Introducing: Financial Inclusion for All Illinois

We are excited to announce our new name and brand: Financial Inclusion for All Illinois! We’re immensely proud of our work as the Illinois Asset Building Group and excited to progress forward as FIAI. Our work will remain the similar, with a renewed focus on gender and racial wealth disparities. 

We champion policies that will close the gender and racial wealth divides in Illinois, and do so in solidarity with and informed by communities most affected by these policies. To that end, we have opportunities to join our committees. We also value and center lived expertise in our work. FIAI has funding for a limited number of community members to join the coalition and help inform the work based on one’s own lived experience with liquid asset poverty. If you are interested in joining as a participant with lived expertise, you can fill out this form.

Our strength comes from our parent leaders, advocates, and allies that have fought tirelessly for a more just economic system that benefits all Illinoisans, provides inter-generational wealth building opportunities, and prevents wealth from being stripped from communities of color. Here’s what our Steering Committee members have to say about the change.

“I am directly impacted by some of the Wealth prevention Policies and Practices that keep some trapped in a vicious cycle of debt and prevent them from moving forward financially and humanly! I am excited about FIAI because they are on FIRE Advocating for Financial wellness for ALL especially those often not included!” — Rosazlia Grillier, parent leader with COFI / POWER-PAC Illinois

“I joined FIAI because I believe working together we can build better policies that  are equitable and can elevate the big problems with the racial wealth gap.” — Liliana Olayo, parent leader with COFI / POWER-PAC Illinois

“For pandemic recovery and beyond, it’s critical to assure equitable access to fair financial systems because it supports small and microbusinesses as the foundation for an inclusive and thriving economy while also supporting generational wealth building. As a member of FIAI, Small Business Majority is thrilled to partner with FIAI members to dismantle the systemic racial and gender barriers to economic security, in order to foster financial inclusion, grow local businesses, and strengthen opportunities for shared prosperity.” — Geri Aglipay, Midwest Director, Small Business Majority

“At LISC Chicago we believe that healthy, sustainable communities are made up of people who have living wage jobs and feel confident about their economic futures. We are a proud member of FIAI because through the work of this coalition we continue to break down barriers that impede on families ability to building financially secure futures.” — Jen McClain, Director of Financial Opportunities, LISC Chicago

“Financial Inclusion promotes financially healthy families, which in turn, promotes financially healthy communities. Families of all backgrounds deserve to live a decent life, provide for their family’s needs, to save and invest, and be able to purchase an affordable home with a fair mortgage) or live in an affordable, clean and safe rental without fear of eviction.” – Alexandria Cummings, Director of Financial Inclusion, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago