Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

“The history of the United States is a story about the disenfranchisement of millions based on their Blackness. More than a hundred years of violent voter suppression, poll taxes, literacy tests, and gerrymandering have created a climate that is nothing shy of hostile towards Black men that choose to stand up and be a part of the electoral process.” – The Black Male Voter Project

In a presidential campaign that has been overwhelmingly centered on the issues of women’s reproductive rights, immigration, and taxation of the ultra-wealthy, it would be understandable if we – especially the younger ones among us -- didn’t feel the same sense of urgency about voting as other groups.

George Floyd changed the world. As we mark what would’ve been his 51st birthday, we continue to honor his legacy by demanding police reform. | Black History matters. See how the Department of Justice’s review of the Tulsa Massacre will ensure justice for the descendants of the victims. | Are you vaxxed? Set your appointment today to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine to boost your immune system. Find out more. | Civil Rights Breakfast. See a few photos from our President & CEO Marc H. Morial's keynote address at the powerful gathering organized by the City of Baltimore's Office of Equity & Civil Rights. | Greetings from Atlanta! This week, we visited the cradle of the civil rights movement to discuss what’s at stake in the upcoming election. Read more. | Are you voting? There are tons of reasons to #ReclaimYourVote, and your vote will make a difference in the upcoming election. Take a look. | Hurricane Helene relief. The Urban League of Central Carolinas and Winston-Salem Urban League are raising funds for people in need. Donate now. | Mark your calendars! Join our FREE webinar on October 23rd for tips and resources on how to level up your LinkedIn profile. Register now.

What would it mean to have a more engaged and educated electorate in Northeast Indiana? Several groups and stakeholders are asking this question and putting in the work to get people excited and energized to show up on Election Day. 

A burst of color has been added to Broad Street in Elyria.

Local students in the Lorain County Urban League’s (Elyria, OH) Project Ready program put the finishing touches on a mural that now covers the side of a wall on 354 Broad St. on Monday afternoon.

The students were a small contingent of 53 total students in the program, an after-school organization that prepares students for life after high school, who worked together alongside the Elyria Community Partnership over the summer to design the mural.

The mural, titled “A Place to be Yourself,” includes sights from Elyria like the West Falls of the Black River, people playing basketball and riding bikes, and flowers.

The Los Angeles Urban League (Los Angeles, CA) will partner with NBC4/KNBC and Telemundo 52/KVEA to present the second annual State of Black Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Town and Gown Banquet Hall on the campus of the University of Southern California (USC).  The program will also be livestreamed on KNBC and Telemundo.

The panel series will cover three main areas: housing and homelessness, health access and equity, and economic empowerment – building wealth. A wide range of experts will provide factual information and critical insight on each topic.

It's another day for Brandon Rash and his team with the Metropolitan Urban League of St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) to pound the pavement, knock on homeowners' doors and ask if they may put a sign in their front yards.

"We spend at least three hours a day in the community. We're trying to get one sign in everybody's yard on every street, highways. We need it everywhere, " said Rash, the organization's Lead Urban Engagement Specialist.

Not just any sign, but one with an important message: "Slow Down St. Louis — our main goal is just trying to get everybody aware that we do have a speeding problem in St. Louis," added Rash.

In March, the Urban League kicked off its Slow Down Public Awareness Campaign.

Five days a week, its Urban Engagement Specialists walk through neighborhoods in St. Louis city and County and post these yard signs, in hopes of putting the brakes on what they call "vehicular violence."