A partnership that helps Madison-area start-ups access free training to hone their skills, gain knowledge, and realize their goals of opening their own businesses will continue for another year with help from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC).

WEDC provided a $100,000 Competitive Entrepreneurship Partner Grant (EPG) to support the gBETA Urban League program, a partnership between the Urban League of Greater Madison (Madison, WI) and gener8tor.

WEDC made the announcement during the gBETA Urban League Showcase at the Madison Black Business HUB Thursday, when five diverse-led businesses that are participating in the program pitched their plans at a showcase event attended by nearly 100 local business and community leaders.

For the fifth consecutive year during Black History Month, Schnuck Markets will offer customers the opportunity to Round Up at the Register to support the Urban League. 

Starting Feb. 5 and continuing through Tuesday, Feb. 18, 100% of donations in the grocer’s home area of St. Louis will support the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)--specifically the non-profit organization’s Save Our Sons and Save Our Sisters programs. Round-ups in Schnucks stores in other markets will support each community's Urban League chapter. In 2024, Schnucks and its customers donated $125,000 to the Urban League as part of the roundup campaign.

Those customers who use self-checkouts and wish to donate may choose a $1, $3 or $5 “Scan and Give” option. Schnucks Rewards members also have the opportunity to donate their Rewards Points to the Urban League as part of the Donate Your Rewards program.

Entrepreneurs Shontay Lunday (founder of Black Girl Sunscreen) and April Showers (creator of the Afro Unicorn) shared with a group of more than 50 women on the first day of Black History Month, Feb. 1, that the path to a successful business has its bumps.

But they aren’t mountains that cannot be overcome with perseverance and self-belief.

She spoke during an Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) Save our Sisters event and sought to inspire other Black women to follow their dreams and create multi-million dollar enterprises. 

Showers said she knew as soon as she saw a gap in the stuffed animal market, that she had a successful enterprise on her hands. After success as a realtor, her friends called her “a unicorn.” 

Our history matters. See how threats to eliminate Black History Month will result in misinformation, lies, and erasure of historical facts. | Congratulations are in order! Our fearless leader Marc H. Morial was inducted into the NOLA Walk of Fame alongside his late father Ernest N. "Dutch" Morial. | Your new job is waiting. T-minus three days until our free virtual career fair! Register today for the opportunity to get interviewed on the spot + more. | Saluting small biz. There's nothing easy about running a restaurant but our Restaurant Accelerator Program helps! See a sneak peak from our NOLA event. | Stop Trump's overreach. Did you know presidents can't just freeze federal funding without Congressional approval? Ask your elected officials to act now. | Tune in! Watch tonight on FOX at 8PM ET/7PM CT as Marc H. Morial, Yolanda Adams, Big Freedia & more light up the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration stage. | What’s your dream job? Register now for our free webinar on Wednesday for tips on how to successfully pivot to a new career. | What do the numbers tell us? Dr. Bernard Anderson, our Chief Economics Adviser, shares an in-depth look at the state of the economy. Check it out.

Our history matters. See how threats to eliminate Black History Month will result in misinformation, lies, and erasure of historical facts. | Congratulations are in order! Our fearless leader Marc H. Morial was inducted into the NOLA Walk of Fame alongside his late father Ernest N. "Dutch" Morial. | Your new job is waiting. T-minus three days until our free virtual career fair! Register today for the opportunity to get interviewed on the spot + more. | Saluting small biz. There's nothing easy about running a restaurant but our Restaurant Accelerator Program helps! See a sneak peak from our NOLA event. | Stop Trump's overreach. Did you know presidents can't just freeze federal funding without Congressional approval? Ask your elected officials to act now. | Tune in! Watch tonight on FOX at 8PM ET/7PM CT as Marc H. Morial, Yolanda Adams, Big Freedia & more light up the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration stage. | What’s your dream job? Register now for our free webinar on Wednesday for tips on how to successfully pivot to a new career. |What do the numbers tell us? Dr. Bernard Anderson, our Chief Economics Adviser, shares an in-depth look at the state of the economy. Check it out.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH CHALLENGED THE "LOST CAUSE" LIE ABOUT SLAVERY AND DISCRIMINATION. ELIMINATING ITS CELEBRATION WILL ALLOW LIES TO FLOURISH ONCE AGAIN.
 

“Let’s call this what it really is: resegregation … Any official, including the president, who chooses to blame everything from plane crashes to wildfires on non-White, non-male people should be asked whether they believe that desegregation is to blame. Whether they believe resegregation is the answer. We need to bring back the language that describes what is actually happening.” – Karen Attiah

Whenever an anti-diversity extremist uses the word “woke” in a disparaging way, we must remember that the extremists themselves define “woke” as  “the belief there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them."

Bernard E. Anderson, Ph D
Senior Economic Adviser, National Urban League, and
Whitney M. Young, Jr. Professor emeritus, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

January’s Jobs Report showing 143,000 new jobs shows a strong labor market moving forward in a stable, balanced growing economy.

Employment grew for both Black and White workers, but Black unemployment rose slightly while White unemployment remained little changed. As a result, the Black/White unemployment differential edged up to 1.77, still below the previously persistent 2:1 ratio.  Average hourly wages grew 0.5 percent to $ 35.87.

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) and Regional Business Council are partnering with Home Depot on a “Neighborhood Public Safety Upgrade Initiative.”

The program will help bring advanced technology to the community to address public safety, according to James Clark, Urban League vice president of public safety.

During each quarter of 2025, 100 residents in areas identified as high crime sectors will get Ring doorbell cameras as well as motion sensory lights, adding an extra layer of protection.

The home security program spans St. Louis, St. Louis County, East St. Louis, and Cahokia Heights.

“Law enforcement plays an especially important role. Now, we’re looking at how do we empower neighborhood residents, and asking, ‘what can we do to pull neighborhood residents in?”’ said Clark during a press conference at the Urban League headquarters.