The COVID-19 shutdown in Pennsylvania occurred in March 2020, which quickly resulted in lost jobs and people who were suddenly unable to make their rent and mortgage payments. 

Mr. Ramy Ali was unfortunately one of many who was negatively impacted by the virus. Due to COVID-19 he was furloughed from his hotel job and unable to pay rent as a result. Adding to the financial strain, Mr. Ali is a married father of four children. He visited the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh or ULGP (Pittsburgh, PA) seeking help to prevent eviction from his home. The ULGP provided Mr. Ali with rental counseling, which includes creating a sustainable budget and action plan to help plan for future spending.

Chase Bank, the consumer and commercial banking subsidiary of JP Morgan Chase, announced its partnership with  78 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), to help 27,000 students celebrate their graduation this weekend. According to Chase,  leaders and entertainers joined forces for a virtual commencement.

Hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, the event included a special message from former President Barack Obama, as well as commencement speeches, well-wishes, and performances from actors, entertainers, and sports stars. The virtual graduation also featured National Urban League president Marc Morial, Chase Consumer Banking CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett, and academic leaders.

Show Me Your Walk HBCU Edition was live-streamed on Chase’s YouTube and Twitter channels, JPMorgan Chase’s LinkedIn channel, and HBCU Connect’s Facebook page.

Longstanding structural racism and inequity contribute to a range of risk factors that make Black Americans more likely to contract and die from COVID-19, according to a new report from the Chicago Urban League’s (Chicago, IL) Research & Policy Center.

The report, titled An Epidemic of Inequities: Structural Racism and COVID-19 in the Black Community, notes that while Black people account for just 13 percent of the national population, they make up about 30 percent of confirmed cases of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

In Chicago, which the report uses as a mini case study, Blacks are 30 percent of the population but account for 60 percent of COVID-19 deaths. That’s the highest mortality rate of any racial or ethnic group (45 per 100,000).

Almost 40,000 eggs. About 6,600 cans of corn and green beans. At least 13,000 light bulbs.

Those items were among an estimated $200,000 worth of food, toiletries and other supplies distributed Saturday at the old Jamestown Mall. For more than three hours, vehicles crawled through the former mall’s parking lots for the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis‘ (St. Louis, Mo) seventh large-scale food giveaway since early April.

Saturday’s was the biggest event yet as the need grows across the region amid the coronavirus pandemic, Urban League President Michael McMillan said. Thankfully, he said, so have the donations.

“It’s because of an amazing show of generosity from the whole St. Louis community,” he said.

McMillan estimated about 17,000 families have received goods valued at a total of about $800,000 since the giveaways began.

Are you ready to get off the bench and get back in the game? Learn how to transition back to working after an extended leave from the workplace, at the next #DCSS webinar: Returning & Thriving, featuring guest speaker Erika Broadwater. Erika is the National President at the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources.

Event Date: May 20th, 2020 – Wednesday

Event Time: 12 PM EST – 1 PM EST

To register, click here: http://bit.ly/DCSS_Returning

National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial today announced that the League’s anticipated 2020 Conference, slated for August in Houston, will not take place due to the current international health crisis.

“Due to the overwhelmingly devastating effect of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the National Urban League has made the decision not to host a live event in Houston, Texas this year for our 2020 Conference,” Morial said. “This has been an extraordinarily difficult decision, demanded by an extraordinary set of circumstances.”

“Even though a live event will not take place this year, the spirit of the Conference and our commitment to meeting the challenges facing Black America remains at the forefront of the Urban League Movement’s efforts as we continue to lead the nation in confronting the health and economic crises of the pandemic.”

By Lango Deen, US Black Engineer

Chase Bank, the consumer and commercial banking subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase, announced its partnership with 78 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), to help 27,000 students celebrate their graduation this weekend. According to Chase,  leaders and entertainers joined forces for a virtual commencement.

Hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, the event included a special message from former President Barack Obama, as well as commencement speeches, well-wishes, and performances from actors, entertainers, and sports stars. The virtual graduation also featured National Urban League president Marc Morial, Chase Consumer Banking CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett, and academic leaders.

Show Me Your Walk HBCU Edition was live-streamed on Chase’s YouTube and Twitter channels, JPMorgan Chase’s LinkedIn channel, and HBCU Connect’s Facebook page.

Join us in watching the virtual theatrical release of American Trial: The Eric Garner story. We will be hosting a live stream event with Q&A featuring CBS' Michelle Miller on Thursday, May 21st. 

American Trial: The Eric Garner Story is an unscripted, hybrid fiction-documentary about the case that never happened. A mock trial with the real players (with the exception of the actor who plays Pantaleo), the film depicts the trial that would have followed Garner’s death had Pantaleo been indicted. In the pursuit of accuracy, balance, and unbiased accountability, the film uses former New York State prosecutors, real attorneys, and actual witnesses, all to present to the jury – in this case, the audience - the facts necessary to determine Pantaleo's guilt or innocence. No script. Only real people and real testimonies in a courtroom setting through a cinematic lens.

What's the latest? Marc Morial is back with updates on COVID-19, unemployment rates, local resources, and more. Watch the Facebook Live video. | Ahmaud Arbery. We must push for justice and accountability in the tragic killing of 25-year-old Arbery. Here's more on where the case stands. | Celebrating the class of 2020! Don't miss today's livestream graduation at 2PM ET, featuring Barack Obama, Kevin Hart, our very own Marc Morial, and more. | Returning & thriving. Are you ready to get off the bench and get back in the game? Learn how to transition back to working after an extended leave from the office. | Must watch! "I can't breathe" sparked a nationwide rallying cry. Watch the new film, American Trial: The Eric Garner Story, that explores the tragic 2014 incident. | Let's Make Black Count. It’s not too late to fill out your Census form! Do it online from your phone, tablet, or laptop; it only takes 10 minutes or less. | Inside scoop. Our D.C. office has the latest on getting justice for the horrific killings of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. Read up on that and more.