Washington County has received a Project Turnkey grant of $6.2 million to convert a 60-room motel into a shelter, Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) announced Thursday.

The hotel, located at 622 Southeast 10th Avenue, will be used in part as a COVID-respite shelter for seasonal and migrant workers and others needing a safe space, as well as a shelter for the homeless.

According to OCF, this will be the first year-round shelter for single adults in Washington County.

OCF says community organizations - Bienestar and the Urban League of Portland (Portland, OR) - have partnered with the county and will "help ensure that programs, services and referrals are culturally relevant to meet the specific needs of underserved populations."

As part of a series of seminars designed to help people succeed in business, the Urban League of Greater Atlanta (Atlanta, GA) has scheduled its DeKalb Small Business Micro-Enterprise Spring 2021 Program to begin in April. The sessions, sponsored by the DeKalb County Community Development Department, are free and held virtually.

“We are pleased to partner once again with DeKalb County to offer training, coaching, and advice that will open doors of opportunity to men and women who are seeking to succeed in business and career development,” said Program Director Marc Parham. “This proven curriculum in 10 sessions is open exclusively to residents of DeKalb County.”

The spring 2021 cohort of the Small Business Micro-Enterprise Program will run twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April 27 to May 27. All sessions will be conducted via Zoom from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The application process is open now and the last day to register is April 23.

NEW YORK (April 26, 2021) -- The National Urban League today released a comprehensive framework for criminal justice advocacy that takes a holistic approach to public safety, the restoration of trust between communities and law enforcement, and a path forward for meaningful change.

One step closer. The verdict for the Derek Chauvin trial is a turning point in the right direction for justice, but there is still work to be done. Read more. | It’s time for change. On Monday, join us on Instagram Live as we launch our 21 Pillars, a framework for advocacy that redefines public safety. Stay tuned. | Make an impact. The time is NOW to hold police officers accountable! Urge the Senate to PASS the Justice in Policing Act + join the conversation on Tuesday. | Dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline. Join the National Council of Urban League Guild’s virtual town hall on April 27th. RSVP today. | We’re almost there. The Senate has confirmed Vanita Gupta as Associate Attorney General! Now, it’s time to help confirm Kristen Clake. Here’s how. | Census update. Over the past year we have been in the midst of a lawsuit with the Census Bureau to protect your right to be counted. Here’s where we stand.

Stipulated dismissal, presented for Court approval, guarantees Census Bureau will not release rushed apportionment numbers, will not provide states with data to exclude noncitizens from redistricting, and will continue to provide key analysis and information to plaintiffs and the public about the quality of the partially shortened count under the Trump administration.

Civil rights groups, civic organizations, and tribal and local governments have secured and presented to the court for approval a final resolution in the federal lawsuit that stopped the federal government from severely truncating and skewing the results of the 2020 Census.

The National Urban League President Marc H. Morial issued the following statement following the confirmation of Vanita Gupta to be Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice:

“As one of the most highly qualified, experienced, and principled civil rights attorneys in the nation, Assistant Attorney General Gupta is exactly the person we need in this present moment to combat the rise of white supremacist-fueled hate crimes, racially-motivated voter suppression efforts, and our flawed criminal justice system. She will prioritize bringing back independence and integrity to the Department of Justice. 

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

“Today, we feel a sigh of relief.  Still, it cannot take away the pain.  A measure of justice isn’t the same as equal justice.  This verdict brings us a step closer.  And, the fact is, we still have work to do. We still must reform the system.  Last summer, together with Senator Cory Booker and Representative Karen Bass, I introduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.  This bill would hold law enforcement accountable and help build trust between law enforcement and our communities.  This bill is part of George Floyd’s legacy.” – Vice President Kamala Harris

As I stood alongside the family and friends of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Tuesday, waiting to hear the verdict in Derek Chauvin’s murder trial, I felt a combination of hope and dread.

NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE: DEREK CHAUVIN’S CONVICTION ON ALL COUNTS MARKS A TURNING POINT ON POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY

MINNEAPOLIS (April 20, 2021) – National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial  issued the following statement in response to Derek Chauvin’s conviction on second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter:

A thousand postal workers are expected to get vaccinated during the next few weeks, thanks to a partnership between the Urban League of Greater Kansas City (Kansas City, MO) and Samuel Rodgers Health Center.

Organizers said keeping the mail coming starts with protecting those who deliver it.

The huge processing center at 17th Street and Cleveland Avenue is in the heart of the urban core, and the postal service says more than 2,600 people work there. Most of them live in adjoining neighborhoods.

Vaccinators from Samuel Rodgers will be inoculating postal employees with the Moderna vaccine. The goal is to boost immunization rates in minority communities.