The Greene Room

What's in a Name? Lake Calhoun • Bde Maka Ska

Bankedness

Our first Greene Room will focus on building wealth and access to credit and banking services in financially excluded communities. Who has bank accounts and who doesn't? Do paychecks sometimes enable predatory banking? Are there alternatives to traditional bank accounts that would better serve peoples' needs? We Welcome Panelists: * Congressman Keith Ellison * Tracy Fischman (Executive Director of Prepare and Prosper) * Aaron Sojourner (Professor at the University of Minnesota) * John Thorson (Director of Hennepin County Workforce Development) * Cassaundra Adler (Founder, Bank On Twin Cities) Financial exclusion refers to the unavailability of banking services to people with low or no income. Financial exclusion is a factor preventing people from escaping poverty, and it disproportionally affects communities of color. 54% of African Americans, and 47% of Hispanics are financially excluded. The negative impacts reverberate throughout the community, impacting health, housing, economic footing, education, and children’s well-being.