The earlier parts of Herring’s life focused on the scholastic & extracurricular endeavors that contributed to his social & leadership development while centering community as a fundamental value.

Herring continued being an active agent in various social & political organizations while excelling at the top of his class from high school & throughout college, beginning his matriculation at North Carolina Central University & commencing it as an honor graduate with a degree in Political Science & studies in Psychology. 

Soon after the arts came calling, beckoning him to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue a Master of Arts in Fashion at the Savannah College of Art & Design.  Pulling from his polished upbringing, where order & presentation were paramount, he turned his interests towards the aesthetics, construction, branding, & marketing.  Herring, keenly aware of the potency & influence of imagery, perception, & projections thereof, chose forays into high end retail & hospitality, executive sales, & marketing across several industries to further sharpen his areas of expertise while expanding his professional network.

Financial education is a big deal for us. We need people to understand the history—all the things that have oppressed communities of color—and walk away with a clear understanding of which institutions are committed to the community.

Presently his professional interests consist of engineering concepts & brand building across a range of entrepreneurial ventures specializing in everything from general contracting to brand consultation.

We have to give Black-owned financial institutions a platform. They’re undersupported, under-represented, and are out here trying to help communities in need. We’ve got to dispell the rumors and give them, as well as the communities they serve, some support.

Through collaboration, Stephone works to be a liaison between the community and needed resources to ensure that everyone has access to tools to make more informed decisions. He has focused his work on developing solutions through easily digestible knowledge and content around economic justice and an equitable economy.

A graduate of University of Texas at Arlington, Stephone possesses a Bachelors of Arts in History and Master of Science in Sustainability. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and is a freelance writer for several publications.

Stephone has recently become a Just Economy Institute Fellow. The Just Economy Institute educates and connects a growing movement of financial activists who are shifting the flow of capital and power to support the well-being of all people and the planet. Because of his work and passion, Stephone has been named one of Forbes Next 1000 as a Social Entrepreneur.

Previously, Chris worked as a policy analyst for the City of Detroit in the office of Council Member Ayers. Chris was also chosen as a fellow for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in summer 2017, and most recently worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in their Community Development and Policy Studies division.

Chris holds a Master of Public Policy and Urban Planning from the University of Michigan, where he was a Dow Sustainability Fellow, studying how to leverage public private partnership to provide transportation to job seekers.

Major banks make it incredibly challenging to see where their money goes, but there’s plenty of data that shows community banks put their money towards social good. That’s the story I want to tell.

Chris is the co-founder of two nonprofits, BankBlackUSA and M-Years. BankBlackUSA is a nationwide grassroots organization that works to promote financial inclusion and wealth building through research and advocacy. M-YEARS is an education enrichment program that teaches STEM, social studies, and urban planning to middle school students in northeast Detroit.

With nearly 10 years of experience in research, marketing, consulting, and Agile project management, Christopher’s work focuses on strategically aligning talents, resources, ideas, and lived experiences of people with the categorical needs of various projects and programs—ranging from branding to app development while placing Black-queer people at the forefront of these efforts.

Christopher’s genealogical research focuses on their ancestral homes of New Orleans and Bayou Teche, Louisiana as well as Hermitage, Tennessee. This research has revealed a long-set culture of innate African-inspired family structures that prioritize community, communal building, and shared resources.

“It’s important to shift the generational wealth conversation away from being strictly about an amount of money. It should be about generational wealth, within a community.”

Currently, Christopher serves on the Board of Advisors for Beyond Trenches, formerly The Black Inmate Commissary Fund (BICF), a Black women and queer led mutual-aid organization focused on providing resources to those most affected by the carceral system in the American south. They have provided historical context, political literature, social strategy, and an overall dedication to the BICF cause, truly understanding the importance of marginalized group cooperation within anti-Black systems.

Christopher is a graduate of Morehouse College, obtaining a degree in English Language, Literature, and Literary Theory. Continuing their family’s tradition of attending historically Black colleges and universities, Christopher became very active in the queer organizations within the Atlanta University Center, and in turn, inspired more involvement within the vibrant and historical activist community of Atlanta.

He has dedicated his professional life to protecting life and property in NYC, with over 20 years in the Fire service.

For Jonathan, BankBlackUSA and COWRIE are a labor of love and peace. The work he does within the organization is a natural extension of his personal and professional endeavors.

Leveling the economic playing field so all humanity can engage equitably is no easy task. We need to work together and create an economic system, both in the USA and around the globe, that’s inclusive.

From 2016 to 2020, Ms. Benjamin served as the Director of Economic Development within the State Legislature, where she managed the planning and implementation of one of their largest infrastructure projects—like the Redevelopment of JFK, and other national projects focused on driving equity through policy and development.

Prior to this role, Ms. Benjamin worked for the Office of Public Engagement at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, where she launched innovative programs that addressed reform and reentry under the leadership of the late, great Kenneth Thompson.

We need to have the conversation about banking, not only for the Black community, but society as a whole to educate and understand the role of banks as institutions.

With over 10 years of experience within the public and private sector, her track record to plan and implement innovative agendas has proven to build trust among national and global influencers.

Ms. Benjamin is passionate about driving change through innovation, leadership development, and public policy.

A graduate of New York City public schools, Ms. Benjamin attended Queensborough Community College, where she received an associate’s degree in Liberal Arts and Science; John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration; and Brooklyn College, where she received a master’s degree in Urban Policy and Administration.

He has extensive experience in architecture, planning, and design—from urban systems, policies, and building projects to grassroots and community-focused planning, design, preservation, public realm, and arts initiatives.

With over 15 years of public service with the City of New York, Justin has led several urban design and planning projects, including the Greenpoint-Williamsburg Waterfront, Hunter’s Point South, and the Brooklyn Cultural District. From 2016 to 2020, he was the executive director of the New York City Public Design Commission, where he spearheaded initiatives to address social equity and sustainability through improved built environment design and public processes. His work spanned housing and community development, place and open space design, historic preservation, public art and monuments, and civic engagement.

One of the biggest opportunities we have at BankBlackUSA is to help connect greater understanding between social justice and economic and financial decisions, actions, and agency.

He holds a bachelor of design from the University of Florida and master of architecture and master of science in urban design degrees from Columbia University, where he now serves as an adjunct associate professor of architecture. He has also taught at Morgan State University, Tuskegee University, and the Yale School of Architecture. His professional affiliations include the American Institute of Certified Planners, the National Organization of Minority Architects, the Urban Design Forum, and BlackSpace. In 2021, he received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Architecture and was named to the United States Commission of Fine Arts by President Biden.

In addition to teaching, she mentored young girls as a Kode with Klossy web development instructor, advancing women in steam fields. Most recently, her time working with EdTech startup, Rhymes with Reason, furthered her desire to address the racial wealth gap in the United States. She is eager to contribute her experience to the BankBlackUSA team in order to foster economic mobility and financial inclusion.