Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

“No one does big things by themselves. Right now, when people are scared, it’s easy to be cynical and say let me just look out for myself, or my family, or people who look or think or pray like me. But if we’re going to get through these difficult times; if we’re going to create a world where everybody has the opportunity to find a job, and afford college; if we’re going to save the environment and defeat future pandemics, then we’re going to have to do it together.” – President Barack Obama, National High School Class of 2020 Commencement

Like proud fathers everywhere, I was looking forward to the high school graduation of my only son this spring. It’s a rite of passage not only for the young men and women making a transition into adulthood, but also the families who nurtured them along the way.

Originally Published: May 22, 2020
by Lydia Blanco, Black Enterprise

Black and Latinx communities have been hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. With record-breaking reports of job loss and health disparities being reported nationally, the preexisting conditions many people faced prior to the pandemic have been brought to the attention to millions.

By Marilynn Marchione, AP Chief Medical Writer, KTVL.com

An experimental vaccine against the coronavirus showed encouraging results in very early testing, triggering hoped-for immune responses in eight healthy, middle-aged volunteers, its maker announced Monday. 

In all, 45 people have received one or two shots of the vaccine, which was being tested at three different doses. The kind of detailed antibody results needed to assess responses are only available on eight volunteers so far.

To read the full story Click Here.

Originally Published: May 21, 2020 In response to alarming evidence of the continued disparate, negative impact of COVID-19, PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP) and its philanthropic arm, The PepsiCo Foundation, today launched an initiative to provide increased medical and economic aid to communities of color across the country where the company has long worked. The $7 million initiative is a comprehensive project to support immediate relief and long-term recovery.

Watch Now: Valerie Jarrett, Grant Hill And Marc Morial Join Fourth NBA Together Virtual Roundtable On Systemic Inequality And Covid-19’s Impact On Black America 

WHO:     
       
Valerie Jarrett – Senior Distinguished Fellow at the University of Chicago Law School and Senior Advisor to the Obama Foundation

Grant Hill – Naismith Hall of Famer, Vice Chairman of the Atlanta Hawks & Turner Sports Analyst

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).