matters
Native American banks and credit unions play a vital role in addressing generations of economic exclusion and underbanking in Native communities. By supporting housing, small business lending, and financial access, these institutions help strengthen economic opportunity and preserve community self-determination.
Why You Should Be Banking With Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Co.
Citizens Savings Bank & Trust Co. is a historic Black-owned bank and certified CDFI serving Nashville and Memphis through small business lending, financial literacy programs, and community-focused banking. As the oldest continuously operating Minority Depository Institution in the United States, the bank plays an important role in expanding economic opportunity in underserved Black communities.
How Mega Banks Create the Illusion of Effectiveness While Failing Communities
Mega banks often promote billion-dollar community development initiatives, but those numbers can be misleading when compared to the trillions of dollars they hold in assets. This article explains how to evaluate lending statistics using percentages rather than raw dollar amounts so you can better understand which banks are truly investing in low-income communities, affordable housing, and local economic development.
Why Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) Are Essential for Reducing the Racial Wealth Gap
Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) play a critical role in expanding financial access and economic opportunity in historically underserved communities. From combating the legacy of redlining to supporting Black, Latino, Asian American, and Native American communities through housing and small business lending, MDIs help direct capital into neighborhoods that traditional banking institutions have long neglected.
Why You Should Be Banking With The Harbor Bank of Maryland
The Harbor Bank of Maryland is a Black-owned community bank and certified CDFI dedicated to expanding economic opportunity in Baltimore and surrounding communities. Through strong small business lending, affordable housing investment, and community-focused financial services, the bank helps bring capital back into historically underserved Black neighborhoods.