The Urban League Empowerment Center: Development With Purpose And With Passion

By Candece Monteil , National Urban League
Published 01 AM EST, Sat Nov 15, 2025
TBE---ULEC1440.png

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

“This project is befitting of the legacy of greatness that so many Black New Yorkers have built here in Harlem. It is Black-owned in a time when we are being taught as if the words DEI are that of a slur, when in fact what they are is a representation of the fulfillment of the ideals that make so many proud to be New Yorkers.”  -- New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani

Harlem has always been more than a neighborhood—it’s a symbol of resilience, creativity, and the enduring fight for justice. This week, the National Urban League reaffirmed that legacy with the dedication of the Urban League Empowerment Center, a transformative development that does more than add bricks and mortar to the skyline. It sets a new standard for what inclusive development should look like in America.

This is not development for development’s sake—it is development with purpose, and with passion.  It is a bold declaration that equity and opportunity must be built into the very foundation of our communities.

The Empowerment Center is more than a building—it’s a vision realized. At its heart are 170 units of affordable housing for families earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income. In a city where housing insecurity is rampant, this commitment ensures Harlem remains a place where working families can thrive. Among its residents will be young adults aging out of foster care, supported by The New York Foundling’s program—a population too often left behind. Here, they will find stability, dignity, and a chance to build a future.

But housing is only the beginning. The Empowerment Center includes retail and office space for minority-owned businesses and nonprofits, creating an ecosystem where entrepreneurship and community service intersect. The project is expected to generate over $300 million in economic activity, with a pledge to hire local residents, women, and people of color. Jobs aren’t just being created—they’re being created with intention.

Perhaps the most profound element of the Empowerment Center is its role as a cultural and historical beacon. In 2026, the Urban Civil Rights Museum will open its doors within the Center, becoming New York City’s first museum dedicated to the American civil rights movement. Unlike traditional narratives that focus on the South, this museum will spotlight struggles and triumphs in Northern urban environments—stories that shaped Harlem and countless other communities. Through interactive exhibits and immersive experiences, it will invite visitors not just to learn history, but to become agents of change.

The Center also houses the Whitney M. Young Center for Leadership and partners with cultural institutions like the Studio Museum in Harlem and the United Negro College Fund. Soon, organizations such as 100 Black Men of New York and Jazzmobile will join this vibrant hub. This is not just a development—it’s a movement, weaving together housing, culture, education, and economic empowerment.

In today’s climate, where civil rights protections are under siege and diversity initiatives face relentless attacks, the Empowerment Center stands as a defiant answer. It says: We will not be erased. Our history matters. Our communities deserve investment—not neglect. It is a physical manifestation of the Urban League’s enduring mission: to be a bridge between aspiration and achievement, policy and people.

Harlem’s story has always been one of transformation—of turning struggle into strength. The Empowerment Center honors that legacy while charting a course for the future. It reminds us that progress is not inevitable; it must be built, brick by brick, with purpose and passion.

As we look toward America’s 250th anniversary, this project offers a blueprint for what inclusive development can—and should—be. It is not just Harlem’s triumph. It is a national call to action.

                                                    ###
             45TBE 11/15/25 ▪ 117 W. 125th Street ▪ New York, NY 10027 ▪ (212) 558-5300

Connect with the National Urban League

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturbanleague 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatUrbanLeague
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@naturbanleague
YouTube: http://bit.ly/YTSubNUL
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/SubscribeNUL
Website: https://www.nul.org