( ENSPIRE Features ) OneUnited Bank, the Largest Black-owned Bank, Announces Marvel Comics and Visa Collaboration to Promote Financial Literacy
ENSPIRE Contributor: Wesley Tran
OneUnited Bank, the nation’s largest Black-owned bank, announces a collaboration with Marvel Comics and Visa, with a free custom Black Panther comic book highlighting financial literacy, available until June 30. The comic book features financial literacy exercises developed by OneUnited Bank, to improve financial literacy among youth in the Black community. The physical version of the comic book will be available in all OneUnited Bank branches in Boston (Grove Hall), Miami, Los Angeles, and Compton. A digital version is also available for all participants in OneUnited Bank’s 13th Annual “I Got Bank!” National Financial Literacy Contest.
The educational comic book features King T’Challa and his sister Suri as they fight A.I.M Soldiers at the International Technology Conference, and inspire Ramla to start her own business using the newly discovered power of vibranium microprocessors. Avengers Ant-Man, Black Widow, Hulk, and Wasp, make appearances in the comic. Readers will follow along to find out if Black Panther will invest in the technology and whether Black Panther and Suri can fend off the A.I.M Soldiers with the help of the other Avengers. Readers will also enjoy activity worksheets and puzzles while learning how T’Challa and Shuri build a strong financial foundation through budgeting and charitable giving.
ENSPIRE was given the amazing opportunity to interview a OneUnited Representative. Read about it below!
Why do you believe it’s important to promote financial literacy as a skill for children?
It’s important to build good money habits at a young age. In addition, children are aware of money, they just may not have the knowledge to connect the dots. Financial literacy connects the dots. For us, financial literacy is understanding the importance of saving, understanding the importance of making good financial decisions, understanding the difference between wants and needs, and building generational wealth. Putting your money into assets instead of overspending.
How do you believe that partnering with Marvel will help you promote financial literacy?
We’re always looking for different ways to instill financial lessons for everybody, kids and adults. Even adults like comic books. This comic book has exercises created by OneUnited Bank. But it also has a great story that talks about the importance of investing in each other, saving, and building wealth. We chose to go with Marvel and Black Panther because as a Black-owned bank we want to make sure that we’re actively working towards connecting with the Black community and Black Panther characters are a huge part of our culture. If someone, a child or adult, enjoys reading the comic book and doing the exercises, then they’re learning!
What do you want children to learn/gain from the comic books?
We want children to learn about savings, investing, building generational wealth, and the overall importance of financial literacy. Realistically, they might not realize how important this knowledge is now, but if we give them access to this information, they’ll be more knowledgeable and equipped to use it when they’re adults. The comic book is a fun and culturally appropriate way to engage in lessons that are necessary for life.
What can parents or people do to learn/teach themselves how to be more financially literate?
Honestly, parents can read the comic book too. They can also identify the one area that can help them build generational wealth. At OneUnited, we call that “OneTransaction”. We even have a OneTransaction Podcast! The “transaction” could be home ownership, savings, and investments, owning a profitable business, improving your credit score, or having a will or life insurance. If we each focus on our “one transaction”, we begin the financial learning process and can close the racial wealth gap for our family. We also recommend everyone seek advice from a trusted financial advisor or financial expert.
If you could give someone some advice to become financially literate, what would it be?
My best advice is to start small and work your way up. Get your savings and money management down first with your personal finances. Once you feel like you have that under control you can level up by figuring out your investment options.
What sort of qualities do you think will be gained on the road to becoming financially literate? What qualities does it require to start?
Learning financial literacy at an early age, and even later in life, teaches discipline, responsibility, and strategy. Financial literacy is a lifelong tool that is proven to improve lives. And you don’t need anything to start, just a willingness to start and learn.
Teri Williams, OneUnited Bank President states, “We are excited to collaborate with Marvel Comics and Visa to promote financial literacy. Our contest, free e-book, and this new comic book make it easy for families to teach their children how to save and make financial literacy a core value in the Black community!”
In the OneUnited Bank’s 13th Annual, “I Got Bank!” National Financial Literacy Contest, students from across the country between the ages of 8 and 12 are encouraged to read a financial literacy book of their choosing, and either write a 250-word essay or create an art project to show how they would apply what they learned from the book to their daily lives. Submissions must be emailed or postmarked by June 30, 2023. The Bank will choose ten winners and award each winner a $1,000 savings account at OneUnited Bank by August 31, 2023. OneUnited Bank, as the nation’s largest Black-owned bank, the first Black internet bank, and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), works hard to promote financial literacy within the black community to not only promote wealth but also to improve the lives of the community that they grew up in.
To learn more about OneUnited Bank, be sure to check out their website!
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