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 attending the Building America Summit around the corner at The Washington Post or hopping on the Metro to attend the Building Bets Healthcare Summit, we could get there in a breeze. 

Over lunch at The Hamilton, courtesy of Mr. Cunningham, we learned of the diverse backgrounds of one another:

Juliana Griffith is currently a Junior at Texas Christian University studying Health Sciences and Business Management. This summer with Creative Investment Research she will be overseeing the Black Maternal Mortality Project.

Charlotte Griffin, a rising senior at Boston College studying… is joining Creative Investment Research this summer in hopes of shifting the method in which D.C. housing authorities address homelessness and affordable housing both within the government landscape and private organizations. Her extensive background volunteering with vulnerable populations makes her the perfect candidate to take a lead in this area. 

Mia Landau, a Florida native who now attends Lehigh University, is a Pre-Law student.

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 Party, and how his ideas around cutting red tape could reshape opportunities for small businesses and young entrepreneurs in New York. The conversation also dives into political relatability, representation, local economies, and what it means for a politician to truly speak to the people.

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 working on economic dashboards, social return research, and community-focused initiatives, we reflect on how this internship is shaping our understanding of policy, inequality, and impact.

This season, we aim to make the podcast more dynamic — bringing humor, real conversations, student perspectives, and deeper discussions about economics, politics, and the world we’re inheriting.

New voices. Same commitment to impact.

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-ever attempt to oust a Federal Reserve governor. This episode covers why this case matters for monetary policy, institutional norms, and the credibility of the Federal Reserve at a pivotal moment in American politics.

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.