Financial literacy and awareness is the next frontier for the civil rights movement and we should all do our share to further that goal.
Niger Innis, Congress of Racial Equality National Spokesperson

Congress of Racial Equality National Spokesperson Niger Innis testified today at a public hearing chaired by Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann and attended by a committee of Ohio Legislators.

"CORE is a long time supporter of financial literacy. We believe that people should be able to make their own financial decisions and that they are best able to do that when they are educated and given accurate information," Innis informed Ohio's House Financial Institutions, Real Estate and Securities Committee on Feb 31st. "It is for these reasons that in 2005 CORE initiated its Financial Literacy Choice and Awareness Campaign (FLCA) to educate the public about various financial choices as well as the opportunities and pitfalls associated with those choices."

Innis supports proper regulation of the payday loan industry such as H.B. 337 (see complete text) which creates a financial literacy education fund to be used to support various adult financial literacy education programs, requires check-cashing loan businesses to comply with the "Fair Debt Collection Practices Act" and creates an optional extended payment plan for borrowers who are unable to pay their loan on its due date.

Innis continues working with Ohio and the rest of the nation because, "financial literacy and awareness is the next frontier for the civil rights movement and we should all do our share to further that goal."