National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP) 2001 Annual Conference: The Training Ground for the Next Generation of African American Leaders

New York, NY, July 19, 2001–The National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP)–the young professionals (ages 21 to 35) auxiliary of the National Urban League–today announced their annual conference agenda, scheduled for Washington, D.C., Friday, July 27^th through Monday, July 30^th.

The NULYP (www.nulyp.org) 2001 Annual Conference kicks off on Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28, with a two-day leadership development institute called The Training Ground in partnership with the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute at Harvard University.

American University, located at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, will host The Training Ground, and participants include National Urban League president Hugh B. Price, Harvard University’s Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., and former Secretary of Labor, Alexis M. Herman.

Designed as a series of dialogues between young professionals, the community-at-large, and the next generation of leadership, The Training Ground will serve to inform, enlighten and empower emerging leadership on the next steps needed to assist in the elimination of the persistent inequities that continue to confront African Americans.

Topics for The Training Ground panel discussions include: A Call to Action: Contemporary Challenges for Emerging Leaders and Lessons from the Past: Examining Leadership Through a Historical Lens, both on Friday, July 27; and Mobilization Imperatives: Directives and Ideas for Implementing the Vision on Saturday, July 28.

"Now is the time for the next generation of leadership to take their places," said NULYP President Karla Ballard.

"The need for young professionals who are deeply involved in their communities, creating and implementing change is a pre-requisite for a prosperous and healthy African-American community. The Training Ground is fundamental to our mission to empower young professionals and provide emerging leadership with the tools necessary to create massive change in our community," she added.

Other highlights of the NULYP 2001 Annual Conference agenda include:

• A welcome reception sponsored by Mercedes Benz USA, Inc., from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the Grand Hyatt, 1000 H Street, NW, on Friday, July 27;
• The NULYP Gala with a Masquerade Theme, sponsored by Phillip Morris Companies Inc., featuring neo-soul R&B artist Tony Terry, and Product G& B, and hosted by Vanessa Bell Calloway from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM at Union Station (50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE);
• A reception and dialogue titled, "We’ve Come Too Far: The Future of Black America," sponsored by Pitney Bowes, on Monday, July 30, from 5:30 PM to 7:45 PM also at the Grand Hyatt.

The NULYP 2001 Annual Conference is co-sponsored by Mercedes Benz, USA, Inc, Phillip Morris Companies Inc. and Pitney Bowes, Inc. Registration will occur on-site at the Washington, DC Convention Center starting Thursday, July 26, 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. More information about the event is available online at //www.nulyp.org/conf_info.htm.

Press registration is complimentary and will be taken on site at American University.
NULYP is the young professionals (ages 21 to 35) auxiliary of the National Urban League. The organization is made up of members across the country who are dedicated to serving their local communities through social and community activism. There are 60 Urban League Young Professional "chapters" in cities throughout the country, over which NULYP serves as the umbrella organization.

NULYP\'s mission is to engage young professionals in the National Urban League\\\'s movement towards the achievement of social and economic equality. NULYP does this by providing an effective forum in which to serve our nation through our more than 100 affiliates, as well as actively participate in NULYP programming.

NULYP supports the National Urban League\\\'s three-pronged agenda by establishing programs that fall under three categories: financial literacy, real world education and political participation.