Recently, the Affiliate Newswire (ANW) team had the opportunity to speak with legendary Urban Leaguer, Esther L. Bush (EB) as she reflects on her extraordinary career.

“I think working for the Urban League, literally, is one of the best jobs in America for an African American leader.” – Esther Bush

ANW: I guess I’ll start with something you led off with a few moments ago about the Urban League being one of the best jobs that you can have as an African American leader – why do you feel that way?

Community leaders coming together today demanding an action plan to bring more affordable housing in Franklin County. The leaders say the city is in crisis mode.

Columbus Urban League (Columbus, OH) President and CEO Stephanie Hightower says the housing problem is a crisis on par with COVID-19.

“Since July our team at the Columbus Urban League has fielded more than 12,000 calls. This is just from July from people at risk of losing their home,” she said.

Hightower says that’s about 3,000 calls a month.

The overwhelming need is why many community leaders came together to demand an action plan from the city and county officials and to include them at the table when trying to resolve the problem.

“We are demanding a comprehensive affordable action plan,“ said Nana Watson, the President of the Columbus NAACP. “We all need to get on the same page as we begin to address homelessness in our community.”

The Chicago Urban League’s (Chicago, IL) highly anticipated, star-studded 60th annual Golden Fellowship Dinner returned last weekend to raise $1.6 million one year after the in-person event was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Boyz II Men and a surprise performance by Grammy Award-winning Rhythm and Blues star Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds led a powerful come-back of the black-tie event, which raised just over $1 million after it went all virtual last year because of COVID-19 concerns.

The black-tie gala was themed “60 Years and Onward: Meeting the Moment with the Movement.”

The event was viewed as part of a pivotal year for the Chicago Urban League as it recovers from the pandemic. The proceeds will be used to fund many of the organization’s programs.

One video at a time, community members in Elyria, Ohio combat the COVID-19 pandemic with personal testimonials about receiving the vaccine. Led by the Lorraine County Urban League (Elyria, OH) in partnership with the county, they fight a common adversary by working together to end COVID-19. 

To watch the full video, click here 

It’s official! With the holiday season quickly approaching, children as young as 5 years old can now be vaxxed. Learn more. | Our vote, our voice. Read more on how without reforming the filibuster, our right to vote will continuously remain unprotected + undervalued. | Happy Native American Heritage Month! This month, we’re honoring the history, culture & influences of our Native American brothers + sisters.| Build Back Better Agenda. Read more on how the Biden-Harris Administration plans to reset the trajectory of America’s economy. | New jobs report. Dr. Bernard Anderson, our Chief Economics Adviser, shares an in-depth look at the state of the economy. Here’s what the numbers tell us. | It’s time to BOSS up! This week, we sit down with Cameka Smith to discuss the importance of giving women of color a community of their own.

“Partisan sabotage bills … are a new and dangerous twist on the same legislative agenda. Each is driven by the Big Lie that there is widespread voter fraud. And each is part of a broader ongoing partisan project to thwart democratic elections and rig electoral outcomes, especially by undermining or canceling the votes of people of color. Each is antidemocratic and toxic to a free and fair society. And each demands urgent intervention by Congress to prevent irreparable corruption of our electoral system..” – The Brennan Center, The Election Sabotage Scheme and How Congress Can Stop It

How much do your senators care about voter suppression? How committed are they to our most sacred constitutional right? What have they done, and what are they willing to do, to defend it?

The Civil Rights Scorecard answers those questions.

A week after a minority of U.S. Senators blocked the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a coalition of civil rights organizations is calling out Senators standing in the way of legislation to protect voting rights, advocating for rule changes to advance legislation.

The Urban League of Portland, the Northwest Credit Union Foundation, and five Portland-area credit unions today announced a new partnership designed to advance the financial well-being of Black Oregonians.

The purpose of the new pilot program, called the Financial Empowerment Collaborative (FEC), is to foster financial empowerment in Portland’s Black community and provide solid pathways for participants on their path to financial and housing stability and wealth creation.

The FEC’s approach will focus on addressing Black Oregonians’ unique needs, so they can gain access to supportive products, services, education, and financial tools. The program will include customized financial education and coaching, case management, and an environment where participants can easily access essential credit union products and services.

The New York Urban League (New York, NY), in partnership with the NYUL – Young Professionals, and Riverbank State Park will host their Annual College & Career Fair on Saturday, November 13th, 2021.   The fair will be held at Riverbank State Park at 679 Riverside Drive at 145th Street, from 11:00am-3:00pm.

This year’s fair will offer students access to HBCU, as well as local CUNY/SUNY admissions representatives, alumni, and staff, along with college and scholarship resources from partner organizations.   Notable HBCU schools participating include Lincoln, Hampton, Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, South Carolina State, Xavier, and Delaware State.  We will also have representatives from SUNY and CUNY.