ICNY’s 34th Marshall Meyer Retreat for Social Justice, “Faith-Based Lending and Economic Empowerment: Helping Diverse New Yorkers Build American Dreams” was held in New York City on December 6, 2017. This conference explored the roles of alternative lenders in diverse NYC neighborhoods, theological perspectives on wealth and social responsibility, and concrete steps local communities can take to create faith-based lending institutions and advocate for financial justice. These videos comprise the Keynote Address and panel discussions that took place during the retreat.
Keynote Address
“Why Lending Matters: Inside the Hidden Financial Struggles of American Families” by Rachel Schneider, Senior Vice President of the Center for Financial Services Innovation, and co-author of The Financial Diaries: How American Families Cope in a World of Uncertainty
Panel 1: Wealth, Inequality, and Social Responsibility: A Buddhist – Christian Dialogue
Ven. Dr. Bhikkhu Bodhi, President of the Buddhist Association of the United States, and Founding Chairperson of Buddhist Global Relief
Rev. Dr. Gary Dorrien, Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary, and Professor of Religion at Columbia University
Q&A
Panel 2: Building Faith-Based Lending Institutions, and Advocating for Financial Justice
Sarah Ludwig, Founder and Co-Director of the New Economy Project
Mohammad Razvi, Executive Director of the Council of Peoples Organization
Reverend Jennifer Reddall, Rector of the Church of the Epiphany, and Member of the Task Force for the Episcopal Credit Union of New York
Rabbi David Rosenn, Executive Director of the Hebrew Free Loan Society
Q&A
Panel 3: Panel Discussion: “Breaking the Bank: The High Cost of Low-Income Living” (video courtesy of Jewish Theological Seminary)
Moderated by Ron Lieber, New York Times Financial Columnist
With:
Dr. Lisa Servon, Professor and Department Chair of City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania
Rabbi David Rosenn, Executive Director of the Hebrew Free Loan Society
Hon. Carmen de la Rosa, New York State Assemblywoman for Assembly District 72
