Spotlight: JP Morgan's Advancing Black Pathways

By Melvin Andre

“In order to have a career, you need an education, and to have a good education, it usually is backed by wealth.” Those are the words of Soledad O’Brien, broadcaster, and anchor for renowned network CNN when addressing the current racial wealth gap in America, it’s apparent that some changes need to be made. With the pandemic and the black lives matter protests that occurred globally, it’s inevitable for conservations like these to be had. As for the black community as a whole, what steps are people taking to help?

It takes an all-around effort to combat these injustices and start putting our ideas to contribute to action. This is where JP Morgan comes in and offers their services in the name of Advanced Black Pathways.

Advanced Black Pathways combines JPM’s business and philanthropic focus on three pathways to accelerate economic empowerment and opportunity for the black community. In relation to what Soledad said, the three pathways to building community are wealth, education, and careers. With JPM taking the responsibility to provide homeownership grants and home lending programs to people of color, it’s steps like these that can provide some change.

Through ABP, JP Morgan will offer to hire 4000 black students at the firm that aims to improve educational opportunities and job readiness for black students. The Education Pathway provides a six week, paid full-time internship to underrepresented groups, and allows black students to gain early professional development.

Lastly, the career pathway stems from the education pipeline where JP Morgan emphasizes retaining, attracting, and hiring black talent externally and internally. The head of all this movement and change was Sekou Kaaland, a successful business executive who wanted to make some disruptions in the corporate space.

Kalaand, drove an initiative that tries to include everyone in opportunity growth. He wanted to help break a cultural taboo in which people were openly discussing money with loved ones. Black business owners are also receiving help from resources provided by JPM and helping them capitalize on them. HBCU students are being offered a Student Financial Fund to help pay for their college tuition.

I think at this point in our lives, we need to follow the blueprint where we are helping communities reach financial freedoms. This is an all-around effort and not only should involve banks like JP Morgan but the everyday citizen. Let’s start uplifting each other by supporting one’s initiatives, especially those that give a positive contribution to the world. This initiative does not start or end with JP Morgan but it is an all-around effort that we all need to partake in to try to solve issues.