The Urban League of Middle Tennessee (Nashville, TN) announced a more than $5 million grant from Amazon to launch ULMT RED – Urban League of Middle Tennessee Real Estate Developers Academy, an initiative focused on accelerating new opportunities for emerging real estate developers of color while also increasing affordable housing in Nashville. The program, which is free of charge to participants, aims to foster careers and lower the obstacles that emerging real estate developers can face when trying to get real estate projects off the ground.

The goal of ULMT RED is to increase the number of real estate developers of color who are focused on affordable housing and inclusive community building across Nashville-Davidson County. Not only are these developers underrepresented in the real estate industry, they also lack access to the capital and resources necessary to advance much-needed affordable housing projects to help their communities.

We're taking the ALL IN campaign on the road! Presented by Shea Moisture, we along with the National Action Network and the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation are helping communities get “Fresh & Vaxxed” this holiday season. 

Click here for details. 

American democracy is at risk. Here’s what we think needs to change in America to protect our rights and preserve our economy. | We’re taking ALL IN on the road. We’ve partnered with Shea Moisture to help communities get Fresh & Vaxxed this holiday season. Find out more. | New episode alert! This week we sit down with the President of NARAL Pro-Choice America to discuss the impact of Roe v. Wade. Tune in. | Our vote, our voice. We need the Senate to take a stand. It’s time to end the filibuster and enact federal voting rights. Learn more.

Originally Published: August 8, 2022 National Urban League and the PepsiCo Foundation are pleased to announce the first 100 grantees of the Black Restaurant Accelerator Program, a joint $10 million initiative that will provide 500 Black restaurant owners in 12 cities over the next five years with capital, technical assistance, and mentorship services. The program provides critical support to Black restaurateurs who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

National Urban League and the PepsiCo Foundation recognize the vital contributions of Black-owned restaurants to the fabric of American culture, as well as the need to preserve these institutions. The program provides a tangible pathway towards substantive pandemic recovery and lasting economic equity. A list of the first 100 grantees can be found here:

Exact Sciences announced the company is committing $500,000 to support construction of the Urban League of Greater Madison’s (Madison, WI) Black Business Hub (The Hub) on the city’s south side. Exact Sciences also plans to lease space in the building to connect with job seekers and community organizations, adding the company’s name to a growing roster of public and private sector tenants at The Hub.

“Few organizations are as consistent and persistent as the Urban League when it comes to improving lives and creating economic opportunity,” said Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences. “The Hub will offer formal and informal programming, create new supply chain opportunities for area businesses, and give entrepreneurs a place to call home. We cannot wait to see it open.”

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

“If Congress fails to pass the Freedom to Vote Act, American democracy will be at critical risk … Defenders of democracy in America still have a slim window of opportunity to act. But time is ticking away, and midnight is approaching. To lose our democracy but preserve the filibuster in its current form—in which a minority can block popular legislation without even having to hold the floor—would be a short-sighted blunder that future historians will forever puzzle over.” — “Statement in Support of the Freedom to Vote Act,” an open letter signed by more than 150 scholars of US democracy 

This week, the Biden administration convened 111 world leaders in a virtual meeting dubbed the Summit for Democracy.

National Urban League President Congratulates New Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission  

Birmingham Urban League (Birmingham, AL), a community based organization, is stepping up to fill a void once handled by the Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (JCCEO).

JCCEO had to relinquish all grants and stop all programs due to financial struggles. Now the Birmingham Urban League is seeing more clients come in for utility assistance.

Since JCCEO is no longer able to offer it’s programs, some residents say they were worried they wouldn’t have anywhere to turn to.

“I put it like this, there’s a lot of folks drowning, a lot of people need help, not only just me, a lot of people need something, they ain’t got nowhere to go," said Birmingham resident Glenn Hampton.

Birmingham Urban League is seeing a 30% increase in clients coming through their door just this week.

“We are having conversations about how we can best stand up and fill in the hole," said Birmingham Urban League President/CEO William Barnes.

At 91 years old, Civil Rights leader Xernona Clayton said she isn't resting.

"Our fight always is to encourage everybody to join the fight. That's how you win," Clayton said.

She said the battle isn't over yet. Clayton was an aid to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and had her start in civil rights with the Urban League in Chicago.

"What's really disconcerting to those of us who were on the fight every day is that the victories we thought we had won, we're looking at it now as maybe it wasn't a real victory because it didn't last long," Clayton said.

Louisville Urban League (Louisville, KY) hosted the Annual IMPACT Report Luncheon at Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center on West Muhammad Ali Boulevard.

Clayton was a speaker at the event. Urban League President and CEO Sadiqa Reynolds reflected on the past and made plans for the future.