Economic Justice

El Centro Hispano opens a new office in Wake County, courtesy of the News & Observer

El Centro Hispano (ECH) was founded in 1992 to advocate for and address the needs of Durham’s growing Latinx and Hispanic community. By 1997, ECH became an independent nonprofit, and in 2000, it was a partner in the opening of the first Latino Community Credit Union (LCCU) in the state. ECH has grown…

M&F Bank Building

Mechanics and Farmers (M&F) Bank was established in 1907 to advance African American progress and build economic power. It is located in a National Historic Landmark building on Parrish Street, once known as Durham’s Black Wall Street.  Its founders—R.B. Fitzgerald, J.A. Dodson, J.R. Hawkins, John Merrick…

Occupy Banner - From New York to the Bull City

On October 9, 2011, Occupy protests were taking place in over 95 cities across the world. In mid-October, the movement found its way to Durham, North Carolina, a city that in recent years had had to battle against social economic disparity and gentrification. Occupy Durham has devoted the last three months to fighting for financial freedom…

Beautiful sign marks the site of the Latino Community Credit Union. Photo by Liz Hannah

(text in English below)

Usando un banco por primera vez y tratando de comprender las finanzas en una economía compleja pueden ser un reto para cualquiera persona. Sin embargo, para los últimos inmigrantes Latinos que no pueden hablar inglés, a menudo es insuperable. En la década de mil novecientos noventa, Latinos comenzaron a emigrar a…

Black Santa Clause on the parade float. Photo courtesy of Durham Herald Sun

It was a little chilly, but a beautiful day, the morning of November 29th, 1968. Everyone was lined up on Fayetteville Street as the yearly Christmas…