OneUnited Bank launches podcast to tackle “hidden shame” and the racial wealth gap

OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in the United States, will launch Who’s Your Ma Honey? on May 7, a 10-episode podcast and video series aimed at addressing psychological barriers to financial empowerment.

The Boston-based Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), which has deployed nearly US$1 billion in loans primarily in low- to moderate-income communities, said the series extends its mission to close the racial wealth gap by confronting “undeserved shame” that can hinder wealth-building.

Co-hosted by Teri Williams, the bank’s president and COO, and Suzan McDowell, CEO of Circle of One Marketing, the show features prominent guests including Sybrina Fulton, Marc Morial, and Frederica Wilson.

The concept draws on Williams’s personal story, including the legacy of her great-grandmother, an entrepreneur in the segregated South whose achievements she had long overlooked. The series reframes such narratives as foundations of resilience and economic success.

“Shame can derail financial progress,” Williams said, noting it may discourage individuals from seeking knowledge or pursuing opportunity.

Who’s Your Ma Honey? will stream on major platforms including YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.