Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

“Everybody, come quick, come quick; there's a black lady on television and she ain't no maid!”  -- Whoopi Goldberg

Fed up with racist insults on set and longing to make her way as a Broadway musical star, Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols already had given showrunner Gene Roddenberry her letter of resignation when she met Martin Luther King, Jr., at a Beverly Hills fundraiser.

He implored her not to quit, telling her that Star Trek was the only television show he and his wife allowed their three young children to stay up and watch. “For the first time on television, we will be seen as we should be seen every day, as intelligent, quality, beautiful, people who can sing dance, and can go to space, who are professors, lawyers. If you leave, that door can be closed because your role is not a Black role, and is not a female role; he can fill it with anybody -- even an alien."

OKLAHOMA CITY – It is a problem that worries every parent during the summer months – the worry that their children will go hungry.

This is a worry that the Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City (Oklahoma City, OK) hopes to alleviate.

Partnering with Regional Food Bank, the Urban League’s Summer Program provides children with a full day program that includes both breakfast, lunch, and a snack.

Sabrina Sykes, a parent with a child in the program, said that the program provided her with, “Security. Not having to worry about him being out on the street.”

AUSTIN – In a new interview, Austin Area Urban League (Austin, TX) President and CEO Quincy Dunlap details how the Urban League is fighting homelessness in Austin.

The Urban League will now be taking over the operations of Austin’s Southbridge shelter, and the interview details how the Urban League will operate the shelter.

Dunlap details how the Urban League is seeking to provide Austin’s homeless with “safe, energy-efficient housing,” while also providing “supportive services to help change the trajectory and improve quality of life for those brothers and sisters through the continuum of care.”

KNOXVILLE – This past Saturday, August 6th, the Knoxville Area Urban League (Knoxville, TN) held their annual “Shoes for School” event.

The event, celebrating its 20th anniversary, had an estimated 6,000 attendees, with over 1,700 pairs of shoes given out to students, along with around 3,000 who picked up school supplies for the upcoming school year.

President and CEO of the Urban League, Phyllis Young Nichols, said, “A new pair of shoes and school supplies excite children and inspire them to be more confident and successful in the classroom. The Knoxville Area Urban League is proud to put smiles on the faces of deserving students for 20 years and counting.”

Honoring a legend. The world stood still this week with the loss of 12-time NBA All-star + civil rights advocate Bill Russell. Read more on his legacy. | Relive the moment! Did you know you can watch some of the sessions from NULCONF22 online? Take a look. | Take a stand against COVID-19. It’s time to prioritize your health and ensure you’re vaxxed + boosted. Here’s how. | We love to see it! Read more on how Black businesses are expanding across the nation with a 103% increase compared to 2019. | Your mental health matters! Watch as we dive into strategies to ensure our communities have the necessary access for sustainability + wellness. | #SayHerName. This week the Department of Justice charged four Louisville police officers connected with the death of Breonna Taylor. Read more. | August is Make-A-Will Month! The time is now to make your mark and leave a lasting legacy for your loved ones. Learn more. | 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.

“Racism cannot just be shaken out of the fabric of society because, like dust from a rug, it dissipates into the air for a bit and then settles right back where it was, growing thicker with time. Police reform is a start, but it is not enough. We need to dismantle broken systems and start over. We need to make our voices heard, through multiple organizations, using many different tactics. We need to demand that America gets a new rug.” – Bill Russell 

By Bernard E. Anderson, Ph.D
Senior Economic Advisor National Urban League
Whitney M. Young, Jr., Professor Emeritus, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania