Good afternoon. I am Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice. I am delighted to be here today to address America’s credit unions. Credit unions are a cornerstone of a strong economy, and an economy that is equally accessible to all people. The people that you serve are not just your customers, they are your “members.” As a 24-year member of a credit union myself, I appreciate how important it is that you are able to serve your members and provide communities with safe and affordable products and services. When I asked my mother about her own decades-long love affair with her credit union, she told me “I just feel they are honest. I feel safe and I feel like I can call and get a loan anytime.” That is why I have been looking forward to this important opportunity to discuss the role that each of us can and must play in protecting your members, ensuring equal access to opportunity and addressing the persistent problem of lending discrimination.