When Chicago Urban League (Chicago, IL) President and CEO Karen Freeman-Wilson’s colleague told her the organization should respond to Walmart’s request for proposals to redevelop its Chatham site, Freeman-Wilson remembers balking at the idea.

“I’m like, ‘That big superstore?’” Freeman-Wilson said.

But what her colleague, Chicago Urban League Vice President Andrew Wells, was referring to was the smaller building next door: The 15,000-square-foot Walmart Academy the big-box retailer used as a training center.

“He went on and on about it,” Freeman-Wilson said. “And then we came and toured the building, and I said, ‘We have to reactivate this building for the community.’”

In response to increasing demand for food assistance, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has provided additional emergency funding to 60 food pantries across the Southeastern United States with the potential for assistance to additional locations.

This support will help relieve shortages and provide meals for more than 400,000 individuals and families facing food insecurity.

Receiving organizations such as the Tallahassee Urban League (Tallahassee, FL) are on the front lines of helping those in need.

Curtis Taylor, President and CEO of the Tallahassee Urban League, said, “During these desperate times when there is a major concern with food insecurity due to the government shutdown, this donation which provides food for our citizens is very timely and very much needed.”

The Black Business Hub helps local entrepreneurs own and manage businesses, supporting the South Madison community. 

Located at 2352 S. Park Street, The Hub opened its doors in August of 2024 in hopes of creating a space for Black-owned businesses “not just today, but for multiple generations,” CEO Dr. Ruben Anthony told The Daily Cardinal. 

Anthony said the inspiration for The Hub came from a noticeable lack of Black-owned businesses in the Madison area. “10,000 businesses in Dane County have more than one employee, and only .04% of those businesses were African American owned,” he said.

Run by the Urban League of Greater Madison (Madison, WI), The Hub focuses on helping small business owners gain the knowledge and materials to start up their business, giving them the ability to branch out and expand into the community. 

Spartanburg, S.C. — A two-day visit from National Urban League representatives LaKindra Askew and Joshua Brown left an outsized imprint on Spartanburg’s civic, business, and education ecosystem last week, signaling renewed momentum behind the region’s workforce and talent-development agenda.

From the moment they arrived, the pair moved with the urgency of seasoned community strategists. Their first stop—a lunch at a local higher-education institution—set the tone. The college president personally welcomed them, underscoring the significance of the partnership. It was a symbolic gesture that reflected the broader enthusiasm for deepening cross-sector collaboration in a city advancing an ambitious Vision 2030 strategy.

You're invited! Join us virtually via YouTube, Facebook, and NUL.org as we celebrate the grand opening of the National Urban League’s new headquarters. | The results are in. See how this week’s elections were a rebuke of the current anti-democratic, anti-poverty & anti-equity movement. | Celebrating excellence! Catch a glimpse of this year’s Romare Bearden Foundation Gala, hosted by Marc H. Morial and Michelle Miller. | Saluting Black patriots. This Veterans Day, we’re honoring Black veterans for their courage and the countless sacrifices they’ve made for our country. | We’re here to help! Register for our free webinar for resources on community-driven strategies and policies that strengthen caregiver support. | We’re taking over NYC! #EOD2025 is less than a week away, and it’s time to grab your favorite sneakers, best gala attire, and purchase your tickets.

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

“When I left home to run for Congress, I had to know why I was doing that. My why was one in five children in America lives in poverty, goes to sleep hungry at night. That was my why.” - Nancy Pelosi

If the measure of public service is how deeply one fights for the most vulnerable among us, then Nancy Patricia Pelosi stands among the most consequential leaders of our era. From her early days in elective office to becoming the first woman Speaker of the House she carried the hopes of working families, children, communities of color, and low-income Americans into the halls of power. She carried them into those halls not as tokens but as rightful partners in shaping America’s future.

NEW YORK (November 18, 2025) — National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in response to a federal court ruling barring Texas from using racially gerrymandered congressional districts:

 “The federal court’s rejection of Texas’ racially gerrymandered congressional map is a reassuring victory for democracy and equal representation. This decision affirms what we have long argued: racial discrimination has no place in the drawing of electoral districts. Texas’ attempt to dilute the voices of Black and Latino voters was not only unconstitutional—it was morally indefensible.

The National Urban League is now accepting applications for the 2026 College Leaders Program — an immersive experience designed to empower the next generation of changemakers and leaders.

From February 11–14, 2026 in New York City, selected students will:

• Build lifelong career connections with senior executives and industry leaders
• Gain hands-on experience through team-building and entrepreneurship challenges
• Strengthen leadership skills and civic engagement

Join a community of ambitious peers shaping the future of equity and opportunity

Eligibility:

• College junior or senior status
• Active leadership role in a campus organization
• Minimum GPA of 3.0

Application Deadline: November 30, 2025

Flight and hotel provided.

Apply now to take the next step in your leadership journey: https://lnkd.in/gdde6VtQ

Over the last few weeks, you all have helped us raise $20,000 so far. Plus, through our sponsor, iThink Financial’s donation boxes, over 2,000 meals worth of food for our neighbors in need have been donated.

It’s all part of our 35th annual Project Thanksgiving — alongside the United Way of Palm Beach County . With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, there is still time to help out!

Each and every donation goes right back into multiple agencies who make a difference across our region. That includes Urban League in Palm Beach County (West Palm Beach, FL).

Urban League has been changing so many stories across our area, one chapter at a time. For more than 50 years, the Urban League of Palm Beach County has been working to open doors for families who need it most!

“I was a little bit ashamed, but you know, they made me feel welcome,” said Nicole Young, client of the Urban League.

 A line of cars stretched several blocks on St. Louis city streets Saturday afternoon (November 15th). Families were in pursuit of food during uncertain times. 

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) hosted a free food distribution for May 16 tornado victims and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP recipients on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

This was the organization's largest distribution to date, with 3,000 food boxes given to residents. 

The line began forming long before the distribution began, according to videos from one viewer. Cars trailed out of the Urban League's parking out and went down Page Boulevard. The line continued well past Prairie Avenue.