Navigating The 2025 Inclusive Conference

Marcelo and I were excited to attend this year’s Inclusiv conference from April 28 to May 1 in the beautiful, tranquil city of Cleveland, Ohio. It was the first business conference for either of us and we enjoyed it especially because the Inclusiv conference encompassed a broader spectrum of topics beyond credit unions. On our inaugural day, we embarked on a bus tour to see local businesses. We spoke with a restaurant owner located at 288 Otter Avenue who had faced the perilous situation of losing his land. However, through the unwavering support of his local credit union, he was able to preserve his property and transform the land into an extraordinary culinary destination, where the ingredients we savored were nurtured and grown on that very soil.

Next, at the Damien Forshe Indoor Learning Center, every season a group of students visits to learn about composition and agriculture. They are taught how to utilize the available resources and create valuable products from them. Our final destination on our travel itinerary was Faith Community United Credit Union, a local credit union in Cleveland. Established in 1952, it is one of the oldest credit unions in the community. Notably, they provide birthday loans, which I believe is an excellent initiative. Many individuals experience financial challenges during their birthdays. While the amount of the loan may not be significant, it can alleviate the worry associated with this specific day of the year for those who may not have the means to celebrate.

During the conference the next day, my colleague and I attended a session about Matched Savings: Practical Challenges and Opportunities to Support and Promote Wealth Building. We learned about savings match programs, such as the Building Safe program, that support households in achieving their financial goals. We also learned about the use of AI in underwriting. Alternative data sources, such as identity and behavioral data, are used to enhance credit scoring models. It is important to use AI tools that are explainable and transparent to regulators and consumers. Credit unions should focus on understanding their changing demographics and adapting their products and services to meet the needs of their constituency.