By Victoria Mejicanos
AFRO Staff Writer
vmejicanos@afro.com
The Maryland Bankers Association will host a community conversation on credit equity in Maryland at Coppin State University on Oct. 24 from 9:30 am-11:30 am.
The event, co-sponsored by the Center for Strategic Entrepreneurship at Coppin State University will be a collaborative 90-minute in person discussion focused on expanding economic opportunity for all Maryland residents.
To celebrate Economic Education Month, leaders in banking, education, nonprofits and government will be exploring partnerships and solutions that will strengthen economic opportunity for all.
The keynote speaker will be Antonio “Tony” Salazar, the Maryland commissioner of financial regulation. There will also be a panel discussing why economic education matters for workforce readiness, economic mobility and community growth.
The AFRO recently wrote an in-depth piece about the importance of credit education and highlighted resources in Baltimore. The article spurred local leaders to address the issues discussed in the piece with the upcoming session.
According to a statement from Tisha Edwards, president and CEO for the Maryland Bankers Association, the event is meant to address long-standing inequities in credit access that limit economic mobility for many citizens of Maryland.
“Despite similar credit profiles, research shows that Black and lower-income borrowers often face higher barriers and greater financial setbacks than their white or higher-income counterparts — challenges that are especially visible in Baltimore,” Edwards said in a statement to the AFRO. “This discussion will create space to look beyond the numbers, explore the underlying causes, and identify how each sector can contribute to a fairer, more inclusive financial landscape across the state.”
There will be light refreshments served and an opportunity for audience members to ask questions and share their own perspectives on possible solutions to economic gaps.
The event will be sponsored by Annie E. Casey Foundation.
To register, click here.