I had put it off long enough. It was time for me to divest from my accounts at Wells Fargo Bank. I had learned from my friends at Third Act that my business assets were held at one of the top four financiers of the fossil fuel industry and I wanted to voice my disapproval as strongly as possible.
Having transferred my savings and checking balances to my local credit union, I made sure that all transactions had cleared and that there was a zero balance both on my credit card and on my line of credit and then visited the branch where I had first opened my business over forty years ago. The line of credit was an extra measure of security for me but at what cost? I would rather give up my line of credit than support a bank that undermines the security of us all.
I sat with a bank officer and explained why I was quitting a bank that had served me well for so long. I was very kind and told her of my concern for the world we are leaving for our grandchildren, my grandchildren. I was not going to contribute any longer to our decline. She was very attentive and I felt she understood my position and would have changed things herself if she could. I filed complaints with another representative on the phone and the bank manager and asked that my concerns be passed up to the higher-ups who may be in a position to make changes.
My actions were very small within the big picture, but it felt very good and was the right thing to do. If enough of us protest, perhaps they will begin to listen.
signed, Doug Parker