Gwen Grant, an indefatigable advocate for social justice and Kansas City’s Black residents for more than three decades, announced her retirement from the Urban League.

Grant will continue as CEO until her official retirement in March 2027, when a successor will be named. In the meantime, Melissa Robinson, a member of the Kansas City Council, will join the Urban League of Greater Kansas City (Kansas City, MO) as President and CEO, according to a news release.

Grant, who has spent 25 years as the league’s leader and 31 years with the organization overall, helped form the “broader civic landscape of our region,” said Joe Davis, chair of the league’s board of directors.

“For more than three decades, she has led with courage, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to justice — strengthening this organization, elevating the voices of our community, and ensuring the Urban League remains a trusted and impactful institution for generations,” Davis said.

Schnucks Markets and its customers raised a combined $100,000 for the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) through the sixth annual Round Up at the Register campaign, held Feb. 4-17. Customers contributed $83,624 at checkout, with Schnucks adding $16,376 to reach the $100,000 total.

Customers were given the option at checkout to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar, with 100 percent of St. Louis-area donations directed to the Urban League’s Save Our Sons and Save Our Sisters programs. Round-ups at Schnucks stores in other markets support the respective local Urban League chapter or the National Urban League.

Todd Schnuck, Chairman and CEO of Schnucks and a past chairman of the ULSTL board, said the campaign reflects a partnership that stretches back more than 50 years.

Austin Housing and the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) are thrilled to announce the groundbreaking celebration for Urban Empowerment Zone 1 (UEZ I). The new community will provide 80 Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) units to serve individuals and families at risk of or exiting homelessness. Located at 6400 FM 969 Road in District 1, the development will consist of a four-story, elevator-served building that includes a community room, warming kitchen, community pantry, laundry facilities, computer center, supportive service areas, and a central courtyard designed to promote safety and community connection. 

“By combining affordable housing with supportive services at UEZ I, we’re creating more than a place to call home,” explains Deletta Dean, Director of Austin Housing. “We’re creating opportunities for residents to rebuild their futures as part of our Austin community.” 

The Pinellas County Urban League (St. Petersburg, FL) has formally pitched its vision for the next phase of the Deuces Rising redevelopment, centered on a new Sankofa Empowerment Center along St. Petersburg’s historic 22nd Street South corridor.

In a December 30, 2025 proposal to Mayor Ken Welch, the organization outlined plans to anchor Phase II of the city-led project with a mixed-use commercial facility designed to serve as both an economic engine and community hub.

The proposal focuses on the “North Commercial Building,” a planned 28,000-square-foot, two-story development at the southwest corner of 22nd Street and 6th Avenue South. The project is part of a broader three-phase initiative that includes affordable townhomes already underway and a potential future mixed-use building with housing.

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

"The continued slide into authoritarianism is made possible by the twin assaults on our democracy and the pursuit of racial justice. In this time of crisis, we need elected officials who stand up against efforts to render us without meaningful participation in the democratic process, have our histories censored from our cultural institutions, and be shorn of the protection of our hard-earned civil rights." -- Kimberlé Crenshaw

Knowing who to vote for in today’s political climate feels like navigating a minefield. You hear one thing about a candidate in a campaign ad, another at the barbershop or beauty salon, and something different from clips from influencers and podcasters on social media. And rarely is any of it aligned or the truth.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 18, 2026) – As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, the National Urban League and the Demand Diversity Roundtable have released a new civic education resource, America 250: A Guide for Defending Democracy, to help Americans navigate an era of profound democratic challenges.  The nonpartisan guide equips voters, community leaders, and civic organizations with values‑based and action‑oriented questions designed to illuminate how public officials and candidates understand their constitutional responsibilities.

Altaire at Queen Anne, a 114-unit affordable rental housing development offering studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, has broken ground in Seattle.

The project transforms a five-year vacant site into housing in one of the city’s higher-cost neighborhoods. The development is being built by the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle (Seattle, WA) and SRM, in partnership with the Seattle Office of Housing, Amazon’s Housing Fund, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Citibank, and PNC Bank.

The project team also includes Runberg Architecture Group, AMH Design, LLC, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Brumbaugh Landscape Architecture, Emerald City Engineers, Inc., Terracon, NV5, DCI Engineers, and Duncanson Surveying. Move-ins are anticipated to begin in November of 2027.