Activist Al Pina enters third day of hunger strike against Bank of America

Note Wednesday afternoon update below from Bank of America's Mike Fields...

 

 

Al Pina heads the Florida Minority Community Reinvestment Coalition. Last month he threatened to start a water-only hunger strike against Bank of America if the giant bank would not be get more involved in poor minority communities in Florida. The starting date for the hunger strike was June 15, but it was postponed when BofA made some conciliatory remarks.

Photo was taken at today's protest and press conference -- Al Pina's wearing the white shirt -- in Jacksonville, courtesy of FMCRC. The signs say "Bank of America; End Economic Slavery."

Well, those BofA actions apparently were not enough. Pina started his hunger strike this past Monday. I asked him today how it was going. From Jacksonville, here is his response:

"Third day and in JAX. We just finished press conference at BofA branch and got good press. We have a 4pm conference call with BofA today but not sure about their seriousness about the MOU (memorandum of understanding).

"They tell our attorneys they are but then send us agenda for conference call that looks more like a commercial. I will keep you posted. This will be my last hunger strike because my body is not handling it well like the times before."

 

UPDATE: In response Wednesday, Bank of America sent me a statement from Mike Fields, Florida president for Bank of America:

"While Bank of America disagrees with the statements raised by FMCRC, we stand ready to continue our dialogue today with Mr. Pina to correct the record regarding the level of our commitment and investment in communities across the state of Florida. 
 
"Bank of America is acutely aware of the needs of minority and low-income communities in Florida and nationwide. Our record serving minority communities stands on its own, and is recognized by leading minority groups, diversity publications and others.  We also have six consecutive outstanding CRA ratings and Bank of America is delivering on a 10-year, $1.5 trillion community development lending and investing goal – the largest ever established by a U.S. financial institution – to improve the economic health and vitality of the communities we serve. These investments are directed to affordable housing, small business and small farm ownership, consumer loans, and economic development initiatives."

Here's a column I wrote in May about Pina and his organization's mission, and another column from 2005 when a Pina hunger strike was aimed at SunTrust. We'll keep an eye on the showdown between Pina and BofA.

-- Robert Trigaux, Times Business Columnist

Hunger strike against Bank of America starts June 15, says Al Pina of Florida Minority Community Reinvestment Coalition

Al Pina, head of the Florida Minority Community Reinvestment Coalition, formally unveiled his plans to start a water-only hunger strike against Bank of America. It begins June 15.

Listen to the WMNF radio report on the announcement and the comments of Pina, his supporters as well as Mike Fields who, as head of Bank of America in Florida, argues his bank is an active provider of funds to minority neighborhoods.

"Well, we categorically deny that," Fields told WMNF. "We have delivered more than $35.7 billion in community development lending and investments in low-to-moderate income communities in Florida alone."

Pina says he will continue his hunger strike until Bank of America takes certain actions, including holding a meeting between FMCRC activists and Walter Massey, chairman of the Bank of America board of directors.

Pina's biggest concern? Minority jobs, and how to get more of them in these difficult times.

Massey (shown in AP photo) assumed the chairman's role recently, after BofA shareholders voted to take the position away from BofA CEO Ken Lewis and give it to Massey.

-- Robert Trigaux, Times Business Columnist

Big weeks ahead for Al Pina of Florida Minority Community Reinvestment Coalition as he takes on Bank of America

Al Pina is on steroids. Not that stuff baseball guys lap up, but the figurative steroids that re-energize and empower a rare Florida activist— one who was just about to call it quits last year and leave the state. Says Pina, 47, who heads Tampa's Florida Minority Community Reinvestment Coalition:

"I was going to take that midnight train out of Florida." he says. "There was so much fear and loss of hope in Florida's poor communities. Why fight a battle when you can't make a difference?"

But things changed, "almost overnight," says Pina, when the Obama administrationtook office in January. It's not that the feds suddenly kowtow to Pina. But the new administration — especially federal bank regulators — actually listens to Pina now. The feds, he says, seem genuinely engaged.

Now Pina's forgotten all about retirement. "I decided there was a fighting chance we can make a difference and shift socio-economic policy," he says. Albert Robert Pina III is back.

A refreshed Pina spells trouble for those businesses — especially Bank of America— that, to Pina, disrespect his coalition. And Pina turns up the heat this coming week. His FMCRC holds its annual summit on Clearwater Beach (well attended by federal regulators and bankers, he points out), and it unveils its boycott against Bank of America. Then, on June 15, Pina starts a hunger strike (he will take water only) against the Charlotte, N.C., banking giant, one of the biggest banking players in the state of Florida. Pina employed a similar tactic against SunTrust in 2005.

Pina's also taking on philanthropic foundations that, he says, largely ignore Florida's poor, as noted in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Read more here about Pina, BofA and the FMCRC.

(Pina photo by Phelan Ebenhack.)

-- Robert Trigaux, Times Business Columnist