SNELLVILLE, Ga. – The African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) announced it will host a new five-part virtual event, the Commitment to Change Conversation Series, from August 10-14. Separately, State Employees’ Credit Union has made a donation of $125,000 to the AACUC.
The Coalition said the new five-part series is “designed to inspire and empower credit union professionals to lead with a mindset of diversity, equity and inclusion during these challenging racial and public health crises to better represent, serve and achieve positive outcomes for communities of color.”
The AACUC added the virtual series is part of the organization’s larger “Commitment to Change: Credit Unions Unite Against Racism initiative” and will take place in lieu of the organization’s annual conference, which had been scheduled for August 11-14 in St. Petersburg, Fla. and has been postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The weeklong series will feature daily 90-minute virtual sessions led by expert panelists representing financial services, social justice, mental health and academia, the AACUC said. Topics will include emotional fortitude, leadership during times of crisis, community action, and financial, economic and income equality within the context of being and serving people of color.
“As financial professionals, we believe credit unions are uniquely positioned to affect meaningful change in the fight against social injustice,” said Renée Sattiewhite, AACUC President/CEO. “As Black professionals, we are eager to share insights from our unique experiences and exchange strategies with allies to help us build a more diverse and inclusive workforce so that we can impact the communities where we live. I’m confident this new virtual format affords us even greater opportunity to reach more people and provide value that’s particularly relevant in this current environment.”
Sattiewhite was recently featured in CUToday.info here.
The AACUC said it has been quick to respond to social justice activities precipitated by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police earlier this year, hosting virtual roundtables and listening sessions. Prior to these events, AACUC noted it led the way by connecting its members with critical resources and relief efforts, including the Payment Protection Program and CDC public health guidance, as the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected Black Americans.
The AACUC said it partnered with African-American outreach efforts from the White House, NCUA and CUNA to ensure the experiences of people of color were told, heard and accounted for.
“This has been an incredibly complex time for the African-American community and has underscored the health, economic and social inequalities this community continuously faces,” explained Sattiewhite. “We’re committed to staying engaged and developing opportunities where diversity, equity and inclusion take a front seat – because Black credit union professionals and Black communities matter.”
St. Petersburg, Fla.-based PSCU will be the event sponsor, while Suncoast Credit Union will serve as the local host for the virtual event. The event will be free and open to the public.
For info: www.aacuc.org.
SECU Donates $125K
Separately, State Employees’ Credit Union has made a donation of $125,000 to the AACUC. The gift, which the credit union said was made on behalf of its 2.5 million members, reinforces a commitment to partner with the AACUC to advance the mission “to increase diversity within the credit union community through advocacy and professional development.”
In addition, SECU said donation will support the AACUC tenets in the Statement on Diversity which “recognizes the differences and distinctions of each individual, group, or organization that are represented in society and within the credit union movement.”
SECU noted it is actively involved in the AACUC Southern Regional Chapter of the organization, with two SECU Vice Presidents, Jamie Keith and Kelli Holloway, currently serving as chapter president and vice president, respectively.
‘Unique Opportunity’
SECU added affiliation with AACUC offers a unique opportunity to influence and shape the credit union movement and its governmental affairs, and that the organization works to promote personal and professional growth of its members and advocates to improve economic development of surrounding communities that are often underserved. AACUC supports programs that include expanding the interest and increasing the number of minorities in the credit union movement, increasing outreach of the credit union movement in African countries and in the United States through mentoring, scholarship programs, and much more, SECU added.
“The board of directors, staff, and membership of State Employees’ Credit Union understand the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all facets of work and life pursuits,” said Mike Lord, SECU president/CEO. “As a member-owned cooperative, we encourage and value the diversity of our members and our staff. We operate with a ‘Do the Right Thing’ focus and a ‘People Helping People®’ philosophy, and we’re proud to support the mission of the AACUC with this donation.”
‘Beacons of Hope’
Added AACUC’s Sattiewhite, “Corporate partners like State Employees’ Credit Union provide beacons of hope for the credit union movement. We are hopeful that other credit unions and organizations will follow their example and invest in the future of credit unions. We are grateful for the support, but more importantly, the Partnership, Mike Lord and SECU have definitely demonstrated a commitment to change.”