Episode Details

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Kevin Cohee.
Title: Owner, Chairman & CEO of OneUnited Bank
Host: Rushion McDonald
Podcast: Money Making Conversations Masterclass

Kevin Cohee discusses the mission, history, and future of OneUnited Bank, the largest Black‑owned bank and the first Black‑owned internet bank in the U.S. The conversation connects Black economic history, financial literacy, technology (AI), and wealth-building, positioning OneUnited Bank as a modern solution to long‑standing financial exclusion in Black and underserved communities.

Purpose of the Interview

The interview is designed to:

1. Educate listeners on why Black-owned banks matter historically and economically.
2. Explain how technology has transformed banking, making location irrelevant.
3. Address financial exclusion, particularly reliance on check-cashing services.
4. Promote financial literacy as the foundation of wealth creation.
5. Position OneUnited Bank as a practical, accessible tool for individuals, entrepreneurs, and communities to build equity.

Key Themes & Takeaways 1. A Mission Rooted in Black History

• Kevin Cohee frames OneUnited Bank as part of a long historical vision, not a modern trend.
• Leaders such as Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all advocated for a national Black-owned bank.
• Cohee’s own family legacy ties back to Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma, including land ownership stemming from negotiated “40 acres and a mule” outcomes.

Takeaway: Economic independence has always been central to Black progress.

2. From Brick-and-Mortar to Digital Banking

• OneUnited originally grew by acquiring small Black-owned banks nationwide.
• The bank pivoted early toward technology-driven banking, recognizing that:
  • Customers expect 24/7 access
  • Physical branches are no longer required
  • Digital reach enables national—and global—impact

Key insight: Technology allowed OneUnited to become a national Black bank without national branches.

3. Financial Technology Built for Real-Life Problems

Kevin Cohee emphasizes that OneUnited designs products around how people actually live, not just traditional banking norms.

Examples include:

• Second-chance checking accounts
• Emergency small-dollar loans
• Alternative credit criteria
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