A basketball event that celebrated the restoration of the court at the Greenleaf Community Center — just in time for summer pick-up games — netted $7,500 in donations for five area nonprofits.

Roughly 50 area residents attended the festivities, which included a demonstration by a comedic basketball troupe called the Court Jesters. Several dozen adults and children took part in the Helping Hoops Challenge. As part of this game that benefitted nonprofits, participants took shots at the basket from three designated points on the court—one that was “kid-friendly” for younger children. 

Track and Field will be the focus of the upcoming Sports and Learning Complex in West Louisville.

Development plans are moving forward at 30th and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, with the Louisville Urban League launching Phase II of the fundraising campaign on Thursday. The complex, which will sit on a 24-acre lot, will feature both an indoor and outdoor track, encouraging people all over the city to utilize the space to grow their skills.

“I live across the street from there now and it’s concrete and weeds,” neighbor Beverly Turner said. “So we’re looking forward to what it will become and what it will do for our neighborhood.”

Call it politically correct. Or very on-trend. Either way, the Houston Area Urban League's (Houston, TX) 51st annual "Equal Opportunity Day Gala" answered a rather important question.

Who run the world (er, Houston)?

Women.

Saturday night's black-tie soiree at Hilton Americas-Houston proved a study in girl power at the highest level.

On June 22, 2019, the Urban League of Louisiana (New Orleans, LA) Guild will host an Educational Symposium entitled “Bridging the Educational Gap: From Surviving to Thriving.” Panel discussions will be moderated by Anchor Gina Swanson of WDSU New-6 and consist of educators and community activist across the city and educational spectrum.

Panel topics: “Ensuring Equity in Education” and “The ABC’s and 123’s of Special Education and Discipline”

We are extremely proud to once again honor our Guild volunteers who have made extraordinary contributions to the growth and development of our great Urban League Movement. An exemplary Guild member will be selected as the recipient of the prestigious Mollie Moon Volunteer Service Award for 2019. The award will be presented at our 2019 National Urban League Conference in Indianapolis, IN during the National Council of Urban League Guild Leadership Luncheon, Friday, July 26th at 12:30 P.M.

June is Pride Month and we're proud to support the Equality Act, which fights discrimination. Let's get it passed! 

Racine's first expungement clinic could help people with past convictions, arrests or court debts overcome barriers to employment.

The clinic was organized by the Urban League of Racine and Kenosha (Racine, WI), Legal Action of Wisconsin, city and county officials, and numerous other community groups. The Urban League of Racine and Kenosha said it saw the clinic's success in Madison and wanted to bring it to the area.

"We run a report for everyone for their full record report, and then they sit down with the volunteer attorneys and they review everything. They do as much work on site that they can do to get records taken off," said Maggie Niebler-Brown, attorney coordinator for Legal Action of Wisconsin.

Los Angeles Urban League’s (Los Angeles, CA) new Construction Career Academy seeks to prepare students for union apprenticeships by focusing on passing the written and oral exams for entry into a trade union.

The training sessions will run for eight weeks and include 64 hours of instruction covering topics such as mathematics, interview techniques, workplace safety protocols, and skills to help candidates stay on the job and thrive in their new career.

Illinois is investing tens of millions of dollars to make sure no one is missed in the 2020 census.

State lawmakers included $29 million in the budget. The majority of the money will go to community groups to educate the public on how the census works and how the government uses the information it collects, according to Sol Flores, a deputy governor leading the census efforts.

She said about 10 percent will be earmarked for radio, television and online ads encouraging census participation. And a small amount will go to the administration of the grants and ad campaign.

A former Lion’s Choice restaurant location will soon become a training center for job-seekers hoping to work in the restaurant industry.

The Lion’s Choice restaurant chain has donated one of its locations in north St. Louis County to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO), which will use the facility as a job training center.

The idea was “born of a recognition that people in our community need opportunity, and the restaurants need people,” said Bob Bonney, CEO of the Missouri Restaurant Association, which is partnering in the project.