Census Day 2020 came April 1. The global coronavirus pandemic was worsening. It had already forced social and economic shutdowns across America.

Since then, all the major African-American community-based organizations, political leaders and other advocates in California — concerned that there may be an undercount of Black Californians during the 2020 census count — have found themselves grappling.

Under a statewide shelter in place order, those groups have been working overtime, rejiggering outreach strategies from a boots-on-the-ground game to expanding online get-the-word-out campaigns — most of their social media content identifiable by the hashtag #MakeBlackCount.

Their goal, leaders say, is to ensure every Black household in California accurately completes its 2020 Census form.

Their hard work is paying off.

The Milwaukee Urban League or MUL (Milwaukee, WI) will launch its Munch & Learn initiative, a MUL outreach program that provides MUL Power Paks to students and families at Oliver Wendell (O.W.) Holmes School and Auer Avenue School. The purpose of Munch & Learn is to support students and families at O.W. Holmes and Auer Avenue, by providing snacks to fuel student learning at home, along with educational activity ideas and vital employment opportunities for the families. Power Pak Bags will be filled with non-perishable snack items, student activities, and hygiene products. In addition, Power Paks will include 10@10 (10 activities for children to do at 10am). School staff will also distribute information on MUL employment opportunities to parents. Power Paks will be distributed as families pick up laptops and other school materials needed during the state-sanctioned quarantine due to COVID-19.

Watch the latest. Marc Morial is back with key info and resources to help you navigate COVID-19. Check out the Facebook Live video and visit our online hub. | New COVID-19 package. This week, Congress passed a new relief bill that includes items we advocated for. Here's what's in the package and how it could help you. | Make Black Count. Babies and children count, too! Take 10 minutes or less to fill out your 2020 Census form online and count everyone living in your home. | Help for small businesses. Our partner Goldman Sachs has developed support and resources for small business leaders during these uncertain times. Take a look. | Virtual graduations. Coronavirus has forced many schools to cancel graduations but the Urban League of the Upstate still plans to celebrate students. See how! | Inside scoop. Check out our D.C. office's round up of the latest coronavirus news. Plus, handy infographics that show the scope of COVID-19's impact. 

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League
 
“The story of minority-owned businesses struggling to access capital is the story of banking practices that too often exclude people of color as potential customers. A federally guaranteed loan program must not do the same.” – Letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Small Business Administration head Jovita Carranza from 23 Senators

The $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program established by Congress earlier this month was supposed to help sustain small businesses imperiled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money ran out in less than two weeks.

Then we found out  that the vast majority of the funding -- $243.4 million – went to huge, publicly-traded companies instead of legitimate small businesses. 

The contribution and importance of small businesses to the nation’s economy is well-researched and understood; for minority-owned small businesses the impact and significance will be even greater during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Not only will minority-owned small businesses be needed to help drive job re-creation, raise wages, and elevate better standards of living, they will also be a critical pathway for Black and Hispanic populations to close the racial wealth gap as we emerge from this crisis.

NEW YORK (April 21, 2020) -- National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial today commended senators who responded to the organization’s insistence on the inclusion in the interim COVID-19 bill of funding for Small Business Administration Disaster Loans and Grants and for community-based lenders.

National Urban League Hails SCOTUS Decision on Non-Unanimous Juries as “A step out of the Jim Crow Past"

NEW YORK (April 20, 2020) -- National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial hailed today’s Supreme Court decision outlawing non-unanimous jury verdicts as a step out of the nation’s Jim Crow past.

Urban League of Central Carolinas (Charlotte, NC) held its first virtual job fair Wednesday (April 15).

People got connected online looking for a job, and had a virtual one on one meeting with five employers.

Companies participating were Walmart, UPS, Atrium Health UPS, and RJ Leeper Construction.

Ted McDaniel is the President/CEO of Urban League of Central Carolinas. He says this virtual job fair was needed to give people who were laid off hope.

“One in five Charlotte area residents works in three industries” McDaniel said. “Retail, hospitality and restaurant - many of them are smaller size businesses and because of the pandemic - it has really been devastating to those industries we have - though our goal is to get residents back on their feet.”

To read the full article, click here.

Families feeling the strain from the coronavirus pandemic began lining up outside East St. Louis High School early Friday morning hoping to be among the 1,500 to receive a care package of food and healthcare staples.

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. (St. Louis, MO held its third large food and supply giveaway for the St. Louis region. Volunteers distributed care packages containing fresh produce, milk, dried and canned goods, toiletries and fruit to St. Clair County families.

Their next event is planned for Friday, April 24 in Madison County. Logistics for the giveaway are still being planned.