#56 Nikitra Bailey, Center for Responsible Lending

The Center for Responsible Lending was founded in the belief that all communities should have access to fair banking and lending services. And that the nation’s financial marketplace, from Wall Street to banks, should be reformed. It was rooted in the civil rights and economic justice movements and grew out of Self Help, a credit union launched in North Carolina in 1980.  As Niktra Bailey, Executive VP says, "Low income families shouldn’t have to pay more for financial services.” We talk about CRL's unimpeachable research and its field building among diverse organizations. We looked back at the promise of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the hard-fought “win” of the small dollar loan rule, which over 700 nonprofit and faith-based organizations advocated for. Nikitra, a lawyer with an expertise in financial services is a leader committed to those who have been hurt by the debt trap. She is ready, as always, for what comes next.