Earl Exum was a mover. And a shaker. And a double-dutcher.

Exum, who was the board treasurer for the Urban League of Greater Hartford (Hartford, CT) when he died unexpectedly last fall, who was also an advocate for people getting active and staying healthy.

So it's only fitting, organizers believe, that Exum, who was a vice president at Pratt & Whitney and chairman of subsidiary International Aero Engines, have an award named for him at Saturday's third annual MOVE! event at Keney Park in Hartford.

The event is designed for people of all ages, abilities, and fitness levels to promote an active lifestyle and mental health, as well as showcase the amenities of one of the largest designed park landscapes in the United States.

Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina and Urban League of the Upstate (Greenville, SC) announced  they signed a memorandum of understanding to launch of a film academy.

The four-week course introduces participants to essential industry television and film skills and technologies. Participants explore multiple career pathways, including 3D gaffing, environmental design, virtual production support and optitrack operator. The program is held weekly in Greenville and includes a training stipend for all participants.

“We are thrilled to launch the Film Academy in partnership with Urban League as part of our Innovation Institute,” said Pat Michaels, president and CEO of GIUMSC. “This program is a unique opportunity for individuals to gain valuable industry skills and open doors to a variety of exciting career paths in the film and television industry.”

The Urban League of Central Carolinas (Charlotte, NC) will present the Whitney M. Young. Jr. Award  to the honorable Governor Roy Cooper at its annual award gala on Friday, August 2nd, 2024. The Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award is given to honor individuals who demonstrate leadership and support for the African American community through community service and investment.

This prestigious award is presented in honor of Whitney M. Young, a prominent civil rights leader and advocate for social justice who led the National Urban League from 1961 until his death in 1971.

The Fort Wayne Urban League (Fort Wayne, IN) will debut a new take on local art next week – touring sneakers.

Four pairs of sneakers will be traveling around Fort Wayne over July and August for people to come and see in person in this unique display of local art. Each pair of white-on-white Air Jordans was hand painted by a local artist – Theopolis Smith, Michael Johnson, Karrington Thompson and Rocelynne Kennerck.

The sneakers are helping spread the word about the Urban League’s new fall fundraiser, a Sneaker Ball, but President and CEO, Aisha Arrington says people should come out to see the sneakers because it’s a different way of showcasing local art.

“If you’re interested in art, if you wanna expose your kids or your family to different ways that art can be expressed, I think this is just an awesome opportunity for folks to see what our local artists were able to do," she said.

Impeachment? See why Clarence Thomas & Samuel Alito are not fit to serve on the Supreme Court & what Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is doing about it. | Calling all young professionals! #NULConf24 has sessions curated for you on entrepreneurship, tech, advocacy + more. Check out the schedule. | Free vaccines for everyone. Give your immune system a boost and set your appointment today to get vaxxed for free. Get started now. | Essence Fest's origin story. Marc H. Morial was pivotal in bringing the festival to life as the Mayor of New Orleans 30 years ago. Get more of the story. | What a time! See photos from our luncheon, a blend of sisterhood and collaboration hosted by our Chief Marketing Officer Rhonda Spears Bell. | Coming to a screen near you. Can’t make it to New Orleans? Get ready to experience the FREE virtual National Urban League Conference. Register now. | Honoring Black women. Congratulations to Bevy Smith, Judge Faith Jenkins, Lisa Price & Tracey Edmonds! See how we celebrated them during Essence Fest.

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League
  

“The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land but has the lowest ethical standards, which means pay-to-play billionaires, right-wing dark money groups and carbon-emitting special interests have freedom to purchase the best justice money can buy. Congress can’t stand idly by as this emboldened and imperious Court pursues a lawless right-wing agenda and strips our citizens of their Constitutional rights.” – U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin

Several paragraphs into a media account of the many undisclosed and unethical gifts Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has accepted – including a yacht trip to Russia and a helicopter flight to Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg – is a simple, but chilling phrase:

“It’s unclear whether Thomas met with Putin.”

NEW YORK (July 2, 2024) ​-- National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial today issued the following statement in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

"As the National Urban League's 2024 State of Black America report made clear in alarming detail, the current racial justice backlash imperils the very heart of the most transformative legislation of the 20th century.

This summer, the Columbia Urban League (Columbia, SC) is giving students ages 14 through 19 the chance to develop and expand their career skills.

The organization's Science Technology and Enrichment Program (STEP) pairs students with local organizations that match their career interests, helping them gain valuable employment experience.

"I would publish newspapers and help out and review them to make sure when they publish them it would make sense," said 15-year-old program participant Taeshon Robinson. Robinson enjoyed the experience so much that he wants to do it again next summer.

"I worked at Panorama Newspaper Place. I worked 1-5, and those two weeks were kind of fun. I thought it would be boring, but it was a fun job," Robinson added.

The Urban League of Greater Madison (Madison, WI) offers Expungement Clinics for Dane County residents looking to eliminate convictions from their record.

The Clinic for this month is already booked as of this writing, but there will be other events later this year in September, October, and November.

Legal Action of Wisconsin, Foley & Lardner, LIFT Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Association of African American Lawyers partner with the Urban League for the clinics.

At the clinic, participants will receive:

Cameron Bernard, 24, was trying to plan for his future with few high-paying opportunities for work when he heard about the cybersecurity apprenticeship program run by the Urban League of Louisiana (New Orleans, LA).

Through the Urban League's Career Pathways Program, within a year, Bernard, of Jefferson Parish, will have the training and certifications he needs to qualify for full-time work in that field. He'll earn at least $45,000 annually. 

"We're on the first certification," Bernard said. "I'm doing this because I was looking for opportunities to have a career in cybersecurity and have a full-time job."