HOPE Called on to Testify before U.S. Congress
On July 29, 2014, HOPE CEO Bill Bynum testified before the Joint Economic Committee in the U.S. Congress. During the hearing, titled “Increasing Economic Opportunity for African Americans: Local Initiatives that Are Making a Difference" Mr. Bynum called on Congress to level the playing field by investing in proven solutions that give people – particularly African Americans – the tools to save and build wealth.
To read more about his remarks and to access a full copy of the testimony click here.
Mr. Bynum was also joined by his colleague Angela Glover Blackwell, the Founder and CEO of PolicyLink, who emphasized the importance of place within the context of a nation undergoing a rapid demographic shift. Her testimony called on Congress to connect low-income African Americans to meaningful work, to build sustainable communities of opportunity and to invest in policies that close the racial wealth gap. To read more about her testimony click here.
The hearing held by the Joint Economic Committee of Congress represents an important acknowledgement that while many communities around the country have taken the time to pay tribute to and reflect on the seminal events from America's Civil Rights Era, much work remains - particularly around issues of economic justice.