“Education is important because, first of all, people need to know that discrimination still exists. It is still real in the workplace, and we should not take that for granted.” — Alexis Herman

Fear and intimidation have long been used as weapons to subjugate and silence Black Americans. From the horrors of the Middle Passage to the brutality of Jim Crow segregation, the legacy of violence and racial terror in the United States has left deep scars on generations. National Urban League Board of Trustees Vice Chair Alexis Herman, who passed away last month at the age of 77, knew this history not from textbooks, but from personal experience.

NEW YORK (May 22, 2025) — National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in response to the budget bill passed by the House of Representatives:

"In contrast to its name, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is One Big Ugly Bill.  It is a massive wealth transfer from those at the bottom of the economy to those at the top and will harm vulnerable people by cutting healthcare, education, and nutrition — not only for the neediest but also for working families and seniors. 

"We urge the Senate to summarily reject this Big Ugly Bill and work on a bipartisan basis to develop a fiscal blueprint that invests in the American people and honor its commitment to the communities it represents.

NEW YORK (May 22,2025) — National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in response to the murders of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., last night:

"Even in this sad era of heightened political violence, last night’s murders of two Israeli Embassy aides are shocking and appalling. Our hearts are with the families of Yaron Lischinsk and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, and all those who have suffered antisemitic violence.

"That this atrocity was committed during a celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month only highlights the ongoing horror of antisemitism.

"The National Urban League continues to stand in solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters and remains committed to the fight against hate, discrimination, and terrorism."

The Urban League of Greater Madison (Madison, WI) has been awarded a grant of $481,540 to support its Urban Educator Cohort Pathway program.

ULGM’s grant was part of the $1 million in grants announced on Monday by Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce (DWD), through the Teacher Training and Recruitment Grant Program, which will support efforts to train and recruit teachers where shortages are most prevalent in Wisconsin.

ULGM will work with the Madison Metropolitan School District, the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison, and Edgewood College to recruit, train, mentor, and place 42 licensed teachers in the high-need areas of special education and English as a second language bilingual education. Recruits will earn credits toward their licenses at the UW-Madison School of Education or Edgewood College.

A new initiative is taking aim at improving health outcomes in underserved communities, starting with northeast Oklahoma City. Oklahoma Complete Health and the Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City (Oklahoma City, OK) have joined forces to launch a Health Empowerment Zone, which is an effort to address serious health disparities such as maternal health, youth well-being, behavioral care access, and social drivers of health like transportation and food insecurity.

With $300,000 committed over three years, the partnership aims to bring direct services, education, and community collaboration to neighborhoods with some of the lowest life expectancy rates in the state.

Michael P. McMillan, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) President and CEO, says his organization stands ready to support the community following the May 16, 2025, storm that left unprecedented destruction behind.

“St. Louis is strong, and together, we will rise,” said McMillan in a release.

 “In the wake of the devastating tornados, [the Urban League will] lead the charge in helping our community recover and rebuild.”

An Urban League Humanitarian Fund, specifically to support the 2025 tornado recovery effort, has been established to help respond quickly and directly to the most urgent needs in our community, including, according to McMillan.

Emergency Food and Clean Water
-Providing meals, groceries, and bottled water to families facing food insecurity and loss of power.