The Fort Wayne Urban League’s (Ft. Wayne, IN) massive weeklong Juneteenth celebration continued Thursday evening with an event called Lawn and Learn.

Dozens spread lawn chairs across the grass on the Urban League’s offices for an interactive back-and-forth over ways to keep improving Fort Wayne and empowering communities today and the future.

With a diverse age pool in the crowd, one of the questions that generated the most discussion was how millennials and elders in the community can peacefully coexist and get work done together.

Unity within the community was a central theme of the evening. Event moderator Janiece Norfleet noted the importance of collaboration towards that goal.

“We all have a place in our society and our community, and if we’re stepping on each other’s shoes trying to be seen, the whole community suffers.”

Building back our communities. In 2025 we are going #HomeToHarlem! Here’s everything you should know about our new headquarters. | Happy Juneteenth! Today we celebrate the freedom and liberation of enslaved people in Texas who were emancipated 156 years ago. Learn more. | Celebrating all dads! This Father’s Day, we honor all fathers + father figures who are the protectors and providers of their loved ones. | Catch up on the gems! This week we hosted the 18th annual Legislative Policy Conference. Watch the full replay. | Summer is here! Schools out and summer camps are in session. Here’s how you and your loved ones can stay safe this season. | Save the date. Join us on June 23rd for a Power Hour on Black men’s health discussing physical + mental health and COVID-19. Learn more. | Protect your vote. Our votes cannot be silenced. Here’s how you can urge the Senate to pass the For the People Act of 2021.

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The head of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City (Kansas City, MO) is seeking court action, filing a motion Monday to join a lawsuit filed by the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners against Mayor Quinton Lucas and the City Council challenging a measure that gives the city authority over a portion of the police department’s budget,

In her filing, Urban League president Gwen Grant alleges that the “current policing structure” fails to give Kansas City taxpayers a voice in how the police department spends its money.

Grant said she took the action on behalf of the city’s taxpayers because “the ‘Taxation Without Representation’ scheme maintained in the police board’s lawsuit and the current policing structure violates” the Missouri Hancock Amendment, which is a citizens’ initiative that limits state revenues and local taxes.

Residents of Columbus, Ohio will soon have a hundred new reasons to get vaccinated.

The Columbus City Council is set to vote Monday on legislation offering $100 as an incentive to get vaccinated against coronavirus, though the jab must be received after Monday.

Though there are no income eligibility restrictions, only 2,750 people can get the $100 — $50 for each of the two doses administered for Pfizer or Modern’s jab — as there is only $275,000 is available to dispense, according to the outlet.

For those who take part in the program and get Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose shot, they’ll receive $100 at once.

Administered by the Columbus Urban League (Columbus, OH), residents will be able to register on a website for the program once the legislation is given the green light.

Five hundred volunteers across St. Louis cleaned up the city during the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)’s Clean Sweep.

Volunteers walked neighborhoods, cleaning up trash, debris and overgrowth. Nine abandoned, unsalvageable buildings were knocked down.         

"It is an effort to work on the physical appearance of some of our more challenged neighborhoods," said James Clark of the Urban League.

Clark said Clean Sweep targets vacant properties and neighborhood eyesores that can't be saved.

"We really want Clean Sweep to be a day where the entire St. Louis Metro area wakes up, picks up a trash bag and just goes out into their neighborhood on their block and cleans up," Clark said.

The Urban League hopes this effort unifies the city. Two more Clean Sweeps are scheduled this summer and fall.