Despite daunting statistics and decades upon decades of struggles, Teddy McDaniel sees cause for optimism in his nonprofit’s continuing campaign for economic empowerment for Black people and other underserved minority groups.

McDaniel is President and CEO of the Urban League of Central Carolinas (Charlotte, NC). The local organization is one of 90 affiliates of the National Urban League, headquartered in New York. Charlotte’s branch opened in 1978.

As for those statistics: Unemployment remains significantly higher across the board for Black and Hispanic people, before and during the pandemic. According to federal labor statistics, in 2020 unemployment among white residents in North Carolina was 6.4%. It was 8.6% for Hispanic residents and 9.6% among Black residents.

Candy Johnson grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Clarksville, Tennessee, where she thought she would always live and one day become mayor.

By age 25, Johnson was elected to the Clarksville City Council in 2008 as the youngest council member ever elected in the city after working as a City Hall intern while at Austin Peay State University and defending her hometown neighborhood from attempts to take over what the city deemed a "blighted neighborhood" by eminent domain.

"I learned a lot about advocacy, activism and the fight to preserve neighborhoods that were gentrified and how you could grow together," she said.

Those traits remain with Candy Johnson in her new role as President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga (Chattanooga, TN).

On Monday, Lourdes Hospital, in partnership with the Broome County Urban League (Binghamton, NY) and the Southern Tier Cancer Services Program held mobile cancer screenings in honor of Black History Month.

The Mammogram mobile was parked at Vision Federal Credit Union's parking lot in Johnson City across from Walmart. 

Representatives from Lourdes said they wanted to make mammograms available for anyone, especially at a time where patients may be putting off getting screened due to covid.

They stress the significance of hosting outreach events and the mammogram mobile.

"Having these mobile resources serves the community in a really unique way -- so many members of the community have difficulty in transportation and that's one of the key reasons people don't get the help that they need. By going to them, we take that problem out of the way," explained Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Sterns of Lourdes.

Through pro bono marketing, creative services and mentorship, Black+ is a long-term commitment to closing the racial wealth gap by supporting Black entrepreneurs.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is partnering with the National Urban League to match Urban League affiliate CEOs and  Young Professional leaders with AHA member CEOs and governance leaders.  The goal is to place these leaders on AHA member governance boards.

How to help. Unprecedented storms and blackouts have created a crisis across the state. Here's what you can do to help people access shelter, food, and more. | We need relief. Millions are awaiting the next stimulus check to cover basic necessities. Read up on why we need the American Rescue Plan NOW. | Dear Congress. Congress must pass strong legislation that addresses Black America's immediate hardships. We've prepped the email, just press send! | Cut the check. Are you a small business owner in need of financing? Register today for our virtual session on February 23rd to get tips and resources. | Update your resumes! Get ready for Wednesday's virtual career fair, featuring over 40 top companies across industries. Sign up and tell a friend. | New partnership alert! We're collaborating with Johnson Controls to expand our initiatives around employment, education, advocacy, and more. Learn more.

he people of Texas need our help right now as the state navigates unprecedented harsh winter weather conditions that have left nearly 3 million people without power, putting precious lives at risk.

One of the ways you can help is by donating to Urban League affiliates in Texas, who are working on the ground to provide critical relief:

Austin Urban League: #LoveThyNeighbor

The Austin Area Urban League continues its emergency donation drive for the housing insecure communities of Austin, Texas.