CHICAGO – The Chicago Urban League (Chicago, IL) is playing a major part in the city’s quest to convert all city facilities and operations to renewable energy by 2025.

Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, along with the city’s Department of Assets, Information and Services (AIS) visited the Urban League to announce the agreement. The agreement is with Constellation, in collaboration with Swift Current Energy.

The solar project will be named Double Black Diamond Solar, and will be one of the largest solar projects in Illinois.

The agreement has several key important workforce development and equity commitments, which is where the Urban League comes in.

CHARLOTTE – The Urban League of Central Carolinas (Charlotte, NC), in a effort to expand their services to the community, has opened a new building in east Charlotte.

On Wednesday, August 10th, the Urban League had a grand opening for their new Digital Innovation Center, located at the East Town Market. The center was built to provide job training by giving certification courses and monthly training sessions.

“Our goal with this new office was to be able to offer the same services to east Charlotte residents,” said Urban League President and CEO Teddy McDaniel.

CHATTANOOGA – The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga (Chattanooga, TN) had the incredible distinction of inducting three members to the prestigious Quarter Century Club.

Last month, during the National Urban League’s annual conference that took place in Washington, D.C., the Chattanooga affiliate inducted Judge Curtis Collier, Dorothy Lee Grisham, and Albert Waterhouse to the Quarter Century Club. The Quarter Century Club is a distinguished group of individuals that have dedicated 25 years of service to the NUL movement. This group includes affiliate board members, Guild members, affiliate or NUL staff members, or any combination of these positions.

Remembering Nichelle Nichols. See why we honor the legacy of the Star Trek star who broke down barriers for people of color in entertainment. | Martha's Vineyard. We spent the week celebrating films, diversity, and leadership, thanks to our partners Cannes Can: Diversity Collective and MVAAFF. | A win for the Movement & the nation. Join us in congratulating two Urban League leaders, both officially confirmed to the Department of Commerce. | There’s no time to wait. The COVID-19 variants are on a transmissible world tour and your first line of defense is to get vaxxed + boosted. Find help here. | You can play it back! Tune into the replay of #NULConf22 and catch gems on securing the bag, professional development, social justice + much more.

WASHINGTON, DC (August 12, 2022) – Today, the National Urban League and National Action Network commended Verizon for ending its contract with One American Network (OAN) – the latest network to drop the conservative outlet for spreading false information and conspiracy theories that helped incite the deadly January 6 insurrection.

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.”