U.S : Tell HUNTINGTON BANK to stop racially profiling their Black customers.

White employees called the police on Paul McCowns because his paycheck was too high.

 

Hold Huntington Bank accountable for their actions

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TAKE ACTION

Dear friend,

On Saturday, December 1, Paul McCowns went into the a Huntington bank branch in Brooklyn, Ohio, to cash his paycheck. Although he presented two forms of identification and offered his fingerprint (as are the requirements for non-members at Huntington Bank), Mr. McCowns was denied the ability to cash his $1,082 paycheck after two white bank employees were so astonished by the check that they called his employer to verify the amount. The employees then proceeded to call 9-1-1 without Mr. McCowns’ knowledge. When Mr. McCowns tried to leave the bank, he was confronted by police, handcuffed, and put in the back of a police car.¹

This incident is unacceptable. Tell Huntington Bank to make the content of their employee racial bias trainings public.

Huntington Bank released a statement about the incident, claiming they hold themselves “to the highest ethical standards in how [they] operate, hire, and train colleagues, and interact with the communities [they] have the privilege of serving.”² But such training has proven to be ineffective for the white employees who chose to treat Mr. McCowns like a criminal. Huntington Bank must take responsibility for the harm they have caused Mr. McCowns. We are calling on Huntington Bank to make public the contents of their training so that we can better understand the racial bias education their employees receive, and prevent future discrimination towards Black customers.

Huntington Bank must take responsibility for the harm they caused Mr. McCowns. Will you join us is in telling them to make their racial bias trainings public?  

Though the Huntington Bank branch apologized for mishandling the situation, we know this is not an isolated event. We’ve seen a number of racist incidents in which the police have been called on Black people simply for living our lives. From BBQ Becky to Permit Patty, we’ve witnessed countless incidents in 2018 alone where Black people come face-to-face with police for engaging in everyday activities, like barbecuing in the park, selling water on a hot day, or trying to enter their own home.^{3 4 5}

Banking while black is not a crime, and Mr. McCowns should not have been treated like a criminal.  If Huntington Bank wants us to believe they hold themselves “to the highest ethical standards,” they must prove it to us, their customers, and people across the country. By making the content of their racial bias trainings public, they can gain the information needed to prevent further harm to the bank’s Black customers.

Join us in demanding that Huntington Bank make their racial bias trainings public.

Until justice is real,

Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Jade, Evan, Johnny, Future, Corina, Chad, Mary, Saréya, Angela, Eesha, Samantha, and the rest of the Color Of Change team

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References :

1. "Cleveland man alleges racial profiling after bank refuses to cash check, calls 9-1-1,"17 December 2018, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/110422?t=12&akid=22753%2E1942551%2EzP9LUf
2. #BankingWhileBlack : Bank calls cops on man because his paycheck was too high," 18 December 2018, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/110423?t=14&akid=22753%2E1942551%2EzP9LUf
3. "White woman nicknamed 'Permit Patty' regrets confrontation over Black girl selling water," 25 June 2018, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/110424?t=16&akid=22753%2E1942551%2EzP9LUf
4. "Why do people feel entitled to police Black people ?," 15 October 2018, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/110425?t=18&akid=22753%2E1942551%2EzP9LUf
5. "When barbecuing and living while Black become a crime," 28 May 2018, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/110426?t=20&akid=22753%2E1942551%2EzP9LUf

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Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.