WASHINGTON–The CUNA board has passed a resolution that it said seeks to publicly acknowledge and stand against structural racism and commits to creating a pathway to change within the credit union system.
The resolution follows the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, which has led to protests and discussion of race relations across the country.
“The credit union mission of ‘people helping people’ calls on us to recognize the inequities facing black members and black communities.
We can and should do more to listen, learn, speak up, and take action to help dismantle racial disparities,” said CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle, who had earlier issued a statement via Twitter, as CUToday.info reported here. “Given CUNA’s leadership role within the credit union movement, it is far past time that we speak out and support efforts to break down the systems that enable racism. We look forward to working with the Leagues and system partners, including the African American Credit Union Coalition, to deliver meaningful change in the credit union system and — most importantly — the lives of credit union members.”
Action Deadline Set
The resolution directs CUNA to work with credit union system partners to create measurable ways that the organization can commit to action by August 10, which CUNA said is the anniversary of the creation of the credit union system.
According to CUNA, the resolution also expresses an expectation that the credit Union movement live the mission of “people helping people” rooted in compassion for all people, noting that it is important to:
- Recognize the historic, systemic, and institutional racism toward black people and black communities
- Stand against racism and discrimination
- Be made up of employers that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion, where employees feel valued, safe, included, respected, and justly treated regardless of their racial identity
- Be unwavering in its commitment to deepen and support black and other historically marginalized communities by promoting financial inclusion, equity, and economic opportunity, recognizing the mission of “people helping people” and the movement’s unique position to be a catalyst for change.
A Top Priority
“The CUNA board took an important first step today to reinforce and proclaim its stance that supporting members of our community and families who have been marginalized and agonized by racism is a top priority for CUNA and the credit union movement,” said CUNA Board Chair and President/CEO of Northwest Credit Union Association, Troy Stang. “The time is now to do more and to be intentional about our words and our actions to advance our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Credit unions are founded on the ‘People Helping People’ principle and make a positive difference in the lives of millions of members every day. We are committed to listening to African American voices, learning from their experiences, and taking immediate action to be a part of positive