Five hundred volunteers across St. Louis cleaned up the city during the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)’s Clean Sweep.

Volunteers walked neighborhoods, cleaning up trash, debris and overgrowth. Nine abandoned, unsalvageable buildings were knocked down.         

"It is an effort to work on the physical appearance of some of our more challenged neighborhoods," said James Clark of the Urban League.

Clark said Clean Sweep targets vacant properties and neighborhood eyesores that can't be saved.

"We really want Clean Sweep to be a day where the entire St. Louis Metro area wakes up, picks up a trash bag and just goes out into their neighborhood on their block and cleans up," Clark said.

The Urban League hopes this effort unifies the city. Two more Clean Sweeps are scheduled this summer and fall.

We’ve got a new home. On June 17th we’re hosting a construction kickoff for our new headquarters in Harlem with expected completion by January 2025! | Celebrating Juneteenth! We are one week away from the 156th anniversary of the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas. Learn more. | Three days away! On Tuesday, we are kicking off day one of #LPC2021 with a full lineup of virtual sessions. Reserve your seat at the table NOW. | Vaccine update. Ready to get vaccinated but need help finding a location? We’ve got you covered. Here’s how to find vaccine locations in your area. | Justice in Policing Act. Daunte Wright, Ma’Khia Bryant + Ronald Greene are just a few of many who deserve justice. Here’s how you take action now. | The Secret Fear of High Achievers. On June 16th, join our webinar to learn new strategies on how to conquer imposter syndrome. RSVP today. | #PulseNightClub. Today marks the five years since the tragic shooting that claimed the lives of 49 people. Tune in for a live discussion at 5PM ET. | Congrats, grads! Watch a special message from Marc Morial’s commencement address for Case Western Reserve University.

Civil Rights Leader Joins Lawsuit, Alleging ‘Taxation Without Representation’ and Violations of the U.S. and Missouri Constitutions in Kansas City Policing  

Raises Claims on Behalf of all Kansas City Taxpayers, Particularly the 200,000 Minorities in Kansas City, Who Have Had a Diminished Voice in Police Governance for Generations 

Learn more about how you can support the EveryTown Support Fund and watch the National Discussion on the tragedy at Pulse that streamed live on Facebook or Twitter.

Governor John Carney on Friday announced he will nominate Eugene Young, Jr., currently the President and CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League (Wilmington, DE), as the next Director of the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA).

The Delaware Senate is expected to consider Governor Carney’s nomination on June 23. If confirmed by the Senate, Young would replace Director Anas Ben Addi, who has led Delaware’s housing and community development agency since 2009 and is leaving to become Chief Financial Officer at Delaware State University.

The Ford Motor Company and the New York Urban League (New York, NY) partnered to award unrestricted grants in the amount of $5,000 to Black-owned small businesses that operate in predominantly Black neighborhoods in New York City.  Funding granted will be used for payment of outstanding rent, utilities, and payroll expenses, inventory and operational equipment purchases, protective supplies to stop the spread of Covid-19, property damage repair, website and customer engagement staff hire, and/or equipment upgrades to enhance web content and drive online sales.

As she prepares to step down after 27 years as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA), Esther Bush is proud of accomplishments she said the agency achieved during her tenure including starting the city’s first charter school, increasing housing and food supports for marginalized families, and advocating for social justice.

But much more work needs to be done by civic and business leaders to make Pittsburgh equitable for Black people and all of its residents, she said.

“Pittsburgh has sufficient resources to pull it off,” she said, referring to large corporations, foundations and health care institutions that call the city home.

“But who’s going to take the first bold step and not apologize for it?” she said Friday during an interview at her office in the Warner Centre, Downtown.

Wawa unveiled brand new menu items developed by Project Ready, the Science Leadership Academy of the Urban League of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA), among Beeber students.

Working with the Urban League of Philadelphia, local students took part in Wawa’s class of the Future Food Scientists 2.0 Program and Menu Development Challenge 2021, where they worked with professionals at the Wawa Innovation Center to create new, fresh and innovative dishes that revealed during an in-store ceremony and presentation.

The Urban League of Philadelphia and Wawa opened the new menu with a celebration at the Wawa Store on 6th and Chestnut St. in downtown Philadelphia.

There were around 50 students in attendance when the winning team and the new menu were announced. The celebration naturally included Wawa food, music, games, and prizes.