Louisville Urban League Gala Celebrates West Louisville, Honors Junior Bridgeman

The Louisville Urban League (Louisville, KY) hosted its eighth Derby Gala Wednesday night. The Norton Sports and Learning Complex transformed into a space of celebrating and investing in West Louisville.

“All programs benefit from what happens here tonight,” Lyndon Pryor, Louisville Urban League President, CEO said.

Hundreds of community leaders, philanthropists and Derby week fans came together to raise money for the Urban League’s mission and various programs.

“This is our community,” Carolyn Tandy, Humana Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Equity Inclusion Officer said. “For us to have another opportunity to lay roots and be where we should always be, we should be intentional about uplifting the communities we serve.”

“The money goes to support our high-dosage intensive tutoring program, which is supporting hundreds of JCPS kids to close the achievement gap,” Lyndon said. “It is funding a financial education and home ownership program, putting people into their first home and building wealth. Building our jobs programs, so we are putting people to work at livable wages.”

Pryor wants to solve problems and close disparity gaps. He believes in raising money and creating programs so that every Louisvillian has access to resources. One of this year’s sponsors aligns with the Urban League’s mission and feels like more needs to be done, now than before.

“What my focus was for the event this year is with all the DEI attacks that are happening right now,” Kevin Shurn, Superior Maintenance Company sponsor said. “My biggest client right now is Toyota, and they do a great job to this day to make a diverse supplier base. What we need to understand is it’s not a hand out or a social program.”

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