At Kentucky’s Independence Bank, economic inclusion is a daily practice. In 2019, the U.S. Census reported that over 13% of the Graves County population identified as Hispanic, meaning that many community members would need access to a bilingual banking experience. Jorge Bartolo, a Customer Service Representative at Independence Bank, assists customers in ensuring all of their banking needs are met. As a Hispanic and bilingual community member, his role also extends to providing Spanish speakers with the highest level of customer service. Word of this service has spread, and the number of Hispanic customers visiting the Independence Bank branch in Mayfield has grown because of it. Bartolo has even been able to assist bank employees at their other locations in working with Spanish-speaking clients by translating conversations and documents—all to better serve the community at large.
