The Louisville Urban League (Louisville, KY) is seeking $50 million dollars from area leaders in hopes of getting Black people integrated for success into the community.

It just received a grant for $8 million from a New York philanthropic group, Blue Meridian Partners, to fund programs to help integrate ‘Black Louisville’ for success.

Sadiqa Reynolds, the Louisville Urban League President & CEO, says the grant shows the organization that the voices of protesters, Black families and business owners have been heard.

“It is really good news,” Reynolds said. “It’s exciting to have people from outside your community say ‘We see you, we see the work, we want to make sure help move it forward.’ That’s what it’s all about.”

Reynolds says the money will be invested in Louisville’s Black community. The CEO says the money will transform lives, allowing Black people to learn how to be a business owner, homeowner and get educated.

The Greater Stark County Urban League (Canton, OH) has been awarded $50,000 to start a workforce development program for underserved residents. 

Diane Robinson, President and CEO of the urban league, said LaunchPoint will offer "low- or no-cost training" and job placement. A key part of the program is connecting clients to community services, such as transportation and childcare, to enable long-term employment.

"LaunchPoint will help the unemployed and underemployed obtain education and training that will move them into middle-skills jobs that pay living wages and also provide a path for career advancement," Robinson said.

There are no eligibility requirements, but the program is intended to serve African American and Latino or Hispanic residents, she said. In addition to partnering with employers and community services, the urban league uses "emotional intelligence, cultural competence and trauma-informed practices" to overcome societal barriers.

By Nolan D. McCaskill, Politico 

Leaders of several civil rights groups laid out their recommendations on Tuesday for the type of attorney general President-elect Joe Biden should nominate to head the Justice Department.

The virtual conclave between seven civil rights leaders and Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), an incoming senior adviser to the president, comes as the president-elect continues to fill out his government.

Biden introduced members of his health team earlier on Tuesday, and POLITICO reported that he intends to nominate Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development and former Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa to run the Department of Agriculture.

To read the full article Click Here.

By Elizabeth Crisp, Newsweek

Several prominent civil rights leaders are urging President-elect Joe Biden to nominate a Black person to be his attorney general, citing pressing issues like voting rights, police violence and prison concerns that disproportionately have affected the Black community.

"My preference is to have a Black attorney general," the Rev. Al Sharpton, president and founder of the National Action Network, told reporters Tuesday evening after he and other leaders held a virtual meeting with Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. "The least we can have is someone with a proven civil rights background."

We need YOU. On December 14th, we want all the action at the polls. Georgia residents, rally your friends + family and VOTE EARLY. | Let’s clear the air. We know that Black Americans are far more skeptical than whites about a COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s how we're addressing those concerns. | We’ve got answers! Thursday’s townhall dropped gems on unanswered questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. Did you miss it? Catch the replay NOW. | Cash Rules Everything Around Me. Rep. Ro Khanna discusses the economy’s shift towards cashless and contactless payments due to COVID-19. Tune in!

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEOeague
National Urban League

“We affirm that Black Lives Matter. And as Black health professionals, we have a higher calling to stand for racial justice and to fight for health equity. In the spirit of unconditional love for every single Black American, we have locked arms in an initiative to place the health and safety of our community at the heart of the national conversation about COVID-19. Respect for our Black bodies and our Black lives must be a core value for those who are working to find the vaccine for this virus that has already taken so many of our loved ones.” – A Love Letter to Black America from America’s Black Doctors and Nurses

Is the coronavirus vaccine safe? How many of the trial participants are Black? How much will it cost?

Congratulations to the five recipients of the Courvoisier® Cognac Grant! Courvoisier and the National Urban League have seen the enormous and disproportionate impact that COVID-19 has had on Black business owners first-hand, and we are excited for the opportunity to help these entrepreneurs grow and scale at this critical time.

NEW YORK (December 9, 2020) – The National Urban League has received a $7 million donation from AbbVie, a research-based global biopharmaceutical company, to support underserved Black communities across the United States. AbbVie’s commitment will support the organization’s efforts to prepare Black and other historically underserved youth for college and careers, helping them achieve post-secondary success with increased progress in math, reading, and writing through the National Urban League’s Project Ready: Mentor mentorship program.