Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League
 

On January 8, 2011, I was performing my favorite duty as a Congresswoman—meeting with my constituents—when it happened. In a matter of seconds, a gunman shot and killed six people, injured 12 others, and shot me in the head outside a Safeway in Tucson, Arizona. I keep the memories of those we lost that day—nine-year-old Christina-Taylor Green, Dorothy Morris, Phyllis Schneck, Dorwan Stoddard, Gabe Zimmerman, and Judge John Roll—close to my heart. And I will be forever bonded to my fellow survivors who will spend the rest of their lives dealing with injuries and trauma. – Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords

Sometimes, Cleopatra Pendleton walks to her closet and runs her hands through a sequined yellow dress. It was the dress her daughter Hadiya wore to her eighth-grade graduation luncheon.

We gather today in the year of the 155th anniversary of the 15th Amendment, the 100th anniversary of women suffer age and the 65th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. It’s also a moment where contempt for those victories permeates the body politic in too many corners of this very powerful city.

In August of 2016, Donald Trump stood before an overwhelmingly white crowd at a campaign rally in suburban Michigan and implored Black voters to support him, asking “What the hell do you have to lose?”

Shortly after his inauguration, he wasted no time in showing us what we had lost.

Voters struggling to get to the polls can look to Lyft.

On Friday, the ride share service announced that it would be expanding its free and discounted ride program throughout the primary calendar and general election. Part of the company's LyftUp initiative — a charitable effort that helps in-need riders of all kinds — the Voting Access Program will start with the Iowa caucus on Monday. 

MIT has selected four nonprofits that serve survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation to receive gifts totaling $850,000. This is the amount that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein donated to the Institute between 2002 and 2017, as determined by a recently completed review.

The first piece of the expansive REACH Riverside community revitalization project is nearly set to open its doors on Wilmington’s East Side.

The Warehouse – billed as community space “For Teens, By Teens” – could be ready as soon as next month.

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) is issuing a call to action for black men in the community.

The organization held an event Saturday focused on addressing public safety and offering resources for change, it was called the “Calling All Black Men to Action Town Hall Summit.”

"People don't listen as much to what we say as to what we do. We have to put our money where our mouth is. We have to be doers. Not just saying what we have to do," said attendee Ron Ross.

St. Louis police data reveals 143 of the victims out of the nearly 200 homicides in the city in 2019 were black men. Urban League President Michael McMillan said he wanted the “Save Our Son’s” initiative to push the summit to help black men to find ways to reduce crime, get jobs, renew hope and opportunity.

Remembering Kobe Bryant. As we mourn the loss of the NBA legend, we look back at his life and legacy, both on and off the basketball court. | Black History Month is here. And it kicks off with the 60th anniversary of the Greensboro Four, who staged a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter and sparked a larger movement. Follow @NatUrbanLeague on social media for more coverage! | CBC Summit. The stakes for Black America couldn’t be higher. Explore solutions to secure our future with Marc Morial and others at Congressional Black Caucus' event.