Two Urban League Affiliate CEOs made a powerful impression on Capitol Hill this week! Dr. Seanelle Hawkins, Urban League of Rochester (Rochester, NY) and William Barnes, Birmingham Urban League (Birmingham, AL) traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in a panel discussion titled "Building a Community Safety Agenda: What Does the Evidence Say?" The event, co-hosted by the National Urban League, the Center for Policing Equity, The Futures Institute, and the Community Safety Working Group, focused on alternative approaches to community safety that prioritize investment in youth, violence intervention, and crisis response.

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League
  
 
“This new law is solely vengeance and lacks any evidence of effectiveness and is aimed at a despised and powerless population that already is subject to dozens of draconian post-conviction collateral consequences. There is virtually no evidence that increasing punishments will have any impact on sexual recidivism.” – St. Francis College sociology professor Emily Horowitz

Not to be outdone by other southern states trying to regress to the Jim Crow era, my home state of Louisiana is trying to regress to the Medieval era.

A barbaric proposal to allow judges to sentence certain convicted sex offenders to surgical castration passed the legislature and awaits Gov. Landry’s signature. Louisiana would become the first state with such a law, joining the ranks of nations like Pakistan and Nigeria.

By Bernard E. Anderson, PhD
Whitney M. Young Professor Emeritus,
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Chief Economic Advisor, National Urban League

With an unexpectedly high 292,000 jobs produced in May, the nation’s economy remains on the path of modest growth in the midst of sticky inflation, with a better balance between job openings, hiring, and labor turnover.

NEW YORK (June 5, 2024) – National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in response to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals suspension of Fearless Fund’s Strivers Grant Contest:

"Two Trump-appointed judges have made a mockery of the principle of “equal rights” with a ruling that reinforces racial exclusion and upholds white privilege.

"Edward Blum’s sham organization, The American Alliance for Equal Rights, sued on behalf of anonymous white women whom it could not proved were harmed, and achieved a victory for white people under a law intended to protect Black Americans from discrimination.

"The sad fact is Edward Blum has been pitching a tantrum since losing a congressional election to a Black opponent more than 30 years ago, and apparently some people still share his terror of competing on an even playing field.

Is the Supreme Court beyond rules? See how concerning flags flown at Justice Alito’s homes raise questions about unethical conduct & accountability. | Take action! It’s time to stand together against lawmakers who are pushing an anti-DEI agenda in schools and colleges, starting with the Governor of Texas. | Get vaxxed for free. Summer is almost here! Set an appointment before your next vacation to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine at a location near you. | Meet us in New Orleans! Get ready for the most epic experience of the summer! Register now to join us for #NULConf24 on July 24-27.

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League
  

“Professional baseball would never allow an umpire to continue to officiate the World Series after learning that the pennant of one of the two teams competing was flying in the front yard of the umpire’s home. Nor would an umpire be allowed to call balls and strikes in a World Series game after the umpire’s wife tried to get the official score of a prior game in the series overthrown and canceled out to benefit the losing team. If judges are like umpires, then they should be treated like umpires, not team owners, team fans or players.” – U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin

Demand police reform! Four years after George Floyd’s murder, we still don’t have federal police reform. Here’s how you can help + take action. | Are Black voters at risk? Read more about the new wave of Russian techniques being used to spew disinformation and disrupt the 2024 election. | Vaccines are safe + free. Don’t let COVID-19 ruin your summer plans. Set up an appointment to get vaxxed for free before your next vacation. | Lock in the discount. You have until May 31st to register for #NULConf24 at a discounted rate. Save your coins today. | Older Americans Month. See how we support seniors' independence and recognize their value through job training, services, and opportunities. | Don’t miss the gems! Tap into our FREE webinar on Wednesday for tips on transforming your personal + professional growth. Register today.