Toni Morrison's Passing is a Loss for the Racial Justice Community As Well As the Literary World
"Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge..."
Congressman Cummings, Rev. Sharpton and Other Leaders Will Not Be Deterred by Trump's Attacks on Baltimore or Any American City
To Be Equal #30
Marc H. Morial
July 31, 2019
Urban League Exhibit Honors Michael Brown
Gone but not forgotten, August 9th marks the fifth anniversary of Michael Brown’s death, and he is being honored with a public exhibit of things that were close to heart in an effort to humanize the slain teen.
Brown’s graduation gown, an Arnold Palmer drink can, a bag of Skittles and a Cardinals’ scarf is just some of the items his family wants the world to see at the “As I See You: A Tribute to Mike Brown Jr.” exhibit at the Urban League Ferguson Community Empowerment Center (St. Louis, MO).
The public display opens August 9th in Ferguson to the public through Sunday. It is a recreation of Brown’s bedroom on August 9, 2014, the day he was fatally shot by Officer Darren Wilson.
Urban League President Urges People Not to Overlook Teen’s Racist Threats
By Kiana Miller
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) -Columbia Urban League President and CEO J.T. McLawhorn is warning South Carolinians not to dismiss or minimize the video of a local teen spewing racist rhetoric and repeatedly shooting a pair of sneakers symbolizing a black man.
Williams: School Choice Panel at National Urban League Summit Shows We’re Having the Wrong Conversation About Charter Schools
By Conor P. Williams, Fellow at The Century Foundation
Last month, the National Urban League hosted an all-star panel of activists at its Young Professional L.E.A.D. Summit to discuss the present — and potential — of school choice programs for African Americans in public education.
Philadelphia Foundation Announces Key to Community Grant Nonprofit Winners
The nine winners of the $1 million Key to Community Grants have been announced.
As part of the Philadelphia Foundation's Key to Community Grant, the general public throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region were given the opportunity to cast their vote between 15 different nonprofits, between July 8 and July 26.
Three first place winners received $200,000, three second place winners received $100,000, and three third place winners received $33,000.
The grants were split between three categories: economic prosperity, the opportunity divide, and community and civic engagement.
These are the organizations that have been named the winners across the grant categories, as chosen by three panels of judges:
Economic Prosperity
Remembering Toni Morrison: Her literary and spiritual legacy lives on
National Urban League President Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in response to the death of Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison:
“The world has lost an eloquent and singular voice of the African-American experience. Her work plumbed the psychic wounds of slavery and brought Black-centered stories into the mainstream. Her literary and spiritual legacy lives on. The Urban League Movement joins her family, friends and the nation in mourning this tremendous loss.”
Program to Offer Free Coding Classes to 25 Residents of Louisville's Poorest Neighborhood
Twenty-five people from Louisville's poorest neighborhoods can take a coding class for free as part of the Louisville Skills program. The program is a partnership between Interapt, The University of Louisville, the Louisville Urban League (Louisville, KY) and The Humana Foundation.
Anyone can apply.
It's designed to put people from Louisville's poorest zip codes in high-paying jobs. Louisville Skills runs for 40 hours a week for 3-4 months at the Hite Art Institute in west Louisville. Students will also get a $100-a-week stipend, and they could land an apprenticeship when classes are done.
Applications are due Aug. 9.
To read the full article, click here.
Free School Supplies Provided at Denver 'Back to School Block Party'
Hundreds of families celebrated the end of summer and received free school supplies thanks to the Urban League of Metropolitan Denver Young Professionals (Denver, CO).
"Everyone is having fun here today," Kwon Atlas of the ULMDYP said. "It's very important to engage the community, especially the young folks."
The nonprofit hosted its fourth annual 'Back to School Block Party' outside of the Vickers Boys and Girls Club. The event featured food and games for kids and their parents, in addition to free lunchboxes and an estimated 200 backpacks filled with school supplies.
"It says that Denver is a community that just everybody wants to help. Everybody wants to help anybody and everybody," Myka Barnes-Garcia, the Vice President of ULYP Denver Chapter, said. "Some of these people donating supplies have no idea who it's going to."