The Urban League of Palm Beach County (West Palm Beach, FL) honored the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings and a pair of other men for community contributions during a luncheon celebrating the 47th year of its founding.

Hastings, who died at age 84 on April 6 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, represented parts of Palm Beach and Broward counties for nearly three decades in Congress, where he earned a reputation as a fierce defender of racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants and the poor.

He was the first Black Floridian to serve as a federal judge, a position he was appointed to after a long career as a civil rights attorney.

To read the full article, click here. 

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and the City Council have proposed and passed two significant changes to the city’s police department in order to better help and serve residents.

Lucas introduced two ordinances Thursday (May 20th) that were passed hours later. One significantly cuts the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) budget and the other creates a new community fund. The city council passed the measure by a 9-4 vote Thursday.

Kansas City must allocate at least 20% of the city’s general revenue (about $154 million) to the KCPD, although the city typically allocates more to the department. Last year’s KCPD budget was $238 million.

The Urban League of Greater Madison (Madison, WI), along with multiple community partners including SSM Health, will host a free COVID-19 vaccination clinic Tuesday, May 25, 2-7 p.m.

“We expect to be able to give out 250 shots that are open to everybody in the community for those who are 12 years and older as long as they have permission from their parents,” Dr. Ruben Anthony, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison, tells Madison365.  

This event is a partnership between the Urban League, SSM Health, NAACP Dane County, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Fountain of Life, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, and Worker Justice Wisconsin. Community members attending the event will be getting the Pfizer shot and asked to come back at a later date for the second shot.

Calling all entrepreneurs! Join our free webinar on Thursday, May 27th for resources to help you expand your small business. Register today. 

When: Thursday, May 27, 2021

Tuesday, May 25 marks one year since George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police. The horrific scene as Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds will forever be seared in many minds and mobilized many others to get involved in the fight for justice. We invite the Urban League Movement, allies, partner organizations, community leaders, and anyone who values justice to join a collective effort to honor George Floyd’s life and legacy.

Here’s what you can do:  

9 Minutes and 29 Seconds of Action | May 25 at 3:00pm ET/12:00pm PT

Support our ongoing call for accountability and reform by dedicating 9 minutes and 29 seconds to contact your Senator to support a strong police reform bill – the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. 

Send a pre-drafted letter to your Senators: 

Text JUSTICENOW to 52886

End voter suppression. Jimmy Crow is on a mission to suppress the voices of Black + Brown people. Here are the two voting acts that Congress must sign. | Mark your calendars! You don’t want to miss our 18th annual Legislative Policy Conference on June 15-16, 2021. Here’s what we have in store. | Your COVID resource hub. The CDC has officially approved distribution of one of the three vaccines to children ages 12-15. Here are the facts. | Police reform now. As we approach the 1-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd, we need your help to pass the Justice in Policing Act! Here’s how. | Your network is your net worth. RSVP today for our webinar on May 19th to learn different strategies to leverage your community to advance your career.

NEW YORK (May 17, 2021) -- The National Urban League today welcomed the 2021 cohort of its Emerging Leaders Program.

Emerging Leaders is a competitive development opportunity for non-profit and community-based professionals to develop analytical and critical leadership skills.

Volkswagen Group of America (VWGoA) and the Greater Washington Urban League or GWUL (Washington, DC) announced the new “Future Leaders in Mobility Program,” set to run from August 16, 2021 through August 20, 2021. This week-long program is for rising high school juniors and seniors from historically underserved and vulnerable populations in the Washington, DC metro area and will focus on informing students about the broad range of career opportunities in the automotive industry.

“Offering education and career training for high school students is something we’re extremely passionate about at VWGoA,” said Anna Schneider, Senior Vice President, Industry and Government Relations for Volkswagen Group of America. “We are excited to meet these local, rising-star students and offer them insights and guidance into careers in the automotive industry.”

As we move one step closer to normal there are still a large number of local businesses fighting to survive and ensure they're open on the other side of the pandemic. The Columbus Urban League (Columbus, OH) is stepping up to help. The Urban League is launching a major initiative aimed at providing support.

The past year has been a battle for a number of minority-owned businesses across Central Ohio. From state restrictions to business closures, many have had to use a bit of creativity to remain open. There is now renewed hope and help coming from the Columbus Urban League. 

The Columbus Urban League is kick-starting a major push to lend a hand through the organization's minority business assistance center.