Closing the Racial Wealth Gap: “The Barber of Little Rock”

For years I’ve championed CDFI’s, Community Development Financial Institutions. This week I viewed a New Yorker documentary that sums up the reason for CDFI’s in personal terms.

“The Barber of Little Rock” profiles the only black-owned CDFI in the state of Arkansas. It follows the path of Arlo Washington, a black barber in Little Rock, as he finds ways to improve his community through investing capital in people who are ignored by our banking system.

I invite you to spend half an hour watching this professional documentary as Arlo introduces you to people who aren’t in your circle, but who will sneak into your heart. There’s no reason Rockford can’t emulate this grass-roots idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1amOPUn49aM

Submitted by Teresa Wilmot