Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

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Three years ago, Darian Paris decided to focus his residential and commercial construction business on building affordable new homes to help meet the growing need for such housing for many low- and moderate-income Chattanoogans.

"I've been funding my projects out of pocket because I felt the need to address this issue, but I was able to build the next home only as I sold the last home I built," he said.

Paris has managed to build new 1,200-square-foot homes priced under $200,000 and the houses typically sell in the current market within two or three days. But like most minority-owned small business owners, Paris didn't get bank loans for his business even though homebuilding is a capital-intensive business that usually doesn't pay off until the house is built and sold.

"The lack of access to capital definitely limited my ability to grow," said Paris, who built three houses amid the pandemic in 2020.

As the first woman to become President and CEO of the Urban League of Rochester (Rochester, NY), Seanelle Hawkins knew she might encounter challenges.

“Just the role of being a woman leader and being respected, that’s going to be a challenge,” says Hawkins, who started her job on June 3, 2019. “I’m sure any woman, even if they were not a person of color, they could speak to that.”

Hawkins brought to the position the drive and energy that have taken her far from the low-income Brooklyn neighborhood in which she was born. During her nearly two years at the helm, the nonprofit has helped local entrepreneurs survive the economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and started building low-income housing in Rochester. 

The Urban League also has led efforts to attack the racial inequity that afflicts the Rochester area, helped residents get vaccinated against the coronavirus and taken other steps to better the community. 

The past year has been hard on all of us. Between living day-to-day not knowing how to protect ourselves from COVID-19, being isolated from friends and family, and not knowing when life would return to normal – it felt like we lost a year of our lives. 

What if we told you that the end is in sight and there's a way to get your life back on track. Researchers from around the globe, including many who look like us, spent months developing and testing a vaccine to protect us from COVID-19 and spreading it on to others. Learn more about what's possible through getting vaccinated and the options available to you.

To read the full article, click here.

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Event Date: Wednesday, May 5th, 2021

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Where we stand. This week marks 100 days since the Biden-Harris administration has been in office. Here’s our progress report thus far. | Vax facts. Do you have all the information you need about the vaccine? Here’s what you may not know or need to share with your networks. | 21 Pillars. We want police reform, so we created actionable solutions to redefine public safety and restore community trust. Learn more. | The fight isn’t over. The 1-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death is coming up and we need to demand action from the Senate. Here’s how you can help. | On the road to success. We want to help you build your professional “tribe.” Register today to join our webinar for tips on building your network. | Wealth building. We’ve partnered with Citi + the Citi Foundation to ensure people of color have access to the financial resources they need. Read more.

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

“My fellow Americans, look, we have to come together to heal the soul of this nation ... We have the giant opportunity to bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice, real justice … We have a real chance to root out systematic racism that plagues America and American lives in other ways. A chance to deliver real equity: good jobs, good schools, affordable housing, clean air, clean water, the ability to generate wealth and pass it down to generations because you have an access to purchase a house. Real opportunities in the lives of more Americans — Black, white, Latino, Asian-Americans, Native Americans.”  President Joe Biden, address to a joint session of Congress, April 28, 2021