Esther Bush Stepping Down After 27 Years as CEO of Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh

As she prepares to step down after 27 years as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA), Esther Bush is proud of accomplishments she said the agency achieved during her tenure including starting the city’s first charter school, increasing housing and food supports for marginalized families, and advocating for social justice.

But much more work needs to be done by civic and business leaders to make Pittsburgh equitable for Black people and all of its residents, she said.

“Pittsburgh has sufficient resources to pull it off,” she said, referring to large corporations, foundations and health care institutions that call the city home.

“But who’s going to take the first bold step and not apologize for it?” she said Friday during an interview at her office in the Warner Centre, Downtown.

The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, founded in 1918, is an affiliate of the national Urban League and provides social services, education, career preparation and other assistance for Black people and other struggling individuals and families.

Ms. Bush plans to retire Aug. 31 but said she will stay on the job until her successor is named so that she can assist with the transition.

Ms. Bush was the first female top executive at the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, and also was the first woman in prior positions she held for the Urban League in New York City and Hartford, Conn.

The Urban League’s annual budget was about $5 million when she became chief executive and now exceeds $7 million, said Ms. Bush.

She expanded fundraising and convinced donors their gifts were critical to continue administering advocacy programs.

To read the full article, click here.