What if LA’s money worked for LA? At Destination Crenshaw‘s panel, Public Bank LA’s Finance Director Dan Pelegero and Destination Crenshaw’s Executive Director Jason Foster joined Anna Maria Cruz of Self-Help Credit Union and Oscar Perry Abello, journalist and author of “The Banks We Deserve.”
Who decides what’s “creditworthy”? And what would it look like if LA had a public bank that actually invested in housing, small businesses, cultural projects, anti-displacement strategies, and rebuilding after disasters? The panel broke down how cities manage public funds today, what gets left out when Wall Street calls the shots, and how a public bank could anchor long-term investments in our communities. Beyond banking, we’re working to build an economy centered in art, culture, resilience, and equity.
