North Side Community Credit Union was founded in 1974 byactivist Angela Turley, who was appalled by redlining and a lack offinancial services for women.

At the $9 million Chicago cooperative, activism remains a strong tradition – itled to the development of a gender affirming procedures loanpackage product, which is believed to be the first of its kindoffered by a financial institution in the nation. It was created bythe credit union’s accounting specialist, Lee Dewey, an LGBTactivist.

“We were kind of founded on activism,” Sarah Marshall,president/CEO of North Side Community, said. “We have a boardmember who is pretty active in the LGBT community and has done a lot of legal work in thecommunity. We also have another member on our supervisory committeewho teaches gender studies so the (general affirming loan product)was not an issue.”