Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

“Reverend Butts worked more effectively than any other leader at the intersection of power, politics, and faith in New York. He understood the role of faith in our lives, especially in the Black community. But he also understood power and how to wield it and how to demand power from those who often sought to hoard it. And so he was a pragmatist, he was a realist, but he was also a dreamer.” – Ford Foundation President Darren Walker

Last year, during a town hall on vaccines hosted by the Black Coalition Against COVID-19, of which the National Urban League is a co-founding partner, the Rev. Calvin Butts stated succinctly and powerfully the role of the church in Black communities, and the power of the church to shape those communities.

FCC’S COMMUNICATIONS EQUITY AND DIVERSITY COUNCIL ADOPTS RECOMMENDATIONS TO PREVENT DIGITAL DISCRIMINATION 

NEW YORK (Nov. 7, 2022) - Affiliate Leaders, we are hours away from Election Day, tomorrow, Tuesday, November 8, 2022. 

Our National Urban League Civic Engagement Reclaim Your Vote program is on the precipice of reaching our goals, however we need to call 13,000 more voters and knock on 9,000 more doors of voters. 

Can you help? 

NEW ORLEANS (Nov. 7, 2022) - The Urban League of Louisiana (ULLA), in collaboration with the National Urban League, announced nine recipients of its 2022 Black Restaurant Accelerator program grants sponsored by the PepsiCo Foundation.

The Black Restaurant Accelerator program is a part of a $10M investment by the PepsiCo Foundation to provide current and aspiring Black food service operators with access to capital, training, mentorship and other support services through the National Urban League’s 12 entrepreneurship centers. The national program seeks to boost approximately 500 Black-owned businesses over 5 years.

NORFOLK (Nov. 7, 2022) – On Friday, Nov. 4th, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced a brand-new partnership between the Urban Leagues of Hampton Roads (Norfolk, VA) and Greater Richmond (Richmond, VA) and Virginia HBCUs – Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Virginia State University, and Virginia Union University.

This new initiative comes at a time when incoming college students face increasing issues as they suffer learning loss because of the pandemic. The program will employ students as tutors and mentors to high school and middle school students throughout the community.

LOUISVILLE (Nov. 7, 2022) – As Election Day draws near, the Louisville Urban League (Louisville, KY) is making sure that voters understand what’s on the ballot.

Lyndon Pryor, the Urban League’s Chief Engagement Officer, said, “We hosted ballot breakdown sessions. There’s some really important elections on the ballot. And we break down what those are and what they mean, and try to help people understand why they need to show up to vote in those elections and why that’s important.”

In addition to educating the voters, staff members of the Urban League will also be poll monitors, to ascertain that voters have no issues with voting.

By Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN

AtlantaCNN — 

Aaron Bethea says he has voted election after election for US presidents, governors and senators – and yet those lawmakers have done little to nothing to improve life for him, his family or his community.

Bethea said he believes the issues he cares about, financial freedom and equal investment in predominately Black schools, have largely been ignored.

“Where we are from, nobody really cares about what Black men think,” said Bethea, an Atlanta father of six who owns a wholesale company that sells televisions. “They don’t do anything for us.”

Bethea, 40, said he still plans to vote Democratic in Georgia’s hotly contested gubernatorial and US Senate races. But he’s not voting with enthusiasm. He said he is hoping that one day someone will prioritize the needs of Black men.

T-minus 3 days! Your vote has power and can change the trajectory of the upcoming election. Don’t delay. Get your voting plan ready today. | Dear Elon Musk. Use of the n-word spiked by ~500% on Twitter since Musk became its new owner. Get up to speed on how this signals trouble ahead. | The countdown is on. Make an impact in your community and join us this weekend as we prepare citizens for the upcoming election. Learn more. | Stay ready. Your health should be your top priority. Check out our COVID-19 resource hub for answers to your questions on getting vaxxed + boosted. | Your vote matters. Having issues at the polls? The Lawyers’ Committee has a trained team that can help you. Here’s what to do if you run into problems. | End felony disenfranchisement. Tap into this week’s Justice Now episode as we unpack how to protect the vote of current + formerly incarcerated citizens. | New documentary! We’re excited for the world premiere of a film that spotlights Marc H. Morial and Janet Murguía. Here’s how you can see it. | Mark your calendars. On Nov. 16th, we’re taking over NYC for #EOD2022 with some of the nation’s top movers + shakers. Get your tickets today. | Don’t miss the gems. Listen in to our new episodes as we discuss top concerns for voters, what’s at stake on Nov. 8th + much more. | Root of the Issue podcast. Tune in as our President & CEO Marc H. Morial discusses social advocacy, community organizing, and achieving health equity. | What do the numbers tell us? Dr. Bernard Anderson, our Chief Economics Adviser, shares an in-depth look at the state of the economy. Check it out.