2014 NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE CONFERENCE EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION

2014 National Urban League Conference Early Bird Registration - now OPEN

 

Don’t delay! Register today for the hottest event of the summer – the 2014 National Urban League Conference. Registration is now OPEN! We recommend that you register today as hotel rooms are LIMITED and you must be registered and paid in full to gain access to the National Urban League room block!

 

 

This year’s conference, One Nation Underemployed: Bridges to Jobs and Justice in Cincinnati, OH offers unmatched opportunities for professional development, personal empowerment, networking, and access to dynamic speakers and leaders.

Also, not to be missed at Conference this year:

 

• Urban League Live the Ultimate Interactive Music Experience on Friday July, 25th at the Macy's Music Festival featuring Chaka Khan, Robin Thicke and Charlie Wilson! You must purchase tickets to the Macy’s Music Festival to attend Urban League Live. Details on how to purchase your discounted tickets will be provided with your registration confirmation.

• A star-studded red carpet advance movie screening on Thursday July 24th.

• The Whitney M. Young Jr., Awards Gala closing out the Conference on July 26th honoring living legends, including Academy Award winning actor, Forest Whitaker.

• A Career & Networking Fair, Small Business Matters Entrepreneurship Summit, inspiring plenary sessions, informative workshops and much more!

We look forward to seeing you in Cincinnati where you will discover the Queen City’s rich history, world-class museums and vibrant nightlife. Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, and Pittsburgh are just a short drive away!

Don't delay, register TODAY!

 

 

See you in Cincinnati!

Sincerely,

Marc H. Morial

President and CEO

National Urban League

NEWSLETTER: MARCH 7, 2014 NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

Opening ReMARCs The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees criminal defendants the right to legal counsel. At no point does it state that representing counsel shall be penalized for upholding this basic principle. This certainly was not the case for John Roberts when he defended serial killer John Ferguson, convicted of killing eight people. In fact, Roberts earned Senate confirmation and became Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. However, punitive voting is precisely what occurred this week when the Senate rejected, 52-47, the nomination of Debo Adegbile to lead the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice – a decision based largely on his work as legal counsel for Mumia Abu-Jamal when he worked as a lawyer for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF). While Adegbile never represented Abu-Jamal in any of his trials, he worked on legal briefs once the LDF took Abu-Jamal’s appeal based on blatant racial bias in the jury selection and instruction in the trial. In fact, the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with LDF’s arguments and overturned Abu-Jamal’s death sentence, giving him life imprisonment without parole. Adegbile is highly-regarded across the legal and civil rights communities. Earlier this year, the National Urban League joined 75 other organizations in a letter of support for his nomination. At that time, we called him “one of the preeminent civil rights litigators of his generation…a consensus builder…[who] has earned respect and admiration from a bipartisan set of colleagues, lawyers, and leaders…because of his principled and measured approach to issues.” We wholly stand by that today. Regardless of how anyone feels about Abu-Jamal, Adegbile upheld the principles and expectations of our justice system and did not deny a defendant the right to competent counsel. The Senate’s actions, on the other hand, are disappointing and disgraceful, and perhaps worst of all, puncture a precedent-setting hole in the very principles of our nation’s Bill of Rights.

To Be Equal “There are some Americans who, in the aggregate, are consistently doing worse in our society -- groups that have had the odds stacked against them in unique ways that require unique solutions…And by almost every measure, the group that is facing some of the most severe challenges in the 21st century in this country are boys and young men of color.” President Barack Obama

President Obama Rallies Help for Young Males of Color with “My Brother’s Keeper” Initiative  Last Thursday at the White House, I was on hand for one of the most inspiring and important Presidential announcements in recent history. In the aftermath of the killings of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, and in response to data showing how badly the odds are stacked against millions of boys and young men of color in the United States, President Obama kicked-off “My Brother’s Keeper,” an unprecedented public-private initiative aimed at improving life outcomes and addressing opportunity gaps for the nation’s most vulnerable population. The President made the announcement before an audience of young males of color and a coalition of government, business, civic and philanthropic leaders. I was proud to be there to represent the National Urban League. In unusually personal terms, President Obama spoke about his own struggles with drugs and alienation as a young boy growing up without a father. He called on all Americans to do more to improve the prospects for young males of color who are less likely to graduate from high school and more likely to be unemployed or end up in jail than any other group in America.

CONFERENCE

Partner Spotlight TIME Magazine Highlights National Urban League Entrepreneurship and Job Training Programs Read the special feature on the un-and-underemployment crisis in America that ran in the February 24th issue of TIME Magazine highlighting National Urban League entrepreneurship and job training programs.

JOBSEEKERS: How to Get Your Resume to the Top and Avoid the Digital Black Hole Career Success Webinar Wednesday, March 12 12:30pm EST Applying to jobs but can’t quite catch the recruiters attention? Join the Urban League JobsNetwork and Aisha Taylor of TAYLORmade Consulting for tips on how to get your resume to the top of the pile. CLICK HERE to register today!

National Urban League Applauds Extension of Internet Essentials National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial today issued the following statement in response to the announcement by Comcast NBCUniversal that it will indefinitely extend its Internet Essentials program: “The National Urban League applauds Comcast NBCUniversal’s announcement that it will indefinitely extend its Internet Essentials program in an effort to improve the socio-economic outlook of communities of color. As a long-time proponent of universal broadband adoption, we recognize the nexus between technology-enabled opportunity and our mission to enable economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights. “As we contemplate broadband-enabled solutions that can prove useful in jumpstarting our economy and creating more opportunities for our communities, we look forward to working with Comcast NBCUniversal to help leverage the Internet Essentials program to drive job growth, create more opportunities for minority-owned businesses and improve education outcomes in underserved areas.”   LEARN MORE

Her Path to Success Begins Today Your gift provides the tools for her to overcome economic challenges and realize her dreams.

Knoxville Area Urban League Gets Boost with CDFI Certification The Knoxville Area Urban League (Knoxville, TN), with the City of Knoxville, announced its new community development financial institution (CDFI) certification at its annual membership meeting at the Holiday Inn at World’s Fair Park. “The Urban League has been quite tenacious as we worked with the U.S. Treasury to gain this certification,” said Phyllis Nichols, Knoxville Area Urban League President and CEO. “We’re working to achieve sustainable efforts for economic development. One tenet of our mission is community development and becoming a certified CDFI will allow the Urban League to provide capital to a target market not served by traditional institutions. “We will be able to strengthen our entrepreneurship training through partnerships and provide technical support to startups and expanding small and minority businesses.” VIEW THIS NEWSLETTER ONLINE

NEWSLETTER: NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE, DECEMBER 18, 2013

Opening ReMARCs Last week, I joined Rev. Al Sharpton along with other civil rights groups, retail executives and the Retail Council of New York State to unveil a newly-created "Customers' Bill of Rights" aimed at protecting customers from "shop-and-frisk" practices. The bill of rights, which is in direct response to several incidences of alleged racial profiling at major New York retailers, includes key practices for retailers to follow and informs customers of what they can expect when they visit store locations.  Several national retailers have agreed to post the bill of rights in their stores by next week. We initially gathered last month to discuss the issue of loss prevention and racial profiling during a retail forum that was attended by Mark Lee, CEO of Barneys and senior executives from Macy's, Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, The Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy. The bill of rights is the result of our subsequent task force meetings and is the first collective action to address this issue. The statement at the heart of the bill of rights clearly articulates our position:  "Profiling is an unacceptable practice and will not be tolerated." We know that this issue is not isolated to New York.  Moving forward, we remain committed to working with the retailers to make recommendations on the creation of high standard, best-in-industry store security protocols and cultural sensitivity efforts that can be adopted by retailers across the country. To view a copy of the Customers' Bill of Rights, visit the Retail Council of New York State.

To Be Equal “Our victory in defeating apartheid was your victory too. We know that our pride in regaining our dignity is shared by you. To you, and to all of the American people who supported the anti-apartheid struggle, we thank you from the bottom of our heart for your solidarity, and for having cared.” - Nelson Mandela, September 1998, New York City

What Mandela Meant to America As the world mourns the passing and celebrates the life of Nelson Mandela, America is especially indebted to the great leader for his inspiration and solidarity in our shared struggle for human freedom, equal opportunity and justice for all. Nelson Mandela’s heroic struggle for a free, non-racial and democratic South Africa inspired freedom-loving people around the world but was especially intertwined with the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement in America.  African Americans felt a special relationship with Mandela, a man who, like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., endured years of persecution and discrimination in pursuit of freedom and equal opportunity for his people. Both Mandela and King were  unafraid to agitate for justice and equality, but each ultimately changed the course of history through the power of reconciliation and unity.  Though Dr. King was 11 years younger, Mandela often spoke of his admiration for America’s fallen civil rights champion.  In fact, in his 1993 Nobel Peace Prize speech, Mandela praised King, saying,  “It will not be presumptuous of us if we also add, among our predecessors, the name of another outstanding Nobel Peace Prize winner, the late African-American statesman and internationalist, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. He, too, grappled with and died in the effort to make a contribution to the just solution of the same great issues of the day which we have had to face as South Africans.” READ MORE

Partner Spotlight AFRICAN AMERICAN DENOMINATION, OTHER FAITH AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS CALL FOR A “MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE” HONORING PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2013   On Sunday, December 15, 2013, African American organizations, churches and community members across the country led a “moment of remembrance” dedicated to Nelson Mandela, his life and his legacy through a number of special activities such as: a Minute of Silence; Liturgy; Youth Presentation/Recitation of Mandela quotes; Dance ministry performance/dedication; and other events. It is impossible to think about Nelson Mandela without thinking about Martin Luther King, Jr. While separated by great physical distance, the walk to freedom for Blacks in America and Blacks in South Africa was fueled by an inextricable spiritual connection personified in the lives of these two men who changed the world for the better. As a freedom fighter and a unifier, Mandela reminded us, “Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great, [we] can be that generation.” He understood that bitterness and hatred were poison to the soul. As President of South Africa, he modeled forgiveness and reconciliation in a way that left the world in awe. For his noble fight, his personification of forgiveness and his ongoing inspiration to create a better future, we pause in national unity to honor, salute and remember Nelson Mandela. Mandela’s life serves as an inspiration to people everywhere to continue the fight for freedom and equal opportunity. As we pause on Sunday, let us pledge to continue the unfinished business to which this great, yet humble, servant dedicated himself. LEARN MORE

Mel Watt Confirmed to Lead FHFA   The U.S. Senate has voted to confirm Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency by a vote of 57 to 41. National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement applauding Rep. Watt's confirmation. “We applaud the confirmation of Rep. Mel Watt as Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).    With more than four decades of experience in housing and finance and a strong grasp of the issues confronting home owners and banks, we believe Rep. Watt is the right man at the right time to lead the FHFA and help it fulfill its mission to promote a strong and sustainable housing market. “Rep. Watt has earned the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and from stakeholders in the finance and housing industry.  His integrity and focus on solutions will serve him well as he works to rebuild a still-fragile housing market and advance policies to help struggling home owners and those still hoping to achieve the American dream.” LEARN MORE

Her Path to Success Begins Today Your gift provides the tools for her to overcome economic challenges and realize her dreams. DONAT

Urban League Receives $150k The Urban League of the Upstate (Greensville, SC)  announced on December 9th, it will be the receiving nearly $150,000 for education and employment programs in the second quarter of their fiscal year. “With the season of giving being in full swing, we are happy to announce that the Greenville and Spartanburg communities are showing their increased support”, said Jil Littlejohn, President/CEO. The main core of the Urban League focuses on education and employment. Five of the agencies programs received funding from 3M, Hollingsworth, Jolley Foundation, Mary Black Foundation, Symmes Foundation and TD Bank, that will allow them to increase and expand capacity.  Thanks to the Symmes Foundation we can continue to provide services in Greenville County at Berea High, Carolina High, Greenville High, Hillcrest High, JL Mann High, Mauldin High, Southside High, Wade Hampton High, and Woodmont High.  A generous donation of $30,000 from the Mary Black Foundation in Spartanburg County school districts will allow the Urban League to increase capacity for Project Ready. JM Smith Foundation also supported the Spartanburg operations. LEARN MORE

NEWSLETTER: OPENING REMARCS - DRUM MAJORS FOR JUSTICE CELEBRATION, AUGUST 23, 2013

NEWSLETTER

Opening ReMARCs
                                                       

"Wake up everybody. No more sleeping in bed. No more backward thinking. Time for thinking ahead."


That was the call we issued as we kicked off the 2013 National Urban League Conference. But this call rang out beyond the 4000-plus registrants and attendees who joined us in Philadelphia.  This was a call to America.


In recent months, we have seen increasing efforts aimed at turning back the hands of progress in voting rights, civil rights, workers’ rights and criminal justice – including the United States Supreme Court’s evisceration of the Voting Rights Act and its stripping of critical protections granted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as well as unequal justice perpetuated by unfair laws such as Stand Your Ground.


As we prepare to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, the challenge before us now is to create a new Civil Rights Movement – one that stands on the shoulders of progress in which a new generation of people from all walks of life work together to ensure that the promise of life, liberty and economic opportunity becomes real.   If 1963 was about Jobs and Freedom, 2013 must be expanded to Economic Empowerment and Justice.  We started it 50 years ago, and it’s time to finish our business. 


Join us in Washington, DC on August 23-24 as we honor the 1963 March by continuing its work and ushering in the change necessary for ongoing progress. Our Drum Majors for Justice Celebration: Redeem the Dream Summit will take place on Aug. 23, during which we will chart our course forward, and the Civil Rights Continuation March will be held on August 24, where multitudes will gather in the same spirit of 50 years ago.


If the desire for life, liberty, justice and equal opportunity is in your soul, whether you live in a red or blue state or simply believe in the red, white and blue of this nation – you, too, cannot ignore the call.

To Be Equal “The hour is late.  The gap is widening.  The rumbles of the drums of discontent resounding throughout this land are heard in all parts of the world.” Whitney M. Young, Jr. at the 1963 March on Washington

National Urban League to Mark 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington Fifty years ago, on August 28, 1963, more than 250,000 people gathered for the historic March on Washington to demand jobs and freedom.  The March was organized by a coalition of civil rights, social justice and labor movement leaders known as the “Big Six” – James Farmer of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE); Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC); John Lewis, of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC); A. Philip Randolph of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; Roy Wilkins of the NAACP; and our own Whitney M. Young, Jr. as President of the National Urban League. While that day is most remembered for Dr. King’s landmark  “I Have a Dream” speech, Whitney Young and a host of other speakers took the podium to call for the passage of long overdue civil rights legislation and to demand jobs, a living wage, decent housing and quality education for all.  As America prepares to mark the anniversary of this watershed moment and in the same spirit of unity and collaboration that Whitney Young brought to the 1963 March, the National Urban League will again join with other leading civil rights organizations to mobilize citizens across the nation to gather in Washington, DC to continue to press for economic empowerment and justice.

To Be Equal

INTERESTED IN FORMING BROAD COALITIONS WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC ORGANIZATIONS

We're going to be reaching out to other African American organizations as well as Hispanic organizations in order to form coalitions for economic and political empowerment.
 

 

If you are a legitimate African American or Hispanic organization that is interested in forming a broad coalition for the above purposes, please contact the Maple Heights African American Gazette (see "Welcome" on right side of the page for contact information.)


If you feel threatened or coerced or intimidated, or harassed by any Maple Heights public employee (includes politicians, legal department), please call the Cleveland Call and Post or email mhaagazette@gmail.com or Cleveland NAACP  216 231 6260.

Update 2/18/2013:
Not sure how it was done, however, a note showed up today on the Maple Heights African American Gazette calendar that was inserted in the January 26, 2013 slot.  The note (which appeared bogus) said they were somewhere near or in Libya and needed help.  Again, not sure how the calendar was hacked, but we won't tolerate this.  The note has been removed.

We feel there have been attempts to discredit this blog and people who post on this blog, or are associated with people who post on this blog.  This also will not be tolerated.

 

 

RALLY ON STEPS OF SUPREME COURT FEB 27TH TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS

From "The National Urban League Wire":

 

Published: Tue. Feb 5, 2013 at 5:01 pm | Updated: Tue. Feb 5, 2013 at 5:10 pm |

"From the President's Desk [President of the Urban League]:

 

If the widespread voter suppression efforts across the nation in the last two years has demonstrated anything, it’s that the Voting Rights Act is as necessary in 2015 as it was when it was signed in 1965.

But on Feb. 27, the Supreme Court will consider eliminating all or part of the government's strongest defense against discrimination.

Section 5 of the Voting Right Act requires all or parts of 16 states with a history of discrimination in voting to get federal approval before making any changes in the way they hold elections. Under Section 5, the U.S. Department of Justice was able to block several discriminatory voter suppression measures in the last year.

But Shelby County, AL v. Holder challenges Section 5, saying it's no longer necessary. The National Urban League along with other civil rights and advocacy groups, will rally on the steps of the Supreme Court on February 27 to say it is still necessary.

Voter suppression efforts in the last two years threatened the constitutional rights of nearly 5 million people. If we want the Voting Rights Act to defend us, we have to defend it. Join us on February 27 and stand up for the integrity of the electoral process."

 

 

 

National Urban League


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