About
Stephone Coward II is a nationally recognized financial activist and Director of Economic Justice
at Hip Hop Caucus, where he transforms decades of banking industry experience into powerful
campaigns for systemic change. With over 20 years in the Dallas-Fort Worth banking sector,
Stephone witnessed firsthand the economic inequality and predatory practices that shaped his
commitment to creating a more just financial system.
As the architect of the groundbreaking Bank Black & Green campaign, Stephone has secured
$40 million in investor commitments to redirect capital from fossil fuel and mass incarceration
industries into Black Minority Depository Institutions to build the good. This innovative approach
exemplifies his philosophy of using financial levers of power to create just economic systems
that prioritize people over profit.
Stephone's journey from banker to activist began during the Great Recession and crystallized
with the 2016 co-founding of BankBlackUSA and the COWRIE Initiative following tragic events
in Black communities. These organizations have grown into comprehensive resource hubs
featuring databases of 20+ Black-owned financial institutions and culturally-tailored financial
literacy tools reaching millions nationally.
His data-driven storytelling approach, enhanced by his Bachelors in History and Master's in
Sustainability from UT Arlington and Wharton Public Policy Certification, transforms complex
financial concepts into accessible insights that inspire action. Recent completion of his Trauma
of Money Professional Certification in 2024 reflects his evolution toward trauma-informed
financial literacy, recognizing the deep interconnection between financial, emotional, and
spiritual well-being.
Recognized as a Forbes Next 1000 Social Entrepreneur and Just Economy Institute Fellow,
Stephone has built strategic partnerships with five major universities and conducts research on
banking deserts, cooperative economics, and the lasting economic impact of historical events
like Black Wall Street. His work has been featured in Forbes, Time Magazine, Complex, and
Marketplace.
A proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. with Louisiana roots, Stephone champions
community-led solutions and believes the South represents fertile ground for transformative
economic organizing. Through Hip Hop Caucus's Justice Paid in Full campaigns, he continues
building coalitions between impact investors, financial institutions, and frontline communities to
create an economy that truly works for everyone.