Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League
 

“The kid we had first seen as spoiled — bickering with established stars next to him to whom we thought he should have shown deference — we saw now as an avuncular figure generously sharing his knowledge of the game with younger players who grew up idolizing his talent … We watched him step into the role of a retired athlete, not commentating on TV, but lending his energy, fame and wealth to foundations to help people in need — kids at risk, veterans struggling to transition to civilian life, and the homeless.” -- Kevin B. Blackistone

The sudden death of a beloved public figure in the prime of his life is always a shock. When Kobe Bryant took the basketball world by storm in the mid-1990s, anyone could have predicted he’d leave his mark on the game.  Many could even have predicted he’d transition into a successful business career, as so many former pro athletes have done. 

New Jersey ends prison gerrymandering. The state will now count incarcerated people where they lived, not where they are imprisoned. Here's why this is a win.| Deadline approaching. January 31st is the last day to save on registration for this summer's National Urban League Conference in Houston. Don’t miss out! | 2020 Join Week. If you're a young professional looking to give back and network, this is your chance. Learn more during the kickoff call with Marc Morial on Jan. 29. |Want to buy a home? Homeownership can feel out of reach but it doesn’t have to. We are here to simplify the process! Learn more and find out how to get started. | New episode! With all the talk about possible war with Iran, we chat with a foreign policy expert who walks us through how we got in the current crisis. Take a listen.

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League
 

“When districts with prisons receive enhanced representation, every other district in the state without a prison sees its votes diluted. And this vote dilution is even larger in the districts with the highest incarceration rates. Thus, the communities that bear the most direct costs of crime are therefore the communities that are the biggest victims of prison-based gerrymandering. The Census Bureau’s decision to count incarcerated people in the wrong place interferes with equal representation in virtually every state.” – Prison Policy Initiative, The Prison Gerrymandering Project
 
The Census is one of the most powerful tools the African American community has to claim our rightful voice in the political, legislative and social institutions of our nation.

Unfortunately, it also is one of the most abused.

MLK Observance. Don't miss Marc Morial's keynote speech at the Calvary Baptist Church in New Jersey on Monday! Follow updates on social media (@MarcMorial) | MLK Day. One way to honor Dr. King on his 91st birthday is to participate in Day of Service. Find an opportunity to serve your local community. | Hate crimes and Jewish-Black tensions. In the wake of the anti-Semitic attack at a Rabbi’s home in New York, it’s time to put aside our differences and come together. | Remembering James Buford. He spent over 25 years fighting for economic empowerment as head of the Urban League of St. Louis. More on his legacy. | Time is ticking. January 31st is the last day to save before registration prices go up for this year's National Urban League Conference. Don’t miss out! | What's new in DC? From impeachment to Oscars So White and the campaign trail, there’s a lot happening in the news. Washington Bureau Insider has the latest!

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League
 
“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

A report that hate crimes surged in America’s five largest cities last year has broken just as we prepare to honor the nation’s best-known victim of a hate crime.

The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, found that hate crimes were at their highest level since September 11, 2001, in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, with the Jewish community being the most frequent target in all five of the cities.