About Us

Our History

The African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) was created to increase the strength of the global credit union community. We are a 501c3 non-profit organization of diverse, multicultural professionals and volunteers in the credit union industry.

AACUC is an award-winning organization shaping diversity, equity, and inclusion in the credit union movement. AACUC is considered a leader in the credit union industry, adopting the 8th Cooperative Principle of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and providing knowledge of how credit unions can become more diverse and inclusive. The National Credit Union Foundation Board of Directors awarded AACUC the 2022 Anchor Award, a rare and prestigious honor that stands apart from the Herb Wegner Memorial Awards, which is given to individuals and organizations that have shown incredible leadership and anchored the credit union industry through moments of great adversity.

AACUC was formally established and incorporated in St. Louis, Missouri in 1999. AACUC was first conceived by a few visionaries during the annual CUNA Governmental Affairs Conferences in Washington, D.C. Prior to its formation, African-American credit union professionals had organized social meetings to discuss how to form the AACUC. When African-American credit union professionals and volunteers from different parts of the country began to discover the value of information sharing among each other, these visionaries held their first formal organizational meeting at Andrews Federal Credit Union in Suitland, MD.

Over the years, AACUC has grown and is ever changing to meet the needs of the dynamic credit union community which it serves. It has become an all-encompassing organization for individuals (professional and volunteers) in credit unions, insurance, regulators, consultants and other entities in the credit union industry. Affiliation with AACUC offers a unique opportunity to influence and shape the credit union movement and its governmental affairs. AACUC promotes personal and professional growth of its members as well as collectively articulating concerns and advocating resources to improve economic development of surrounding communities that are often underserved by majority financial institutions.

AACUC supports programs that offer benefits for African-American credit union professionals and volunteers, credit unions, and credit union vendor partners. The goals and objectives include expanding the interest and increasing the number of minorities in the credit union movement, increasing outreach of the credit union movement in African countries and in the United States through credit union mentoring, and providing scholarship programs and educational opportunities to credit union professionals and volunteers towards professional development and advancement.