BlackEcon101

CIR sure knew how to make an impression on Mia Landeau, Charlotte Griffin, and Juliana Griffith on their first day in the office. Upon arrival we were greeted warmly with breakfast and the smiles of each employee at Open Gov Hub, our coworking space located in central DC. The location, on Massachusetts and 13th street, makes our busy interns schedules easy as we jump from event to event. Whether a...

In this special episode of Black Econ 101, we look back on our internship journey and our time at the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings. From networking and writing to conversations on labor, development, and global economic challenges, we share what we learned, what surprised us, and how these experiences shaped the way we think about policy and opportunity.

In this episode of BlackEcon 101, we sit down with Lucy Ingram to talk about flourishing, connection, purpose, and what it means to grow as a young professional in a city like Washington, D.C. From mindfulness and community to networking and everyday kindness, this conversation explores how to stay grounded while building a life and career with intention.

In this episode of Black Econ 101, we break down a conversation inspired by a public meeting at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. We explore why community banks matter, how banking regulation affects everyday people, and why access to capital, opportunity, and innovation is still deeply unequal across communities.

Inflation isn’t gone—it’s moving upstream. This episode breaks down rising PPI, what it signals about future prices, and why small businesses and young people will feel the squeeze first, all while the Fed holds rates steady.

In this episode of BlackEcon 101, hosts Amza and Sol sit down with Malika Ramadina, a campaign finance intern at FK&Co, to unpack one of the most interesting conversations in politics right now: Zohran Mamdani, New York City, and the future of business and political leadership. Together, they explore why Mamdani’s rise has captured so much attention, what his approach says about the Democratic...

The podcast continues — with a new team behind the mic. In this episode, we introduce ourselves as the latest cohort of interns at Creative Investment Research. Coming from diverse academic backgrounds — economics, international affairs, data science, and law — we share what brought us here and what we hope to contribute. From attending Supreme Court hearings on Federal Reserve independence to wor...

Join Isabela Butler ( @GonzagaU ), Shea Carlberg ( @GWtweets ), and Vanessa Muturi ( @WilliamsCollege ) discuss Trumps new proposed tax dividends and end the semester with a recap of events attended throughout the semester.

Interns Isabela Butler (Gonzaga University) and Vanessa Muturi (Williams College) discuss the recent legal battles between Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and President Donald Trump's attempts to remove her from her post and its broader implications for U.S. governance. Isabela and Vanessa unpack the allegations, court rulings, market reactions, and political motivations surrounding the first-e...

CIR Interns Vanessa (Williams College), Isabela (Gonzaga University), Diya, and Shea (both from George Washington University) cover the 2025 US government shutdown - the longest in US history - from a young person's perspective. 

In this episode of BlackEcon101, listen as William Michael Cunningham, joined by Gabriel Philipp, looks to break down the latest unemployment numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (for July). Together, they unpack what these figures reveal about the state of the U.S. economy, explore the broader economic implications, and dive into how these trends specifically affect minority communiti...

On this episode of BlackEcon101, listen to William Michael Cunningham, Connor Stout, and Gabriel Philipp discuss the current Amicus Brief being filed, and an in-depth conversation about current environmental policy and environmental impacts we are seeing in America. 

In this episode of BlackEcon101, listen to Gabriel Philipp and Connor Stout as they discuss the "One Big Beautiful Bill." Joined by special guest Alex Amado, they discuss what the Bill is, its implications for Americans, and what it says about current politics.  

In this episode of BlackEcon101, listen to Kate Jaramillo and Gabriel Philipp discuss the latest CPI and PPI numbers for June as they delve into the meaning of the numbers and their implications for the overall economy, particularly for women- and minority-owned businesses. 

In this episode of BlackEcon101, listen to Gabriel Philipp and Rohan Sivakumar discuss our concerns about credit in the United States. We go over the current state of credit, new advancements in debt and payments, as well as our concerns about access to credit and information about personal finances.  

In this episode of BlackEcon101, Dylan Unruh, Rohan Sivakumar, and William Michael Cunningham dive into the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency. From the latest government policies to shifting economic strategies, they unpack how today’s decisions could reshape the future of money and impact the broader economy. Tune in for a sharp, timely conversation on where crypto stands and where it’s heade...

In this episode of BlackEcon101, Dylan Unruh and Rohan Sivakumar dive into the Federal Reserve's role, its independence from political influence, and why the relationship between the Fed and the White House matters now more than ever. Join us as we unpack: What “Fed independence” truly means — and why it exists How current presidential administrations influence (or try to influence) interest rates...

Listen to Connor Stout and Gabriel Philipp discuss the latest unemployment numbers and what they mean for the Black community.  In This Episode: A breakdown of June’s U.S. jobs report: 147,000 net new jobs—led by state government and healthcare, offset by losses in federal employment. An examination of the overall unemployment rate stabilizing at 4.1%, while Black unemployment surged from 6.0% to...

Listen to Dylan Unruh and Gabriel Philipp talk about the current energy crisis in America and its implications for local and global environments. 

Thriving As a Minority-Owned Business Building a Pathway to Success for Minority Entrepreneurs https://www.amazon.com/dp/1484272390/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_2BG6N3T9WBQGPAHGQHY9

Economist William Michael Cunningham, founder of Creative Investment Research, discusses the 2022 forecast for African American businesses in Texas and in the US.

In this hour, Stephen Henderson dives into equity and diversity. First, from a national perspective with social impact economist William Cunningham, and then local authors Marlo Rencher and Marlin Williams joins to talk about their new book, Hard Reset, which is all about making diversity and equity the new normal.

We discuss the PPP loan program. See: https://www.creativeinvest.com/remediation.pdf https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/trumpism-william-michael-cunningham-am-mba/ and http://fifteendollarminimumwage.com/

What bitcoin is. How it came to be created. What blockchain is. How it works.

Our analysis reveals that $7.854 billion in corporate pledges have been made to facilitate efforts that support racial justice, and help activities that seek immediate solutions to the crisis affecting Black people. Creative Investment has launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for the development of a BLM Corporate tracker.