Urban League of Greater Cincinnati

Urban League hands out honors, quiz at Annual Meeting

2012-02-08T12:30:00.001-05:00

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20120203/NEWS01/302030149/Urban-League-hands-out-honors-quiz-lunch

Editorial: Pride of the Lions

2012-02-08T12:27:00.000-05:00

http://http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120204/EDIT01/302040067/Editorial-Memo-pride-Lions-?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cp

2012-02-08T12:25:00.000-05:00

Secretary of State, Jon Husted recognizes SBDC client

2012-02-07T11:41:00.003-05:00

The Urban League's Small Business Development Center nominated it's client OCG Telecom as a minority business to the Secretary of State for Black History month. Click the link to read the story:
http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/OBP/February2012/ocg.aspx

Urban League Announces Plans for February 3rd Annual Meeting

2012-01-12T10:47:00.002-05:00

The Urban League plays a vital role in empowering a vibrant community and our Annual Meeting gives us the opportunity to share our success with you. We want you to be apart of the interactive fun as you hear about our new Strategic Plan. You also don't want to miss the opportunity to congratulate our Lion and Corporate Medallion honorees.

Follow this link to read about the individuals and companies being honored.
http://www.thecincinnatiherald.com/news/2012-01-07/Front_Page/Urban_League_announces_2012_Glorifying_the_Lions_a.html

Call for Action: Baker and Morial Comment on Remarks of Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum

2012-01-04T14:45:00.002-05:00

A Statement from Donna Jones Baker, President & CEO, Urban League of Greater Cincinnati

We at the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati support our National President, Marc Morial, in his outcry regarding the recent remarks of Rick Santorum. We must remember poverty knows no color, no gender or no segment of the country. It is alarming that in the year 2012, there are still politicians and others who fan the flames of discontent and divisiveness among Americans. Today, Mr. Santorum’s remarks singled out African Americans. This is not a black issue alone. It is the responsibility of all Americans to respond to this type of race-baiting and remind Mr. Santorum that his comments are unacceptable for again, poverty knows no color, no gender or no segment of the country.

This is unacceptable rhetoric coming from someone who wants to lead this nation.
Read more: http://www.nul.org/content/national-urban-league%E2%80%99s-morial-charges-santorum-racist-pandering

SOAR Participants attend Men of Honor Banquet

2011-12-29T11:18:00.002-05:00

On November 19, 2011 several participants of the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati’s Solid Opportunities for Advancement and Retention (SOAR) program attended the 2011 Men of Honor Awards Banquet. Mr. David Foxx, CEO, d.e. Foxx and Associates presented a grant to the League which allowed for a few of our participants to represent the Urban League.

Mr. Foxx along with Judge Nathaniel R. Jones, Dr. Odell Owens (President, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College), Dr. Victor Garcia, (Founding Director of Trauma Services, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center) and Anthony Smith (Assistant Superintendant, Cincinnati Public Schools) were the honorees for the evening.

Mr. Foxx gave the men in our program the opportunity to see and experience firsthand the success of extraordinary black men who are committed to positive change in the Greater Cincinnati Community. Our participants were truly uplifted and inspired by the opportunity to witness such a marvelous event honoring Black men. Brent Bedgood, Intern for Workforce Development summed it up best, “One day I want to be on that stage!”

The event was held at the Manor House, Mason, Ohio and our gentlemen looked fantastic at this black tie affair. Thank you Mr. Foxx!

Book and Toy Drive: December 5 - December 16

2011-12-07T10:08:00.003-05:00

Urban League of Greater Cincinnati needs your help! Lend a helping hand by donating new books or toys to benefit the Urban League After School Program (grades K-8) of South Avondale and Rockdale Elementary Schools.

Your unwrapped donations can be dropped off at the Urban League, 3458 Reading Road, Monday thru Friday from December 5 - December 16 between the hours of 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

For more information about the Book and Toy Drive contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Candie Simmons, at 513.559.5443 or asimmons@gcul.org

Holiday Hours of Operation

2011-12-06T17:00:00.002-05:00

During the Holiday Season, more than ever, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. And in this spirit we say simply, but sincerely, Thank You and Best Wishes for the Holiday Season and a Happy New Year

In observance of the Holiday Season the Urban League Offices will be closed:
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
Monday January 2, 2012

African American Business Development Program Client receives National Honors

2011-11-22T16:36:00.002-05:00

Cincinnati’s Lonnie Grayson, President, Environmental & Safety Solutions, Inc, receives national honors in New York City.
http://www.nul.org/content/national-urban-league-equal-opportunity-day-honors-exemplary-community-leadership

Donna Jones Baker comments on Jobs

2011-11-22T16:33:00.001-05:00

Donna Jones Baker, President/CEO of the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati offers her thoughts on Jobs in Cincinnati. Click the link for the story.
http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20111120/BIZ/111200334/Wanted-Anyone-who-can-qualify?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CE-Edition%7Cs

SES Program Makes a Positive Impact

2011-11-22T16:30:00.001-05:00

Urban League Cincinnati SES program works!http://communitypress.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20111118/NEWS0102/111190312/Study-confirms-value-CPS-learning-centers?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7Ccommunities%7Cs

Leadership at it's Best: Donna Jones Baker

2011-10-03T09:03:00.002-04:00

EARLY GOAL: BE DECISION-MAKER

Donna Jones Baker was enjoying one of her first jobs out of college when she learned a tough lesson: Life isn't always fair.

Baker, who was born and raised in Paducah, Ky., graduated from Murray State University with a degree in social work and was promoted to a management role at a social services agency while in her 20s. She was helping people improve their lives and feeling "on top of the world."

Then her immediate supervisor who had promoted her left. Baker didn't expect to get her supervisor's job, but she also didn't expect to be fired during the ensuing management change.

"I was crushed," she says. The experience taught Baker another lesson that changed her life, and which she now shares with others: Leaders look for challenges and make things happen.

In Baker's case, she went back to school for a master's degree in business administration. Today, she's the president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati. Baker is still helping others improve their lives. But she's also managing a multimillion-dollar organization and a staff of 75 full- and part-time employees working to help African-Americans and others at risk by promoting economic self-sufficiency and entrepreneurship.

Her ability to work with other leaders locally, combined with her national stature, helped secure the National Urban League's annual convention for Cincinnati in 2014. Baker was part of a team led by Mayor Mark Mallory and including retired federal appeals judge Nathaniel Jones; Bishop E. Lynn Brown, the regional bishop for the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; and Thomas Knott, director of diversity strategies at Macy's.

"She's a unique ambassador who is respected on the national level, and accessible on the local level," says Richard Dyer, president and general manager of WLWT 5. Dyer is on the Cincinnati Urban League's board of trustees and will be chairperson in 2012. "She leveraged her reputation on the city's behalf."

The success, Baker says, stems from being fired as a young woman. "What I learned during that period was I wanted to be in a decision-making position," she says. "I wanted to make things happen, not be somebody things happened to."

Baker, who is 55 and married to Gregory Baker, spent four years taking night classes at the University of Baltimore, where she earned her MBA. Simultaneously, she was raising a family and working. Baker has one grown daughter who has three children; her husband has two daughters and three grandchildren. "I had the benefit of youth," she says when asked how she managed family, work and school.

Today, she has the benefit of hindsight. "While what happened to me probably was not fair, it was the best thing that ever happened to me," she says.

The MBA education was "life-changing," Baker says. The immersion into subjects including accounting and finance gave her the confidence to supervise others who specialize in those areas.

"You learn enough about all of these positions that you can supervise the people who have those functions and ask the right questions. It was a great foundation for me."

As a result, Baker has made the necessary tough financial decisions while maintaining the nonprofit's core mission, Dyer says.

"She's a polished, passionate professional," he says. "She has a real command of what the League's mission is and how to implement it."

Baker joined the local affiliate of the Urban League in November 2003. Previously, she was the executive director of Associated Black Charities, a Baltimore nonprofit that was started to strengthen the community through African-American philanthropy.

During Baker's 14 years there, she grew ABC from a $500,000 organization with three funded positions to a $26 million organization with about 60 staff members, multiple locations and a $1 million endowment.

Baker says she was happy in Baltimore and initially resisted overtures from a headhunter to come here. But after a few visits, Baker realized she wanted the job.

"There was no reason for me to (leave Baltimore), but on the other hand, I had gotten more comfortable than I was used to," Baker says. "In hindsight, I was more comfortable than I was comfortable with being."

In Cincinnati, Baker filled big shoes. She replaced Sheila Adams, who, according to the Enquirer in 2003, built the Urban League from a quiet social service agency into an important community player during her 13 years as its leader.

"You couldn't say Urban League without saying Sheila Adams," says Daniel Groneck, the current chairperson for the Urban League's board of trustees, and the Northern Kentucky president for US Bank.

But Groneck says the first board meeting with Baker "was like magic."

"I thought, 'Well, the board embraced her, is the community going to embrace her?' And they did," he says.

Baker, he says, went out of her way to show her appreciation and respect for Adams but did not try to emulate her predecessor.

And Baker, Groneck says, made sure she understood the local organization before making any changes.

It wasn't long before she faced hard decisions. In January 2004, she cut six mid- to upper-level positions because of a drop in individual and corporate contributions that impacted many nonprofits as the economy weakened following the 9/11 attacks.

"She had tough financial decisions to make, and she did it," Groneck says.

That ability, combined with her formidable people skills, has earned Baker the respect of her employees and her board.

"It's all done by empowerment. She runs it like a business," Groneck says. "She's financially kept the company strong and stayed in tune with her investors. She can also leave the board room, see somebody in (one of the league's programs), and lift them up."

Dyer says he's proud of the employee growth at the Urban League. Baker gives employees who start in support roles the chance to move up and take on additional responsibilities. And, Dyer and Groneck were impressed by her recent decision to gather a group of past chairpersons and invite them to be part of an auxiliary board, which was formed in 2011. David Dillon, Kroger's chairman and chief executive officer, is chairman of the auxiliary board.

They said the former chairpersons were expecting to be handed a pledge card. Instead, Baker told them: "This is about utilizing your wisdom. We just want to keep you closer to the family."

The idea is to leverage their connections and expertise on behalf of the League. But it also reflects Baker's belief in keeping people connected and always working to improve the organization.

That vision doesn't stop at the Urban League. Baker is proud of her new hometown and sees its relationship with the Urban League as a two-way street. When she told her board about the national 2014 convention, she wasn't just happy for the Urban League, Dyer says.

"When she announced it to the board, she said, 'This is good for the Urban League, yes, but will be great for Greater Cincinnati,' " he says.

"That's how she thinks."

2011-09-30T14:31:00.001-04:00

To Be Equal #39
September 28, 2011
A Long Shadow of Doubt: The Execution of Troy Davis

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

“When ... the Supreme Court gave its seal of approval to capital punishment, this endorsement was premised on the promise that capital punishment would be administered with fairness and justice. Instead, the promise has become a cruel and empty mockery. If not remedied, the scandalous state of our present system of capital punishment will cast a pall of shame over our society for years to come. We cannot let it continue.” Former United States Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall

Last Wednesday, September 21, 2011 was a sad day for American justice. On that date at 11:08 PM Eastern Time the State of Georgia administered a lethal injection into the body of 42-year-old Troy Davis and put him to death. With his dying breath, Troy Davis maintained his innocence in the 1989 shooting death of off-duty Savannah police officer Mark Allen MacPhail. For 20 years, the shadow of doubt that hung over Davis’ conviction grew so large that it galvanized anti-death penalty advocates around the world, including hundreds of citizens wearing “I am Troy Davis” T-shirts who kept a solemn vigil outside the Jackson, Georgia prison until the final hour

Over the last 20 years, the National Urban League and dozens of other prominent organizations and leaders argued that Davis’s conviction was in serious doubt. Seven of the nine witnesses who originally identified Troy Davis as the murderer, later recanted their testimony. And no murder weapon or other physical evidence was ever found linking Davis to the crime. That is why we joined the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus, Amnesty International, former president Jimmy Carter, Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu, Al Sharpton, former FBI Director William Sessions, Pope Benedict, former Georgia Congressman, Bob Barr and others in calling for Davis’ exoneration or at least further investigation.

The racial subtext of this case cannot be ignored. Davis, a black man, was convicted of killing MacPhail, a white police officer. While African Americans make up only 13 percent of the population, more than 42 percent of death row inmates are black. Over 75 percent of the murder victims in cases resulting in an execution were white, even though nationally, only 50 percent of murder victims were white. .

Since 1973, a total of 138 man and women have been exonerated or had their death sentences commuted based on post-conviction findings that proved their innocence -- five of them in the state of Georgia. And, according to the Innocence Project, “Seventeen people have been proven innocent and exonerated by DNA testing in the United States after serving time on death row. They were convicted in 11 states and served a combined 209 years in prison – including 187 years on death row – for crimes they didn’t commit.” These disparities and problems cast a long shadow of doubt over our criminal justice system.

People of conscience can disagree on the death penalty, but it is unconscionable by every standard to execute someone who very well might be innocent. Our hearts go out not only to Mr. Davis’ family, but also to the family of Mark MacPhail who will never know for sure that his killer was brought to justice.

Legendary Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall was unequivocally against the death penalty and would have been a dissenter in last week’s 11th-hour Supreme Court decision allowing the execution of Troy Davis. Justice Marshall felt, as we do, that as long as questions of equity, fairness and fallibility persist, we must stop executions and give death row inmates every chance to prove their innocence.

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Back to School and Back to Work on Creating Jobs

2011-09-08T15:27:00.000-04:00

To Be Equal #36
September 7, 2011
Back to School and Back to Work on Creating Jobs
Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

"A world-class education is the single most important factor in determining not just whether our kids can compete for the best jobs but whether America can out-compete countries around the world.” President Barack Obama

Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer and the start of another school year for more than 60 million public school students.

This year, the Labor Day weekend also coincided with the announcement last week that zero jobs were added in August, and African American unemployment has soared to 16.7 percent, the highest rate in 27 years.

It is my hope that with the return of Congress this week and the much-anticipated jobs speech by President Obama on Thursday, Washington is finally ready to make job creation its number one priority.

Education has always been the gateway to good jobs and a better life for the American people.

This has never been more true than today.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, people who hold bachelor’s degrees earn on average $58,000 a year compared with just $31,000 for high school graduates and only $21,000 for those without high school diplomas.

We also know that a growing number of 21st century high-tech jobs require higher skills and more education than ever before.

That is why for more than 50 years, the National Urban League’s Education & Youth Development division has worked to improve educational opportunities for African-American and underserved students by developing innovative programs to support their academic achievement, encourage their civic involvement, and contribute to their healthy physical and emotional development. We have also made education a cornerstone of our 21st century empowerment agenda with a challenge to the nation that every American child will be ready for college, work and life by 2025.

The Urban League serves more than 200,000 children and youth each year through Head Start, after-school programs and charter schools.

As the nation struggles to find the right balance between fiscal austerity and necessary investments in our future, the education of our children must not be sacrificed in the process.

Doing so would not only shortchange their futures, it would cripple our ability to grow the American economy and remain competitive in the global economy.

We are encouraged by the Obama Administration’s commitment to education, including signing into law the largest investment in education in history as part of the President’s 2009 stimulus package – some $115 billion over two years to save education jobs, send young people to college, modernize America's classrooms, and advance education reforms.

We are also pleased that Education Secretary Arne Duncan has set aside this week for an “Education and the Economy” bus tour to urban centers, including Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Chicago to highlight the important connection between quality education and quality jobs. “No other issue is more critical to our economy and our way of life than education,” said Duncan.

So, as our children head back to the classroom, we urge students to do their part by studying hard and making the most of what their schools and teachers have to offer.

We ask parents to do their part by getting involved.

And we urge local school districts and Congress to do their part by ensuring that all our students have the resources and support they need to succeed.

National Urban League’s Boston Conference Urges President and Congress to Refocus National Debate on Jobs

2011-08-05T16:32:00.001-04:00

To Be Equal #31

August 3, 2011

National Urban League’s Boston Conference Urges President and Congress to Refocus National Debate on Jobs

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

“We face, therefore, a moral crisis as a country and as a people…It is not enough to pin the blame on others, to say this is a problem of one section of the country or another or deplore the facts that we face. A great change is at hand, and our task, our obligation, is to make that revolution, that change, peaceful and constructive for all.” President John F. Kennedy

The National Urban League concluded the first conference of its second century of service and economic empowerment this past Saturday in Boston. By all accounts, this was one of the most successful gatherings in the organization’s 101-year history. Thousands of citizens from across the country came to the birthplace of America to rally support for jobs and to keep the American Dream alive.

This year’s conference which was themed, “Jobs Rebuild America,” gave voice to the concerns of 14 million unemployed Americans, including urban communities of color that have suffered the most during the great recession. The National Urban League has been a lifeline of support during this crisis, providing job training, foreclosure prevention, education and health services to a record 2.6 million Americans in 2010. But even with that assistance, our communities continue to fall further behind.

In a new National Urban League report released during the conference, “At Risk: The State of the Black Middle Class,” we found that the great recession has begun to dismantle the crown jewel achievement of racial advancement in America – a strong black middle class. Our analysis clearly shows that whether one looks at education, income or any other meaningful measure, almost all the economic gains that blacks have made in the last 30 years have been lost in the Great Recession that started in December 2007 and in the anemic recovery that has followed since June 2009. This means that the size of the black middle class is shrinking, the fruits that come from being in the black middle class are dwindling, and the ladders of opportunity for reaching the black middle class are disappearing.

Our conference was also held in the midst of the debt ceiling debate which for weeks has held the American economy hostage to demands for draconian budget cuts that would spare wealthier Americans from tax increases and further imperil Black America along with middle and working class families.

That is why on the first day of the conference we asked the American people to formally enlist in the war on unemployment. In the spirit of the “Shot Heard Round the World” that rang out from Lexington, Massachusetts on April 19, 1775 and began the Revolutionary War, we fired an opening volley in the War on Unemployment by urging everyone at our conference and everyone in America to sign an open letter to the President and Congressional leaders. Our letter urges our political leaders to refocus the national debate from deficit reduction to putting America back to work. It calls for a national jobs summit and a national jobs plan based in part on the National Urban League’s 12-point jobs plan.

It is my hope that public pressure will achieve what political leadership has thus far struggled to deliver – a fair, balanced and effective solution to the issue of job creation and ballooning budget deficits.

Our thanks to Boston Mayor, Thomas Menino; Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick; and Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts CEO, Darnell Williams for making this year’s conference such a success.

National Urban League and NAACP Presidents Meet With President Obama

2011-08-03T09:35:00.000-04:00

To Be Equal #30
July 27, 2011
National Urban League and NAACP Presidents Meet With President Obama

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

“It is clear that the unemployment numbers throughout the country require effective legislation and tangible action to address the crisis. To address the unemployment crisis and the need for job creation solutions in underserved communities, the CBC has called upon the private and public sectors to immediately remedy the crisis by going into communities with legitimate, immediate employment opportunities for the underserved.” U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II

This past week, NAACP President Ben Jealous and I forcefully entered the debt ceiling debate during a meeting with President Obama in the Oval Office. During our meeting, we made it clear that as a final deal is hammered out to raise the debt ceiling and prevent the nation from defaulting on August 2nd, no steps should be taken that will shred the social safety net -- the last line of economic defense for millions of working class and middle class Americans. With African American unemployment at 16.2 percent and the jobless rate for Hispanics also in double digits at 11.6 percent, it would be unconscionable to cut Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare benefits, education, job training or housing services now, especially while businesses and wealthy Americans are protected from any tax increase.

The President has insisted from day one that a final agreement must involve shared sacrifice. After our meeting he issued a statement which read in part: “We cannot afford to balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable Americans, including the middle class, low-income families, seniors and students.” Ben Jealous and I wholeheartedly agree with the President, and we intend to stand with him as he steadfastly defends that position.

The President also agreed with us that we need to complete a debt ceiling deal quickly so we can turn our full attention to the most pressing issue facing the nation – high unemployment and the lack of jobs. I urged the President to act on the job creating solutions contained in the National Urban League’s 12-point Jobs Rebuild America plan. We also urged support for New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Urban Jobs Bill which would make critically needed investments in education and training to prepare young people most in need for jobs.

One day after our meeting, the debt ceiling talks broke down over the refusal by those on the other side of the negotiating table to pursue a balanced approach. They continue to insist on a one-sided plan of spending cuts, including cutting benefits for the most vulnerable Americans, and no tax increases for the wealthy. It should be noted that this is the first time in almost 100 years that a raise in the nation’s debt ceiling has been linked to deficit reduction.

Ben and I agree: America must get its fiscal house in order so we can invest in job creation and maintain the benefits that protect our must vulnerable citizens. And we adamantly disagree with those who would jeopardize the nation’s credit worthiness and risk a financial meltdown much worse than the recent great recession – all because they refuse to compromise.

The NAACP President and I came away from our Oval Office meeting convinced that President Obama understands fundamentally that deep budget cuts to safety net programs and programs that affect urban communities would be harmful, not just to our constituents, but for the nation at large.

We will continue to insist that the concerns of Black and urban America have a voice in this debate.

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National Urban League Affiliates Serve 2.6 Million Americans in 2010

2011-08-03T09:29:00.000-04:00

To Be Equal #29
July 20, 2011
National Urban League Affiliates Serve 2.6 Million Americans in 2010

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

“From your founding amid the great migration, to the struggles of the civil rights movement, to the battles of today…America is a better place because of the Urban League.” President Barack Obama

As depression-era unemployment rates and a shrinking social safety net continue to plague urban America, the annual National Urban League census reveals that the organization’s 98 community-based affiliates served a record 2.6 million Americans in 2010 – a 25 percent increase over 2009.

Last year the American economy was supposedly transitioning from the great recession to sustained recovery. Instead, 14 million Americans remained jobless, 8 million more were underemployed and unemployment among African Americans reached 16 percent -- nearly double the national rate. While more urban families faced job losses, smaller pay checks, diminished health services and the threat of foreclosure, many Urban League affiliates filled the gap as lifelines of opportunity. Following is a summary of affiliate activities targeted to our four empowerment goals:

Health Care: Every American has access to quality and affordable health care solutions

The great recession has caused some families to choose food over health care, thereby exposing children and adults to the potential of seriously escalating illnesses.

With 31 states cutting funds for health care services and providers, Urban League affiliates managed to help more 1.4 million Americans purchase medicines, get necessary evaluations and screenings and obtain other critical health care services -- up from 792,000 in 2009.

Education: Every American child is ready for college, work and life

Education is always cited as the cornerstone of America’s future. But last year, 34 states sought to balance their budgets by enacting cuts in K-12 programs. This resulted in fewer participants receiving education services from our affiliates in 2010. However, 172,000 clients still benefited from Urban League affiliate education services, with 50,000 receiving professional development and skills enhancement training.

Economic Empowerment: Every American has access to jobs with a living wage and good benefits

Since 2009, unemployment among African Americans has increased from 14 percent to 16 percent. Last year, the affiliates of the Urban League placed more than 18,000 people in jobs through the operation of 548 economic, entrepreneurship and housing programs. Those programs served an astounding 608,852 clients -- an increase of 232,000 from 2009.

Housing: Every American lives in safe, decent, affordable and energy efficient housing on fair terms

Urban League affiliates provided housing assistance to 441,493 clients in 2010, more than double the clients receiving assistance in 2009. This included 1,188 homes purchased, and 15,524 clients benefiting from foreclosure assistance.

Finally, in 2010, the National Urban League generated an economic impact of $1 billion, including $471.8 million in federal, state and local government support for Urban League programs across the country. The secondary economic impact of $641.6 million is a measure of the success of these efforts, with 18,000 participants placed in jobs, 1,188 new homeowners, 357 new business start-ups, $3.3 million in business sales and $114 million in new investments in economically distressed communities.

Clearly, the National Urban League and its affiliates are helping millions of Americans navigate their way through these economic hard times. The services we provide help strengthen family budgets and communities. And, just as importantly, they allow people to maintain their dignity and a sense of humanity.

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To Be Equal # 25: Chenault and Immelt Push Jobs

2011-06-30T16:10:00.002-04:00

To Be Equal#25
June 22, 2011
Chenault and Immelt Push Jobs

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

“Our job is to do everything we can to ensure that businesses can take root and folks can find good jobs and America is leading the global competition that will determine our success in the 21st century.” President Barack Obama

Last week, in Raleigh-Durham, the heart of North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, President Obama received the first set of job-creating recommendations from his 26- member Jobs and Competitiveness Council headed by GE Chairman and CEO, Jeffrey Immelt and American Express Chairman and CEO, Kenneth Chenault. Other members of the Council include the heads of Boeing, Comcast, Southwest Airlines, and the AFL-CIO. In addition to Chenault, other prominent African American Council members include, Ursula Burns, Chairwoman and CEO of Xerox; Richard Parsons, Chairman of Citigroup; and Roger Ferguson, President and CEO of TIAA-CREF. The President created the Council last February, bringing together the best thinking of large and small business owners and worker-rights advocates in an innovative partnership with government to address the immediate unemployment crisis and improve American competitiveness. We applaud this important collaboration and are encouraged by last week’s progress report.

The urgency of the Jobs Council’s effort was underscored by the release last week of a National Urban League Policy Institute report entitled, “A Long Road Back to Work: The Realities of Unemployment Since the Great Recession.” Our report highlights the disturbing fact that 45.5 percent of unemployed persons have been without jobs for six months or longer, with African Americans and Latinos faring much worse. While African Americans make up 12 percent of the labor force, they comprise 24 percent of the long-term unemployed. Latinos are 15 percent of the labor force and make up 28 percent of the long-term unemployed. Since the likelihood of finding a job decreases the longer one is unemployed, this phenomenon has the potential of creating a permanent class of unemployed citizens.

Clearly, as the National Urban League’s 12-point Jobs Rebuild America plan recommends, we need a dynamic public-private initiative to create jobs and train urban residents for employment in key growth areas, including technology, broadband, manufacturing and clean energy.

In their report to the President and in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Chenault and Immelt echoed many of our recommendations. They outlined specific steps to spur job growth in high-potential sectors, while also addressing areas of concentrated unemployment.

They call for stronger partnerships with community colleges and others to train workers for the two million open jobs in the U.S. that remain unfilled simply because employers can’t find workers with the advanced manufacturing skills they need.
They recommend cutting red tape so job-creating construction and infrastructure projects can move forward; boosting jobs in travel and tourism; providing more help to small business owners in need of SBA loans; and putting construction workers back to work upgrading the energy efficiency of commercial buildings.

As Chenault and Immelt point out, obviously more must be done. But these initial recommendations will put us on a path to create millions of jobs. The Jobs Council’s report is in stark contrast to those whose only plan is the tried and failed strategy of more tax cuts for the wealthy. The President’s Jobs and Competitiveness Council is off to a good start. We will continue to monitor its progress and keep you posted on its work as we continue to push for targeted jobs policies for America’s Urban Communities where joblessness is unacceptably high.
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Sickle Cell is a Disease, Not An Addiction

2011-06-16T11:22:00.004-04:00

Are you a young person between the ages of 14-22 who has sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait? Do you want to share your experiences as a sickle cell survivor and improve the relationship between you and physicians when you are seeking treatment?

We want you to participate in our FREE one day Transition of Care...Linked to Life Project retreat on Saturday, June 25th from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 pm. You will learn how to create your own advertisement poster, video documentary and PowerPoint presentation to help raise awareness in our communities about your experience as a sickle cell survivor.

All participants will get to enjoy a FREE fun-filled day at Kings Insland, receive a book bag filled with all sorts of goodies and have the opportunity to present what you created at the retreat to the community.

You don't want to miss this FUN, VERY INTERACTIVE retreat! Continental breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided. Space is limited, call the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati today at 513-487-6506 and ask for Pam King.

"Sickle cell is a disease, not an addiction"

Funded by Ohio Commission on Minority Health, the Cincinnati Chapter of the Links, Inc. and sponsored by the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati's Sickle Cell Awareness Group

Senator Eric Kearney to Keynote AABDP Graduation

2011-06-16T11:10:00.004-04:00

The Economic Empowerment Center (EEC) of the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati will be graduating its seventh class of the African American Business Development Program (AABDP). Senator Eric Kearney will be the keynote speaker for the event to be held on Thursday, June 16, 2011. EEC is the business development arm of the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati.

Developed in 2008, AABDP was established to assists African American business owners in building sustainable companies that help to create employment opportunities for community residents.

The graduation will be held at the Union Institute and University located at 440 E. McMillan Street, Cincinnati, OH from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. For more information contact Sheila A. Mixon, Ohio Small Business Development Center at the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati, 513-487-1274.

2011 Summer Youth Employment

2011-04-25T14:48:00.002-04:00

Urban League of Greater Cincinnati and partners Easter Seals WRC, Urban Appalachian Council, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and the University of Cincinnati-GEARUP were awarded the City of Cincinnati's 2011 Summer Youth Employment Contract. This will provide 370 jobs for low income youth between the ages of 14 and 18 residing in the city of Cincinnati. Youth will be provided age appropriate work experiences for 8 weeks during the summer.

Information regarding the application process will be made available April 28, 2011 at the Mayor's Job Fair. Call the Summer Employment Hotline 513-281-9955 extension 303 for times and locations for application pick up and submission. You may also call Lisa McDonald at 513-487-6528 for assistance.

Employment partners are being recruited at this time.

Donna Jones Baker, President and CEO commented "this is an exciting opportunity for the UL and our partners to continue the work of the STRIVE You Can initiative and commitment to developing data driven programming."

"We are looking forward to a Summer Youth Employment Program that will be a positive experience for both our youth and employment partners." says Dorothy Smoot, Vice President of Youth Services.

McDonald’s Adds 50,000 Jobs

2011-04-21T10:37:00.001-04:00

To Be Equal #16
April 20, 2011

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

“You're only as good as the people you hire.” Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s Corporation

In March, the American economy added 216,000 jobs and the unemployment rate fell to 8.8 percent, the lowest in two years. That is the good news. The bad news is that the nation has a mighty long way to go to recoup the 13 million jobs lost during the great recession. The real bad news is that with an unemployment rate of 15.5 percent for African Americans and 11.3 percent for Hispanics, communities of color seem to be fighting a losing battle to keep from being overwhelmed by the jobs crisis.

For more than two years, the National Urban League has led the call for a national response to extremely high unemployment throughout urban America. Our Jobs Rebuild America 12-point plan offers a blueprint for change. It calls for the restoration of the Summer Youth Jobs Program to provide summer jobs for millions of teens. We also propose greater public/ private investments in job training for those most at-risk for joblessness and least equipped to navigate their way back to gainful employment. And while Washington thus far does not appear to be listening, we have sought and found allies elsewhere, including some in corporate America.

For example, we are pleased that this week, McDonald’s Corporation, is launching an unprecedented hiring campaign, aimed at adding 50,000 new crew and management employees to its payrolls. The company plans to add 3-4 new workers to each of its 14,000 U.S. restaurants. In addition to providing a pathway back to the dignity of work, many of these new “Mcjobs” come with training, flexible work schedules, competitive benefits, scholarship opportunities and growth potential. The company points out that more than 75 percent of its restaurant managers and many of its corporate staff and executive leadership, including current company president, Jan Fields, started behind the counter.

McDonald’s projects that the addition of 50,000 new employees will boost the economies of states and local economies, which can likely expect an additional $430 million spent on housing, almost $186 million in taxes, and $180.5 million in grocery purchases.

African American teens, 38.5 percent of whom are currently unemployed, may especially benefit from this hiring blitz. The unemployment rate for Black teens consistently hovers near 40 percent, the highest rate of any group in the country. In addition to putting thousands of Black teens on successful career paths, each year McDonald’s selects one high school student-employee from each state and the District of Columbia for $2,500 scholarships, as well as three national “McScholar” winners who each receive $5,000 scholarships.

The National Urban League will continue to push for federal action in response to the jobs crisis in urban America. In the meantime, we applaud McDonald’s for doing its part with its “National Hiring Day.” More jobs mean a stronger economy and a better future for our children, our neighbors and our nation.

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The Growth of Black-Owned Businesses: Entrepreneurship by Necessity

2011-02-22T15:23:00.001-05:00

To Be Equal#8
February 23, 2011
The Growth of Black-Owned Businesses: Entrepreneurship by Necessity

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

"I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them!" Madam C.J. Walker, trailblazing African American businesswoman.

There is a silver lining in the dark cloud of the great recession. A new Census Bureau report reveals that from 2002 to 2007 the number of Black-owned businesses in the United States increased by 60.5 percent to 1.9 million – more than triple the national rate. According to Census Bureau Deputy Director, Thomas Mesenbourg, “Black-owned businesses continued to be one of the fastest growing segments of our economy, showing rapid growth in both the number of businesses and total sales during this time period.”

The reasons for this are many, beginning with the long history of African American entrepreneurship in response to poverty, high unemployment and discrimination. Consider the case of Madam C.J. Walker, the daughter of slaves who, in the early 1900s, turned her dream of financial independence into a hair care and cosmetics business that revolutionized the beauty products industry, created good paying jobs, and made her a wealthy woman and philanthropist.

Like Madam C.J. Walker, many African Americans may have turned to entrepreneurship in the years covered by the Census Bureau study because of high unemployment in our communities. The fact is, Black unemployment never got back down to where it was before the recession in 2001. So in effect, what we are seeing is a bit of entrepreneurship by necessity. There’s also an economic independent streak, particularly among emerging generations in the Black community. Building a business gives great satisfaction and cushions them from the shock of losing jobs because of economic down cycles.

New York State leads the country with more than 204,000 Black-owned businesses, followed by Georgia and Florida respectively. From 2002 to 2007, nearly 4 in 10 of these businesses operated in the health care and social assistance; and repair, maintenance, personal and laundry services sectors. The retail trade and health care and social assistance sectors accounted for 27.4 percent of Black-owned business revenue.

The survey also found that in addition to an increase in the number of Black-owned businesses, annual sales increased by 55% to $137.5 billion.

I recently called on federal, state and local governments to develop a “hyper-focus” on black- and minority-owned businesses. Every city, county, and state needs to have a plan that focuses on small and minority business. There is a spirit of entrepreneurship out there that needs to be nurtured and energized.

While the Census Bureau report is generally good news, we know that Black businesses still make up only 7 percent of all companies and they tend to be smaller and have lower gross receipts than other businesses. Black-owned businesses are also often hampered in their revenue growth by a lack of capital, connections and contracts.

What I hope this report says loudly and clearly to the investment community is that you are missing an emerging market in the United States. If minority businesses are growing at a faster clip than overall businesses, imagine what the growth rate would be if those barriers were eliminated or lowered. We need the investor community to look at this report and recognize that they are missing an incredible opportunity.

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Watch National Urban League announces their plans for 2014

2011-02-18T16:01:00.000-05:00

National Urban League Selects Cincinnati USA for 2014 Annual Conference

2011-02-17T14:35:00.003-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:
Julie Calvert, Vice President, Communications & Strategic Development
Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau
o: 513.632.5378 m: 513.910.6186 JCalvert@CincyUSA.com

Monica E. Magette
Director of Development & Marketing
Urban League of Greater Cincinnati
o: 513.487.6533 m: 513.739.7158 mmagette@gcul.org

CINCINNATI, OH, February 17, 2011 — The National Urban League, one of the country’s oldest and most respected civil rights organizations, announced today that it has selected Cincinnati USA as the site for its 2014 Annual Conference.

The announcement was made at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) by Donna Jones Baker, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati, who was joined by Dan Lincoln, president and CEO of the CVB, Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and Hamilton County Commission President Greg Hartmann.

The National Urban League conference is expected to bring more than 7,000 hotel room nights and millions of dollars in economic impact to the region. But Mayor Mallory suggested it will bring something even more important.

“Like the NAACP and National Baptist conventions before it, when the National Urban League comes to Cincinnati, the eyes of the country will be on this region,” said Mayor Mallory. “Influential government leaders, business leaders and civil rights advocates will be here, engaging in important dialogue. It’s an extraordinary opportunity for Cincinnati, one that solidifies our stature as a top-tier destination. I commend Donna and her team at the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati for their great advocacy of this city and their extraordinary efforts to bring this opportunity to our doorstep. I know this community will step up to the challenge and make you proud.”

Headquartered in New York City with more than 90 affiliates across the country, the National Urban League’s mission is to enable African Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights.

In keeping with that mission and the theme of the CVB’s Annual Meeting – “Collaboration. Community. Connections.” – Baker was joined on stage by a team of regional leaders who worked together to win the meeting, including Mayor Mallory, Commissioner Hartmann and Thomas Knott, Director of Diversity Strategies at Macy’s. Many of them were awarded the CVB’s Champion Award for their efforts.

“Bringing the National Urban League conference to Cincinnati is a great victory, not just for us at the local affiliate, but for our entire community,” said Baker. "It was such a rewarding experience to work with passionate people from across the region throughout the bid and selection processes. We won this conference together and today we celebrated together, and I can’t wait for my colleagues across the country to experience Cincinnati USA in 2014.”

Hamilton County Commission President Greg Hartmann echoed that sentiment: “Winning and hosting the National Urban League gives us the chance to showcase the best of our entire region – from a revitalized downtown to the expansion of the Sharonville Convention Center to the great development taking place all across Hamilton County. The County leadership will continue to stay engaged with the CVB and all the organizations that are driving economic impact and strong results for the region.”

The National Urban League is the latest in a string of high-profile ethnic and multicultural conventions to select Cincinnati USA, including the NAACP, National Baptists, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, LULAC the League of United Latin American Citizens and the National Society of Hispanic MBAs.

“In 2003 and 2004, ethnic meetings represented a very small percentage of our convention business,” said Lincoln. “But in 2009 and 2010 alone, we hosted 30 ethnic-related conventions and since 2009, we’ve booked more than 108,000 hotel room nights for ethnic and multicultural meetings, representing more than $32 million in economic impact for the region. Our community-wide collaboration and a commitment to improving every aspect of how we position ourselves to the world has opened the doors to incredible opportunity.”

It was that community spirit and dedication to continuous improvement that earned the attention of the National Urban League.

“When our national leadership took a closer look at Cincinnati, they saw a community on the rise,” added Baker. “They saw dramatically improved police/community relations and a renewed spirit of collaboration. And in the end, they decided that now was the right time for Cincinnati!”

Added Mayor Mallory: “Dan and his team at the CVB are doing stellar work in positioning this region for success and winning new opportunities for Cincinnati to attract the national spotlight. Our window of opportunity opened to win the National Urban League and we had the right people and resources in place to fully capitalize on that opportunity.”

The announcement was made in front of a record-setting crowd of 500 business professionals, civic leaders and members of the regional hospitality industry at the CVB’s 2011 Annual Meeting. And the good news didn’t stop there. The CVB celebrated its strongest convention booking results in more than a decade and its sixth straight year of growth in its two most important industry metrics: future hotel room bookings, which totaled 200,317 in 2010, and the related economic impact conventions bring to the region, which reached a six-year high of $59.6 million. These figures are up 14 percent since 2007 and up 33 percent since 2005.

“Successfully winning and hosting conventions of all sizes takes more than just a strong CVB,” said Lincoln. “This opportunity would not have been possible without the full support of our entire regional hospitality industry – the hoteliers, our partners at the Duke Energy Convention Center, our great events and attractions. They were all in the trenches with us to help us put Cincinnati USA put its best foot forward, and they will all be on the front lines of creating a great visitor experience when the National Urban League comes in 2014.”

About the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau is an aggressive sales, marketing and service organization whose primary responsibility is to positively impact Hamilton County's and the City of Cincinnati's economy through convention, trade show and visitor expenditures. The travel and tourism industry traditionally has been a $3.4 billion industry in Cincinnati USA, employing 81,000 people in a variety of fields and, historically, bringing five million visitors to the region annually.

About the National Urban League
The National Urban League is the nation’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, there are more than 90 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide.

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To Be Equal

2011-02-09T15:08:00.002-05:00

To Be Equal #6
February 9, 2011
Don’t Mess With the 14th Amendment

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”. Section I of the 14th Amendment

The immigration debate has taken another ugly turn. First, Arizona passed a law, now under federal challenge, granting unprecedented powers to police to stop and demand proof of citizenship from anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally. Now, two United States Senators, a Congressman and at least 14 states have proposed amending or reinterpreting the 14th Amendment of the Constitution to deny citizenship to U.S. born children of undocumented immigrants.
The 14th amendment effectively overturned the Supreme Court’s infamous 1857 Dred Scott decision which ruled that no slave or descendent of a slave could ever be a United States citizen. Since its ratification in 1868, the 14th Amendment’s clear statements on birthright citizenship, due process and equal protection, have formed the basis for a large measure of social and economic reforms. In fact, the Supreme Court cited the violation of the 14th amendment’s “equal protection” clause as a major factor in its 1954 Brown v Board of Education decision ending segregation in American schools. The 14th Amendment’s most famous “birthright” defense came in 1898, when the Supreme Court, in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, upheld the citizenship of a child born in the United States to Chinese immigrant parents who lived in San Francisco but were not legal citizens.
The law is clear: anyone born on American soil, regardless of race or ethnicity is entitled to automatic citizenship. For more than 100 years, that has been a fundamental principle of American democracy. But recently, anti-immigration forces across the country have claimed that large numbers of illegal immigrants are crossing the border simply to have what they derisively call “anchor babies” – children who automatically qualify for the benefits of United States citizenship. Despite the fact that this rarely occurs, Senator David Vitter of Louisiana and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, have introduced legislation that would amend the 14th amendment and deny citizenship to the U.S born children of immigrants unless at least one parent has permanent resident status, or is a naturalized citizen or is serving in the U.S. military.
Last year, in what appeared to be a mid-term election campaign ploy, a number of conservative Senators said they might call hearings to air their opposition to automatic citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants. Most observers and scholars think that a push to amend the Constitution is likely to fail given that it would require votes from 67 Senators, 290 Congressmen and ratification by 38 states.
But that has not stopped its supporters. On the first day of the new Congress, Rep. Steve King of Iowa chose what he believes is a less arduous route by introducing legislation that would outlaw birthright citizenship by amending the Immigration and Nationality Act.
While opponents of birthright citizenship contend their intent is to curb illegal immigration, this is clearly another divisive step that would weaken America’s tradition and strength as a nation of immigrants.
Our message to anyone attempting to rewrite history and the law for their own political purposes is clear: Don’t mess with the 14th Amendment.

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6TBE 2/9/11 ▪ 120 Wall Street ▪ New York, NY 10005 ▪ (212) 558-5300 ▪ WWW.NUL.ORG

Bill Daley and Gene Sperling Have Done it Before

2011-01-12T09:34:00.000-05:00

To Be Equal#2
January 12, 2011
Bill Daley and Gene Sperling Have Done it Before

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

It is now apparent that President Obama was doing a lot more than eating shaved ice and playing golf during his Hawaiian holiday vacation. Almost immediately upon his return to the White House last week, the President announced the appointments of William M. Daley as Chief of Staff and Gene Sperling as Director of the National Economic Council. Both men bring a combination of successful presidential advisory experience and business know-how to their new jobs. It is an encouraging sign that as the President focuses relentlessly on his stated goal of creating jobs and turning our economy around, he is enlisting the help of two of the most influential architects of the Clinton economic boom years.

William M. Daley, the brother of six-term Chicago Mayor, Richard Daley, served as President Clinton’s Commerce Secretary from 1997-2000, and later ran Al Gore’s presidential campaign. He has also been a practicing lawyer, bank president, top business executive and political fund raiser. It is no secret that Daley’s business interests have sometimes been at odds with the President’s more progressive agenda, but it is also true that Daley is a job creator who knows how to get things done. Upon his appointment the President said, “Few Americans can boast the breadth of experience that Bill brings to this job. He’s led major corporations; he possesses a deep understanding of how jobs are created.”

New Economic Council Director Gene Sperling makes a return to the West Wing, where he held the same title in the Clinton Administration. Along with former Treasury Secretaries, Robert Rubin and Larry Summers, Sperling is credited with developing policies that led to the creation of 22 million new jobs during the eight years of the Clinton presidency. Unemployment for African Americans fell from 14.2 percent in 1992 to 7.3 percent in October 2000, the lowest rate on record. Unemployment for Hispanics fell from 11.8 percent in October 1992 to 5.0 percent in October 2000, also the lowest rate on record.

A Yale Law School graduate, Sperling was most recently a senior counselor to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. He was one of the Obama Administration’s chief negotiators in the recently passed tax cut deal and has served as economic advisor to both Hillary Clinton and former New York governor, Mario Cuomo. Sperling is also a senior fellow with the Council on Foreign relations where he has promoted the education of girls in developing countries.

President Obama said, "One of the main reasons why I chose Gene is because he has done this work before. After serving in the nineties with President Clinton, he helped turn deficits into surpluses and helped cement the years of prosperity and progress of American families".

In picking William Daley and Gene Sperling to fill these key positions, President Obama is demonstrating a commitment to measureable results. We look forward to working with Bill and Gene as we continue the push to bring jobs and prosperity back to our communities.

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2TBE 1/12/11 ▪ 120 Wall Street ▪ New York, NY 10005 ▪ (212) 558-5300 ▪ WWW.NUL.ORG

"Opening ReMARCs"

2010-12-22T09:19:00.004-05:00

Celebrating the Holidays With an End to Discrimination

I was overjoyed to see the nation enter this holiday season with two important victories in the ongoing struggle for civil rights and respect for human dignity. The U.S. government’s settlement of Pigford vs. Glickman acknowledges and denounces the Department of Agriculture’s many years of discrimination against tens of thousands of black farmers who were denied loans. While the cash payments to the plaintiffs in the case will help to put those farmers on a path to economic empowerment, just as important is the government’s firm position that discrimination in lending will not be tolerated. The nation continued on a forward path with the repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy which barred gay and lesbian Americans from serving openly in our nation’s armed forces. This holiday season, it feels as if we are a step closer to realizing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream of a nation where we are judged by the content of our character. I wish you Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Feliz Navidad … and peace and health for 2011.
Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League

The State of Urban Jobs

2010-12-03T12:19:00.002-05:00

Highlights of the November 2010 Employment Report:

The economy gained a net 39,000 jobs in November, well below the 150,000 that the market was expecting. Private employment increased by 50,000. November marks the 11th consecutive month of private sector job growth. The number of unemployed people in November grew to 15.1 million, highlighting the need to extend unemployment insurance benefits for at least another year.

The unemployment rate grew to 9.8% in November following three months at 9.6%. The labor force participation rate was unchanged at 64.5%. All major worker groups saw an increase in their rates of unemployment -- black unemployment rate was up to 16% (from 15.7%); unemployment rate for black men was up to 16.7% (from 16.3%); for black women 13.1% (from 12.7%); whites 8.9% (from 8.8%); and Latinos 13.2% (from 12.6%). Rates of teen unemployment were 20.9% for whites (from 23.6%), 46.5% for African-Americans (from 48%) and 30% for Latinos (from 31.6%). The rate of underemployment (including the unemployed, marginally attached and those working part-time for economic reasons) was unchanged at 17%.

The ranks of long-term unemployed (jobless for 27 weeks or more) edged up slightly from October – now at 6.3 million or 41.9% of all unemployed.

Professional & business services (+53,000), health care (+19,000), and Leisure and hospitality (+11,000) displayed the most growth in November as retail trade (-28,000), local government (-14,000), manufacturing (-13,000), financial activities (-9,000) and construction (-5,000) sectors experienced losses.

ACLU Freedom Tour: Reform Cannot Wait

2010-12-01T09:16:00.002-05:00

ACLU Freedom Tour: Reform Cannot Wait
Description: Ineffective. Fiscally irresponsible. Overcrowded.

Join the ACLU of Ohio and the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati for a call to change the criminal justice system.

Ohio’s criminal justice system employs policies that increase cost, reduce safety, and contribute to racial disparities. Prison officials, judges, and community advocates are calling for reform to lessen the number of people sentenced and to support those who leave prison. Come, learn, and take action!

This is the second stop of the ACLU 2010 Freedom Tour, bringing people together in three cities across the state, to highlight the disparities of the criminal justice system. This stop features Terry Collins, former director, Ohio Department of Correction and Rehabilitation; Donna Jones Baker, President/CEO, Urban League of Greater Cincinnati; Ed Little, Department of Justice Affairs, Office of Re-entry; and moderator Gary Daniels, associate director, ACLU of Ohio.

This event is free and open to the public. Free parking is available.
Date: 12.06.10 | Monday
Time: 6:30 pm
Type: ACLU event
Location: Urban League of Greater Cincinnati
Address: 3458 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45229

RSVP: For more information or to RSVP, please call (216) 472-2200 or e-mail contact@acluohio.org.

Public School Financing - Broke, Busted and Disgusted

2010-11-17T15:03:00.002-05:00

To Be Equal#45
November 17, 2010
Public School Financing – Broke, Busted and Disgusted

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

“Simply put, many states do not provide sufficient funding or distribute that funding to address the needs of their most disadvantaged students and schools.” David Sciarra, Executive Director, the Education Law Center

With all the talk about firing poor teachers, closing the achievement gap and adopting “common core standards” for students, one essential element of American education reform is too often overlooked – the inherently unequal and unfair system of state funding for public schools. A new study, co-authored by David Sciarra and Danielle Farrie of the Education Law Center and Dr. Bruce Baker of Rutgers University sheds new light on this problem. Their report, “Is Education Fair? A National Report Card,” reveals that most states are failing the test of fairness when it comes to public school financing. The authors state, and we agree, that “a fair funding system would be progressive in that funding would increase relative to the level of concentrated student poverty.” This would ensure that more funding would be available to students with greater needs and that all students would have the support necessary to achieve rigorous academic standards.

The study identified four “fairness indicators” – funding level, funding distribution relative to poverty, state fiscal effort and public school coverage. Based on those measures, only Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Iowa, Wyoming and New Jersey qualify as doing “relatively well” on funding fairness. But even in those states, significant irregularities persist. According to David Sciarra, most states are failing. Instead of progressive funding, some states have a regressive system, meaning districts with higher poverty rates actually receive less funding than more affluent districts. And there are entire regions – the South and West – where public schools are chronically underfunded.

The National Urban League and many others in the civil rights community have long-noted the inequity in public school funding as a contributing factor to the achievement gap that finds half of African American and Latino students dropping out of high school. Because school funding relies so heavily on state and local taxes, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, speaking at the National Urban League centennial conference in August admitted that “America’s system of funding public education is inherently unequal.” He pointed out that “Over 40 states have faced legal challenges to their school funding system because they are so unfair.”

Secretary Duncan’s response was the establishment of an Equity and Excellence Commission, proposed by Congressmen Chakah Fattah and Mike Honda that is now working to “expose the inequities in funding, gather public input and issue policy recommendations on finance reform.” It is unconscionable that some public school students have access to computers and other state-of-the-art resources, while many of the most disadvantaged students barely have enough books and supplies in their classrooms.

This is an issue that will be decided largely outside of Washington at the local level. About 90 percent of public school funding comes from state coffers and funding decisions rest in the hands of local officials. If we believe that all our children deserve a quality education and that given the right support all of them can succeed, citizens must demand that their governors and state legislators end public school financing inequities now.

To read the full report, visit www.schoolfundingfairness.org

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11/17/10 ▪ 120 Wall Street ▪ New York, NY 10005 ▪ (212) 558-5300 ▪ WWW.NUL.ORG

Black America to Construction Unions: Open Your Doors

2010-11-04T11:17:00.000-04:00

To Be Equal#43
November 3, 2010
Black America to Construction Unions: Open Your Doors

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

“If you live in America, you should be able to have bacon and eggs on Sunday morning. It means you can work. That you got a job.” Nate Smith, labor and civil rights leader who broke the color barrier in Pittsburgh’s construction industry

Harry Alford, President and CEO of the Black Chamber of Commerce recently reminded us that African Americans face an added barrier to finding good jobs in this struggling economy -- discrimination by construction unions. In a National Newspaper Publisher’s Association (NNPA) column, Alford said that construction unions “have fought affirmative action and have excluded Black hiring in a criminal fashion. Today it is still close to Jim Crow.”

The National Urban League was founded 100 years ago to open the doors of opportunity to African Americans workers who migrated north from the Jim Crow south in search of good jobs and a better life for their families. It has been a cruel irony that labor unions, created to protect and empower the dispossessed, have historically fought to keep Blacks out - none more egregiously than construction unions. Despite this opposition, today one in every five Black workers belongs to a union. These workers earn about 40 percent more than non-union workers. They are also more likely to have health insurance, defined pension benefits and greater protections against discrimination on the job.

The National Urban League has been in the forefront of the fight to expand union access to more African Americans for decades. The great Lester Granger, who served as National Urban League President from 1941-1961, worked tirelessly to integrate racist trade unions. He teamed up with A. Philip Randolph in a successful campaign to persuade President Franklin Roosevelt to sign the 1941 Fair Employment Act, barring discrimination in defense industries.

Other African American leaders, including Coalition of Black Trade Unionist president, William “Bill” Lucy, have repeatedly called for the construction industry and other unions to open their doors to blacks. In the 1960’s Nate Smith an aspiring professional boxer and construction worker in Pittsburgh laid down in front of bulldozers, challenged established union authority and developed a training program called Operation Dig that helped raise minority union rates from 2 to 15 percent in that city.

Since the start of the recession in 2007, our economy has lost almost 2 million construction jobs. Another 21,000 disappeared in September. The Obama Administration’s stimulus plan recognized that the key to getting those jobs back and to fueling our economic recovery is a robust investment in rebuilding the nation’s roads, bridges and public works infrastructure. Construction unions, which stand to benefit greatly from that opportunity, have an obligation to open their doors to workers of color so that no one is left behind.

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43TBE 11/3/10 ▪ 120 Wall Street ▪ New York, NY 10005 ▪ (212) 558-5300 ▪ WWW.NUL.ORG

2010-10-04T15:27:00.001-04:00

News Release
PRESS OFFICE

Release Date: October 4, 2010 Contact: Hayley Matz (202) 205-6948
Release Number: 10-55 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news

SBA Releases Final Women-Owned Small Business Rule to Expand Access to Federal Contracting Opportunities
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New program will be available in early 2011 for small, women-owned firms

WASHINGTON – With the publication today of a final rule in the Federal Register, the U.S. Small Business Administration will begin implementation of its women-owned small business (WOSB) contracting program. The agency expects the program to be available for WOSBs in early 2011.

The rule is part of the Obama Administration’s overall commitment to expanding opportunities for small businesses to compete for federal contracts, in particular those owned by women, socially and economically disadvantaged persons and veterans. This rule identifies 83 industries in which WOSBs are under-represented or substantially under-represented in the federal contract marketplace. In addition to opening up more opportunities for WOSBs, the rule is also another tool to help achieve the statutory goal that 5 percent of federal contracting dollars go to women-owned small businesses.

“Women-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing sectors of our nation’s economy, and even during the economic downturn of the last few years, have been one of the key job creation engines in communities across the country,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said.

“Federal contracts provide critical opportunities for owners of small firms to take their business to the next level and create good-paying jobs,” Mills added. “Despite their growth and the fact that women lead some of the strongest and most innovative companies, women-owned firms continue to be under-represented in the federal contracting marketplace. This rule will be a platform for changing that by providing greater opportunities for women-owned small businesses to compete for and win federal contracts.”

With the publication today of the final rule, SBA, in conjunction with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, will begin a 120-day implementation of the WOSB contracting program, including building the technology and program infrastructure to support the certification process and ongoing oversight. With implementation expected to take several months, the agency expects that federal agencies’ contracting officers will be able to start making contracts available to WOSBs under the program in early 2011.

The creation of a rule to increase federal contracting opportunities for WOSBs was authorized by Congress in 2000. Since that time, SBA took a number of steps to study and analyze the market, including looking at participation by women-owned small businesses across all industries.

Various draft rules were made available for public comment in prior years, but shortly after taking office the Obama Administration drafted a new, comprehensive rule, based on the analysis of the prior studies and on all the questions and comments previously received. The proposed rule was published for public comment on March 2, 2010 for 60 days. SBA received over 1,000 comments during that time.

Some of the components of the Women-Owned Small Business rule include:

To be eligible, a firm must be 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens. The firm must be “small” in its primary industry in accordance with SBA’s size standards for that industry. In order for a WOSB to be deemed “economically disadvantaged,” its owners must demonstrate economic disadvantage in accordance with the requirements set forth in the final rule.

Based upon the analysis in a study commissioned by the SBA from the Kauffman-RAND Foundation, the final rule identifies 83 industries (identified by “NAICS” codes) in which women-owned small businesses are under-represented or substantially under-represented in federal procurements.

The SBA has identified eligible industries based upon the combination of both the “share of contracting dollars” analysis, as well as the “share of number of contracts awarded” analysis used in the RAND study. This differs from an earlier proposed version of the rule which identified only four industries in which women-owned small businesses were under-represented. This earlier version proposed to identify eligible industries based solely on the “share of contracting dollars” analysis used in the RAND study.

In accordance with the statute, the final rule authorizes a set-aside of federal contracts for WOSBs where the anticipated contract price does not exceed $5 million in the case of manufacturing contracts and $3 million in the case of other contracts. Contracts with values in excess of these limits are not subject to set-aside under this program.

The final rule removes the requirement, set forth in a prior proposed version, that each federal agency certify that it had engaged in discrimination against women-owned small businesses in order for the program to apply to contracting by that agency.

The proposed rule allows women-owned small businesses to self-certify as “WOSBs” or to be certified by third-party certifiers, including government entities and private certification groups.

The final rule requires WOSBs which self-certify to submit a robust certification verification, to complete the certifications at the federal Online Representation and Certification Application (“ORCA”) Web site, and also to submit a core set of eligibility-related documents to an online “document repository” to be maintained by the SBA. Each agency’s contracting officers will have full access to this repository.

The SBA intends to engage in a significant number of program examinations to confirm eligibility of individual WOSBs.

In the event of a contract protest or program review, the SBA has the authority to request substantial additional documentation from the WOSB to establish eligibility.

SBA intends to pursue vigorously punitive action against ineligible firms which seek to take advantage of this program and in so doing to deny its benefits to the intended legitimate WOSBs.

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Important information from Hamilton County Board of Elections

2010-10-01T12:33:00.005-04:00

Voting early by mail really is easy as 1-2-3!

And now, to make the voting process even easier, Vote by Mail application request forms will be available at Kroger stores throughout Hamilton County.

You can also obtain a Vote by Mail application by calling the Hamilton County Board of Elections at 632-7039 before Saturday, October 30, 2010 or you can download an application at www.votehamiltoncounty.org and follow the easy step-by-step instructions for completing the application.

Voters can also pick up a voter registration form at local Kroger stores. “Voter registration forms can be used to register to vote or to update your address and/or name with us” said Sally Krisel, Director of the Hamilton County Board of Elections.

The deadline to register or to update your registration is Monday, October 4, 2010.

Beginning Tuesday, September 28, 2010 to Vote by Mail all you need to do is:

1. Request your ballot be mailed to you by completing a Vote by Mail application

2. VOTE your ballot

3. Drop your ballot in the mail! - and

Remember, to check the instructions for returning
your ballot through the mail.

Vote by Mail early and avoid long lines at the polls! “We are making voting easier,” said Amy Searcy, Deputy Director, of the Board of Elections. “Voters can simply Vote by Mail and they no longer need to provide a “reason” for not voting at the polls on Election Day.”

Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than November 1, 2010, the day before Election Day, and received no later than 10 days after Election Day. Joe Mallory, Administrator of Absentee Voting at Board of Elections says, “If voters have any questions about voting they should contact us at the Board of Elections Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. until noon at 632-7039. We want to make the voting experience convenient and as easy as 1-2-3”!

-End-

For
Immediate
Release

Contact:
Sally Krisel
Director
513-632-7011

Free Tutoring - After School League

2010-09-23T17:02:00.003-04:00

The Urban League of Greater Cincinnati may be able to provide free after school tutoring to your child!

There are limited slots and your child must attend a school included in the program. Tutoring is offered by qualified, paid staff that work directly with your child's school to improve their performance.

If you are interested, please call 513-281-9955 ext. 307 right away - deadline is Friday, September 24, 2010. Please share with friends and family.

Urban League Prescription Drug Card

2010-09-14T15:16:00.003-04:00

The National Urban League is proud to present the Prescription Savings Program. Simply present the National Urban League prescription card at a participating pharmacy and save on many of your prescription drugs.

You, your family, and your friends may use the savings card any time your prescription is not covered by insurance. It even works for many pet medications! Finding a pharmacy is easy: 8 out of 10 pharmacies nationwide accept your savings card.

Visit this link to sign up today! Available to anyone and everyone!

Is America Marching in Two Different Directions?

2010-09-07T14:36:00.000-04:00

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

"Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred." Martin Luther King, Jr., August 28, 1963

This past Saturday in Washington, DC, two groups of Americans gathered on the National Mall to express their vision of freedom 47 years after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s historic "I Have a Dream" speech. Unfortunately, the two groups seemed to be marching in different directions. One rally, co-convened by Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network, the National Urban League and a coalition of civil rights organizations, marched from Washington's Dunbar High School to the site of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial under construction on the National Mall. That group marched to "Reclaim the Dream" that Dr. King so courageously and eloquently articulated at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963: "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back…We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."

In the 21st century that means a national commitment to quality education for all. It means jobs and a living wage for all. It means affordable housing on fair terms for all. And it means quality and affordable health care that is accessible to all. Speaker after speaker, including myself, Rev. Sharpton, NAACP President, Ben Jealous; DC Delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton and Martin Luther King, III, echoed these themes, which are also the major empowerment goals of the National Urban League during this, our 100th year anniversary. It was fitting that the Reclaim the Dream rally began at a public high school. Education has always been the gateway to opportunity for African Americans and Education Secretary, Arne Duncan was on hand to once again call education the "civil rights issue of this generation." Underscoring that commitment was the presentation by Larry Handfield, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Bethune-Cookman College, of a $100,000 four-year scholarship to high school student, Leah Carr, of Northwest Washington.

Fox News talk show host, Glenn Beck, led the other rally, which took place at the Lincoln Memorial, the very spot where Dr. King rallied the nation to overcome its divisive past. Beck has made a living denouncing the concept of social justice, belittling the legitimate grievances of African Americans, using faith as a wedge issue, and claiming that President Obama is racist and his policies are reminiscent of Nazism. In short, Beck is a world-class divider, and his march was designed to take America in another direction - back to its roots of states' rights separatism. Unfortunately, Beck has amassed a large following. Many of them joined him and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin at their so-called "Restoring Honor" rally.

Their rally was not only about an outdated "us vs. them" vision of America, it was a cynical attempt to hijack the message and meaning of Dr. King and the civil rights movement. As I told the crowd at the Reclaim the Dream rally, "We will not stand silent as some seek to bamboozle Dr. King's dream. We reclaim the dream because we are here to say we must be one nation." At a time when Dr. King's message of unity is more important than ever, the question must be asked: Is America marching in two different directions?

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Congressional Budget Office and Economic Recovery Act in the News

2010-08-25T16:16:00.002-04:00

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Vice President
____________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release

August 24, 2010

Statement by the Vice President on New CBO Report on Employment and Economic Impact of the Recovery Act

Vice President Joe Biden today issued the following statement on a new report from the Congressional Budget Office on the employment and economic impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

“This new analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is further confirmation of what we’ve been hearing from leading economists, the nation’s governors and families across the country: the Recovery Act is working to rescue the economy from eight years of failed economic policy and rebuild it even stronger than before. When the CBO, Congress’s top watchdog and an institution widely-respected on both sides of the aisle, says that because of the Recovery Act as many as 3.3 million Americans are on the job today and the unemployment rate is as much as 1.8 percent lower, it’s impossible for even the most cynical, bent-on-rooting-for-failure critics to deny. So while Republicans in Congress – the same party that got us into this mess in the first place - may want to turn back the clock and drive us back into the same ditch we’re making our way out of, it’s now clearer than ever before that we can’t afford to go backward; we have to keep moving forward and build on measures like the Recovery Act that are creating jobs and making us competitive in the 21st century economy.”

According to the CBO report, “Estimated Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Employment and Economic Output from April 2010 through June 2010,” in the second quarter of 2010, the Recovery Act:
• Raised the level of real (inflation-adjusted) gross domestic product (GDP) by between 1.7 percent and 4.5 percent,
• Lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.7 percentage points and 1.8 percentage points,
• Increased the number of people employed by between 1.4 million and 3.3 million

###

Aug. 24, 2010, 3:24 p.m. EDT
Stimulus plan boosted GDP by as much as 4.5%, says CBO
By Steve Goldstein, MarketWatch

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The oft-criticized stimulus plan boosted the economy in the second quarter by as much as 4.5%, the Congressional Budget Office said on Tuesday.

In a report published the same day as Minority Leader John Boehner's criticism of President Obama's economic policy, the CBO said the stimulus law boosted the economy by between 1.7% and 4.5%, lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.7 percentage points and 1.8 percentage points and increased the number of people employed by between 1.4 million and 3.3 million.

In practice, that means the stimulus plan is the main reason the U.S. economy grew during the second quarter. The Commerce Department estimates the economy grew 2.4% in the second quarter, a figure most economists expect to be sharply revised lower in a report due Friday.

The CBO said the impact from the stimulus law on output and employment, however, will gradually diminish during the second half of 2010 and beyond.

The CBO also upwardly raised the cost of the stimulus plan to $814 billion from $787 billion.

Study: US stimulus package may have averted second recession

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/340855,stimulus-package-averted-recession.html

Washington - A massive government stimulus package approved last year may have helped the United States avert a double-dip recession in the second quarter, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found on Tuesday.

The CBO said the controversial two-year stimulus, President Barack Obama's signature economic plan that was enacted in March 2009, raised US economic output anywhere from 1.7 per cent to 4.5 per cent between April and June of this year.

An initial government estimate last month said gross domestic output (GDP) slowed to 2.4 per cent in the second quarter. Economists predict that number could be lowered as much as one percentage point in a revised estimate due out on Friday.

The slowdown in growth has stoked fears among some economists that the United States could be headed for a double-dip recession. The world's largest economy began growing again in the summer of last year after experiencing the worst downturn in decades.

The US unemployment rate has remained at 9.5 per cent despite the return to growth. But the CBO said the stimulus package, estimated to cost 814 billion dollars, helped create between 1.4 million and 3.3 million jobs.

Conservative Republicans have sharply criticized Obama's stimulus package as a wasteful and unnecessary spending measure that added to an already skyrocketing budget deficit.

They point to the sputtering US economic recovery as evidence of the stimulus' failure. The Obama administration insists the situation would have been far worse without the package and has pushed for more spending measures to ease pressures on small businesses.
Copyright DPA

OP-ED COLUMNIST Too Long Ignored : Black Boys and Men By BOB HERBERT

2010-08-25T16:14:00.000-04:00

OP-ED COLUMNIST
Too Long Ignored : Black Boys and Men
By BOB HERBERT
Published: August 20, 2010

A tragic crisis of enormous magnitude is facing black boys and men in America.

Bob Herbert

Parental neglect, racial discrimination and an orgy of self-destructive behavior have left an extraordinary portion of the black male population in an ever-deepening pit of social and economic degradation.

The Schott Foundation for Public Education tells us in a new report that the on-time high school graduation rate for black males in 2008 was an abysmal 47 percent, and even worse in several major urban areas — for example, 28 percent in New York City.
The astronomical jobless rates for black men in inner-city neighborhoods are both mind-boggling and heartbreaking. There are many areas where virtually no one has a legitimate job.

More than 70 percent of black children are born to unwed mothers. And I’ve been hearing more and more lately from community leaders in poor areas that moms are absent for one reason or another and the children are being raised by a grandparent or some other relative — or they end up in foster care.
That the black community has not been mobilized en masse to turn this crisis around is a screaming shame. Black men, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, have nearly a one-third chance of being incarcerated at some point in their lives. By the time they hit their mid-30s, a solid majority of black men without a high school diploma have spent time in prison.

Homicide is the leading cause of death for young black men, with the murderous wounds in most cases inflicted by other young black men.

This is a cancer that has been allowed to metastasize for decades. Not only is it not being treated, most people don’t even want to talk about it. In virtually every facet of life in the United States, black people — and especially black boys and men — are coming up short. White families are typically five times as wealthy as black families. More than a third of all black children are growing up in poverty. In Ohio, according to the National Center for Children in Poverty, the percentage is more than half.

There are myriad reasons for this awful state of affairs. As with so many other problems in American society, a lack of gainful employment has been a huge contributor to the problems faced by blacks. Chronic unemployment is hardly a plus-factor for marriage and family stability. And the absence of strong family units with mature parental guidance is at the very root of the chaotic environment that so many black youngsters grow up in.

The abominable incarceration rates among blacks are the result of two overwhelming factors: the persistence of criminal behavior by a significant percentage of the black population, and a criminal justice system that in many respects is racially discriminatory and out of control. Both of these factors need to be engaged head-on, and both will require a staggeringly heavy lift.

Education in the broadest sense is the key to stopping this socioeconomic slide that is taking such a horrific toll in the black community. People have to understand what is happening to them before they can really do much about it. Young blacks who have taken a wrong road, or are at risk of taking a wrong road, have to be shown a feasible legitimate alternative.

The aspect of this crisis that is probably the most important and simultaneously the most difficult to recognize is that the heroic efforts needed to alleviate it will not come from the government or the wider American society. This is a job that will require a campaign on the scale of the civil rights movement, and it will have to be initiated by the black community.

Whether this is fair or not is irrelevant. There is very little sentiment in the wider population for tackling the extensive problems faced by poor and poorly educated black Americans. What is needed is a dramatic mobilization of the black community to demand justice on a wide front — think employment, education and the criminal justice system — while establishing a new set of norms, higher standards, for struggling blacks to live by.

For many, this is a fight for survival. And it is an awesomely difficult fight. But the alternative is to continue the terrible devastation that has befallen so many families and communities: the premature and often violent deaths, the inadequate preparation for an increasingly competitive workplace, the widespread failure to exercise one’s intellectual capacity, the insecurity that becomes ingrained from being so long at the bottom of the heap.

Terrible injustices have been visited on black people in the United States, but there is never a good reason to collaborate in one’s own destruction. Blacks in America have a long and proud history of overcoming hardship and injustice. It’s time to do it again.

Dr. Laura Resigns

2010-08-25T16:11:00.000-04:00

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

Here we go again. One more time, a clueless commentator with a microphone and an audience of millions, has brazenly insulted Black America and reacted as if we were the perpetrators. The latest incident involves Dr. Laura Schlessinger, the host of the Dr. Laura radio show. On August 10th, Dr. Laura made racially insensitive statements and repeatedly used the "n-word" in responding to Jade, a black woman caller, who complained that her white husband's friends and relatives use racial slurs and make racially demeaning comments in front of her. Instead of offering helpful advice, Dr. Laura scoffed, "some people are hypersensitive." She noted that "black guys" use the n-word "all the time," and repeated the word 11 times during the call for emphasis. But her most revealing comment was, "I don't get it. If anybody without enough melanin says it, it's a horrible thing, but when black people say it, it's affectionate. It's very confusing." As she admitted, Dr. Schlessinger most emphatically doesn't get it and she is very confused about what constitutes racism. It is beyond comprehension that she would consider Jade "hypersensitive" for being offended by the n-word.

Dr. Schlessinger's comments, which can be heard in their entirety at http://mediamatters.org/blog/201008120045, created a national uproar. Millions of people of all races were offended by her insensitive and highly offensive on-air rant. Her resignation on August 18th came just five days after the National Urban League urged the Talk Radio Network to drop the Dr. Laura Show from syndication; and it demonstrates the impact people of good conscience can have when they speak out against intolerance. Several days after the incident, Dr. Schlessinger did issue a written apology which said in part, "I was attempting to make a philosophical point, and I articulated the "n" word all the way out - more than one time. And that was wrong. I'll say it again - that was wrong." That is an understatement. We cannot help but wonder, as did Nita Hanson (Jade's real name), how Dr. Schlessinger, who grew up during the height of the civil rights movement, and who once was a practicing marriage and family counselor, could not understand how hurtful the n-word is to most Americans. It is also disturbing that former vice presidential candidate, Sara Palin would publicly say to Dr. Schlessinger, "Don't retreat…reload." That kind of pandering to the basest element of the American electorate is highly offensive, inflammatory and counterproductive.

Dr. Schlessinger claims she resigned to "regain her Constitutional right to free speech." That is ludicrous on its face. Nobody has prevented her or her supporters from speaking their minds. But nobody is also preventing the public from reacting. It should be noted that following her remarks, several of her affiliates and major sponsors dropped her show. That was their Constitutional right.

As the nation works toward racial reconciliation and a celebration of diversity, we find it necessary to make it clear once again that this kind of divisiveness and casual use of racial slurs have no place among the public discourse.

8/25/10 ▪ 120 Wall Street ▪ New York, NY 10005 ▪ (212) 558-5300

Senate Again Denies Justice to Black Farmers

2010-08-18T12:00:00.001-04:00

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

"Justice delayed is justice denied"

For more than 10 years, tens of thousands of black farmers have been denied justice and a share of a $1.25 billion government settlement as compensation for decades of discrimination in federal farm loan programs. Many have lost their farms waiting. Some have died waiting. And on August 5th, before going on its summer recess, the Senate prolonged the wait by failing to once again appropriate the funds to right this egregious wrong.

Consistent with an unfortunate pattern that has stalled Congressional action on everything from health care reform to unemployment benefits, the Senate is stuck in a stalemate over the black farmers' settlement due to partisan bickering over how it will be financed. But, as noted in a recent Reuters news story, "The measure brought to the floor included offsets required under congressional 'pay-as-you-go' rules mandating new spending be offset with cuts elsewhere so as not to add to the deficit."

This is a clear case of political obstructionism and a violation of civil rights. Attorney General Eric Holder and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the settlement in February. President Obama included money for it in his current budget. The House of Representatives approved the funds in July. But the Senate has repeatedly refused to add its final stamp of approval. According to John Boyd, Jr., President of the National Black Farmers Association, "It shows that some of the same treatment that happened to the black farmers at the Department of Agriculture is transpiring with the Senate's inaction to help black farmers."

The original class-action lawsuit, Pigford v. Glickman, filed in 1997 and settled in 1999, awarded $50,000 to black farmers who were denied Department of Agriculture farm loans due to racial discrimination from 1983-1997. The government has already paid out more than $1 billion to 16,000 farmers. The new funding is for payments to as many as 70,000 farmers who were denied previous payouts because they missed the deadline for filing.

The black farmers settlement bill has the support of the White House, the Agriculture Department, Senators and House members of both parties, the Congressional Black Caucus and the major civil rights organizations, including the National Urban League. The National Black Farmers Association has taken the fight to Capitol Hill on numerous occasions and has appealed to the White House for help.

When the February settlement was announced, CBC Chairwoman Barbara Lee and many others thought that justice had finally arrived. In a statement then she said, "I am encouraged that today's settlement is an opportunity for black farmers who were denied the benefit of USDA loans and programs to begin to be made whole."

But justice continues to be denied. This is a travesty. The federal government has spent trillions on bailouts to banks, corporations and investment firms, but struggling black farmers have been left out in the cold. As John Boyd said, "It seems like the trains leaving the station in the Senate manage not to have the black farmers on them."

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8/18/10 ▪ National Urban League ▪ 120 Wall Street ▪ New York, NY 10005 ▪ (212) 558-5300 ▪ WWW.NUL.ORG

Sickle Cell Luncheon - September 1, 2010

2010-08-17T12:45:00.003-04:00

2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of sickle cell disease. To celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of two of Cincinnati’s very own sickle cell pioneers, the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati Sickle Cell Awareness Group is cordially inviting you to a luncheon that will honor Dr. Marilyn H. Gaston and Mrs. Cathryn Buford.

The event will be held on September 1, 2010 from 11-1, at the Crowne Plaza Cincinnati North Hotel, 11320 Chester Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio 45246. Tickets are $30.00 per person.

Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic blood disease in the United States. The disease primarily affects Africans and African Americans. Locally, there are more than 700 children and adults in the Greater Cincinnati area that have sickle cell disease, and one out of 10 African Americans carry the trait, meaning they do not have the disease but can pass it to their offspring.

An estimated 20,000 – 30,000 people in Cincinnati are carriers. We must know the facts if we’re going to fight the disease. Normal red blood cells are soft and round and flow through the body carrying oxygen to vital organs. But if you have sickle cell disease, your red blood cells can become hard and sickle shaped. They have trouble traveling through blood vessels and may even clog the vessel.

As a result, organs and tissue can be deprived of their oxygen, leading to damage to the organs and even stroke. Also, the sickle cells can rupture more quickly and lead to anemia (low red blood cell count), making you feel tired, weak and can lead to an early death.

Your support helps provide coping support groups, community outreach and education and our advocacy efforts. Please consider attending this luncheon. For more information please contact Pamela King at 513-487-6506 Thank you.

State of Urban Jobs - August 2010

2010-08-11T17:48:00.002-04:00

What You Need to Know About the State of Urban Jobs! Click here for full report

Urban unemployment continues to plague our communities and hamper our progress. Our State of Urban Jobs site at iamempowered.com gives you everything you need to know about jobs including the monthly employment report with job stats for Blacks, Whites and Latinos, the facts about how investing in job creation is the best strategy for reducing the deficit, resume writing tips, job listings and the National Urban League's response to the current crisis. Stay abreast of the latest developments and join NUL economist, Dr. Valerie Rawlston Wilson, today at State of Urban Jobs (under the Interactive tab) from 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm for a live chat on the July 2010 Employment report. Click here to view.

Highlights of the July 2010 Employment Report:

The economy lost a net 131,000 jobs in July, as large numbers of temporary Census jobs (-143,000) continue to wind down. Private employment increased by a modest 71,000.

The unemployment rate in July remained at 9.5% as labor force participation remained stable. The black unemployment rate edged up slightly to 15.6% (from 15.4%) as the participation rate fell to 61.5% (from 61.9%). The unemployment rate for black men decreased slightly (from 17.4% to 16.7%), as the rate for black women increased (from 11.8% to 12.9%). The unemployment rates for whites (steady at 8.6%) and Latinos (12.1% from 12.4%) also showed little change in July. Rates of teen unemployment (23.5%), particularly among African-American (40.6%) and Latino (35%) youth, also remain elevated as the Senate failed to pass summer jobs legislation. The rate of underemployment (including the unemployed, marginally attached and those working part-time for economic reasons) was also unchanged at 16.5%.

The ranks of long-term unemployed (jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed at 6.6 million (from 6.8 million) or 44.9% of all unemployed (from 45.5%). This persistently high rate of long-term unemployed along with the weak growth in private employment, and slowed economic growth over the last quarter indicates the tenuous state of the economy.

Manufacturing (+36,000), education and health services (+30,000) and transportation and warehousing (+12,200) all displayed modest growth in July as financial activities (-17,000), construction (-11,000), and state (-10,000) and local (-38,000) governments continued to shed jobs. To read more about the crisis in state and local government employment click here. Professional and business services also experienced negative net job growth for the first time since September 2009.

The July 2010 Employment report, along with other timely reports on unemployment insurance, how job creation reduces the deficit and NUL's 6-point Job Creation Plan are available at the new State of Urban Jobs page.

1101 Connecticut Ave., NW
Suite 810
Washington, DC 20036 Ph: (202) 898-1604
Fax: (202) 408-1965
www.nul.org

A Policy Brief from the National Urban League Policy Institute

2010-07-21T09:22:00.004-04:00

Wall Street Reform: A Victory for Consumers and Urban Communities

On July 15, 2010, Congress finally completed its work on a comprehensive Wall Street and Bank Reform bill. This landmark legislation represents nearly two years of intense debate on how to respond to the failures of our financial system that led to the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The positive impact of this new law, while beneficial to all American consumers, will be especially welcomed by African-Americans and at-risk urban communities. The new law will also serve as an antidote to future abuses so as not to repeat the financial crisis that emerged in 2008.

Three years ago, in 2007, the National Urban League sounded the alarm – like canaries in a cold mine – on the devastating impact of abusive and unfair predatory lending practices and the need to reform the lending industry when it first released its “Homeowner’s Bill of Rights” that included the following key rights:

The Right to be Free from Predatory Lending (Elimination of incentives for lenders to make predatory loans; a fair, competitive market that responsibly provides credit to consumers; access to justice for families caught in abusive loans; and the preservation of essential federal and state consumer safeguards)

The Right to Truth and Transparency in Credit Reporting (Demystify the credit reporting system through education and awareness and establishment of a penalty structure for credit reporting bureaus that maintain inaccurate client files)

The Right to High-Quality Home-ownership Education (Redesign of an industry-wide system that integrates pre- and post-purchase homeownership education and counseling; and expansion of HUD’s budget for housing counseling)

The Right to Fairness in Lending (Require lenders to gauge ability to repay and offer borrowers the most affordable and well-suited products for which they qualify)

The newly enacted Wall Street reform law will go a long way in enforcing these rights!

How Will Wall Street Reform Affect Main Street?

Whether you are a consumer buying a home, using credit cards, caught up in the home foreclosure crisis, trying to establish a small business, looking for a job, or participating in other financial transactions, the new Wall Street reform law will bring long overdue protections, transparency and accountability to our nation’s financial system through the following key provisions:

Consumer Protection – Creates a new independent watchdog with the authority to ensure American consumers get the clear, accurate information they need to shop for mortgages, credit cards, and other financial products, and protect them from hidden fees, abusive terms, and deceptive practices.

Credit Score Protection – Allows consumers free access to their credit score if their score negatively affects them in a financial transaction or a hiring decision. Gives consumers access to credit score disclosures as part of an adverse action and risk-based pricing notice.

Mortgage Reform – Provides comprehensive and fair lending protections such as: requiring lenders to ensure a borrower’s ability to repay the loans they are sold; prohibits unfair lending practices; establishes penalties for irresponsible lending; expands consumer protections for high-cost mortgages; requires additional disclosures for consumers on mortgages; and establishes an Office of Housing Counseling within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to boost homeownership and rental housing counseling.

New Offices of Minority and Women Inclusion – Establishes an Office of Minority and Women Inclusion at federal banking and securities regulatory agencies that will, among other things, address employment and contracting diversity matters. The offices will coordinate technical assistance to minority-owned and women-owned businesses and seek diversity in the workforce of the regulators.

Tackling the Effects of the Mortgage Crisis –

$1 billion will be provided to States and localities through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to combat the devastating impact of foreclosures on neighborhoods – such as falling property values and increased crime – by rehabilitating, redeveloping, and reusing abandoned and foreclosed properties.

The new law will provide Emergency Mortgage Relief by building on a successful Pennsylvania program. $1 billion will be provided for bridge loans to qualified unemployed homeowners with reasonable prospects for reemployment to help cover mortgage payments until they are reemployed.

Foreclosure Legal Assistance – authorizes a HUD-administered program for making grants to provide foreclosure legal assistance to low- and moderate-income homeowners and tenants related to home ownership preservation, home foreclosure prevention, and tenancy associated with home foreclosure.

For a comprehensive summary of the Wall Street reform legislation, click on the following link to the House Financial Services Committee website: http://financialservices.house.gov/FinancialSvcsDemMedia/file/key_issues/Financial_Regulatory_Reform/comprehensive_summary_FinalV5.pdf

Celebrate Black Music Saturday, June 19, 2010

2010-06-07T15:17:00.000-04:00

A Celebration of Black Music featuring BeBe and CeCe Winans on Saturday, June 19, 2010 – 7:00 PM at The City of Destiny located at 11450 Sebring Drive in Forest Park.This Celebration will pay tribute to Black Music Month with live performances by some of our region’s most talented musical artists and a special performance by national recording artist, BeBe and CeCe Winans!

For ticket information call(513) 733-1555 or visit www.celebrateblackmusic.com.

Cincinnati Urban League To Receive Award May 30

2010-05-20T11:12:00.001-04:00

The Urban League of Greater been selected to be one of this years' recipients of "The I Hear Music In The Air Ministry Award".

In its letter to Urban League President/CEO Donna Jones Baker, Tracey Artis, the CEO of I Hear Music Inc. noted:

"You are being honored for your work performed in excellence and generosity to the Greater Cincinnati community... You are an advocate for those who are at risk of racial and economic disadvantages through programs that promote economic self-sufficiency and entrepreneurship through effective leadership in the areas of comprehensive employment, youth and family development."

The League will be honored and receive its award at the annual "I Hear Music in the Air Legends Banquet" to be held on Sunday, May 30, 2010 at 5:00 pm in the Main Ballroom of The Westin Hotel located at 21 E,. 5th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Information about I Hear Music is available at http://www.ihearmusicintheair.com.

Action Alert - National Urban League President: "Save Summer Jobs."

2010-05-20T10:44:00.000-04:00

Dear Friend,

We must ACT NOW to save Summer Youth Employment in America!

Last week $600 million to fund 300,000 summer jobs for youth was stripped from the Senate FY 2010 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill. This same bill provides $33.45 billion for the Department of Defense.

The Appropriations Committee has turned its back on America's youth. WE ARE OUTRAGED and determined to push for restoration of funding for a crucial pipeline to empowerment.

There is an opportunity to restore at least $600 million for Summer Jobs funding by including it in another bill. Summer Jobs provide a foundation for a solid work ethic and invaluable experience that gives young people a clear advantage that lasts throughout their working life. A year without them will have devastating consequences for millions of American youth and their families. In 2009, the unemployment rate for all teens was 24.8% and 33.6% for Black teens.

Many of you will feel the impact personally as your own children and those in your community face the threat of a summer without earnings and essential job training. I am calling on you to join a nationwide effort to compel the Senate to amend the legislation to Make Jobs Not War.

I'm asking each of you to do the following: (Visit http://iamempowered.com for full details)
CALL, FAX and EMAIL your U.S. Senators

CALL the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 an operator will direct you to your Senator's office. Simply say "I am outraged and want Senator________ to vote to immediately restore at least $600 million for Summer Youth Employment BEFORE the Senate leaves for Memorial Day recess."

FAX: Download our template at http://bit.ly/NUL_fax. Numbers can be
found at http://www.contactingthecongress.org

Click here to use our automated system to EMAIL your Senators
http://bit.ly/nul_email

SIGN our petition to restore funding for summer youth employment
http://bit.ly/NUL_pet

View a special message from me http://bit.ly/mm_vid and then Tell us YOUR story! How has summer youth employment enhanced your life? What impact will a summer without youth jobs have on you and your family/community?

Respond via YouTube or send us an email message or video to iamempoweredstory@gmail.com.

I know I can count on you ACT. We must do it now BEFORE the holiday recess. Tell the Senate that we will not stand for them to fund wars and neglect our youth!

BE Empowered!

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO

Vote for the National Urban League

2010-05-18T08:51:00.000-04:00

Dear Friend,

We need your Vote!

We were selected to participate in the Members Project- an initiative of American Express and the Take Part Foundation that allows users to share information about their charity, volunteer and donate. Every three months American Express tallies the votes and determines five winning charities that share $1,000,000 in funding. We need your votes to continue our participation and potentially win the American Express Members Project competition!

I'm asking each of you to do the following:

•    Please click the below link and vote for the National Urban League:

    http://www.takepart.com/membersproject/vote

•    Forward the link via email to your friends and family, asking them to vote (You can vote every 7 days.)

•    Post the link on your Facebook wall and Tweet the vote link to your followers (http://bit.ly/voteNUL)

Members of our I Am Empowered community can earn points for these actions

We need your support and your influence to secure votes!!! The current round of voting ends on May 23, 2010 so we must mobilize everyone we know to vote. A gift from American Express will greatly enhance our ability to enhance the phenomenal work you do as we transform America together. Let's show Amex and the world that our supporters are passionate about our mission and proud of our legacy.

VOTE Here!

http://www.takepart.com/membersproject/vote

BE Empowered

Marc H. Morial

June 5th 9 AM Help Build Cincinnati's Citizen's Budget

2010-05-17T15:32:00.000-04:00

CUT POLICE 20%, RAISE TAXES!

Or close health clinics and rec centers! So say some Cincinnatians when asked how to eliminate a $51 million City deficit in 2010.

Afraid that a service important to YOU will be cut? City Council wants to know what you value most, so show up at 9 a.m. on Saturday June 5th at the Cintas Center to help save the programs you need. Because you'll talk in small groups of citizens, everyone has a voice, everyone will be heard--and Council members have promised to listen.

Remember--a $51 million deficit will affect everyone. If you want a say in the future of our City, come on June 5th to deliberate with other citizens what City services we can't live without.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP using the link below. Also, take a moment to review the "budget choices" and "budget scorecard" files on the site so that you understand how the options are framed and will be discussed.

And please forward this link to others who value the power of people to offer actionable insight to City Council. If you have questions, contact Steve Johns, Executive Director, Citizens for Civic Renewal at 458-6736.

Link to details and to RSVP for All-City Event at the Cintas Center

New Orleans - The Oil This Time

2010-05-12T09:55:00.000-04:00

By Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League

Five years after Hurricane Katrina's swift but devastating assault on the Gulf Coast and my hometown of New Orleans, a slow moving but massive oil spill in the Gulf could have an even more devastating impact on the region's shoreline, wildlife, economy and people. While the BP oil company has accepted full responsibility and moved quickly to coordinate containment and clean up of the spill, the company's efforts thus far have not resulted in capping the flow of more than 200,000 gallons of oil into the Gulf each day. With the spill spreading, fear mounting and the region's multi-billion dollar fishing industry shutting down, the Obama Administration has mobilized all appropriate government resources to assist BP in tackling what may well be an unprecedented environmental disaster.

Last week, the President and members of his response team, including Coast Guard Commandant, Thad Allen; Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano; Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar and EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson toured the region and pledged to spare no effort to fix the problem.

Lisa Jackson, the nation's first African American EPA Administrator, grew up in New Orleans. While in the region, she met with members of the local shrimping and fishing industries to assess the spill's potential economic impact. During meetings in Saint Barnard Parish and at a church in New Orleans's Ninth Ward she made it clear that BP must train and hire local fishermen and boaters to help with the clean-up. Nobody knows the marshes and waterways better than the local fishermen, many of whom are out of work as the region's huge seafood industry grinds to a halt.

Administrator Jackson has also deployed a specially designed aircraft to assist in the collection of air samples and to provide photo documentation of the spill's environmental impact. She has directed EPA personnel on the ground to support the Coast Guard's efforts. All told, the Obama Administration has committed 10,000 personnel, more than 270 vessels and dozens of aircraft to assist in containment and clean-up efforts.

New Orleans is a city on the mend. A dynamic new Mayor, Mitch Landrieu, has just taken office. The New Orleans Saints are Super Bowl champions. And the city continues to rebuild and rebound in the aftermath of Katrina. Now an oil spill the size of Rhode Island threatens to make landfall. One wonders how much the people of the region can take. The oil recovery effort is a complex operation that must be led by BP and the federal government. But, once again, the spirit of community, self-help, and empowerment that makes New Orleans and the Gulf Coast so great is making its presence known. Citizens are stepping up to do their share - as volunteers, as workers, and as protectors of the environment.

We join all Americans in continuing to pray that a disaster can be averted. And we applaud the Obama Administration and leaders like EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson, for doing all they can to protect the region's environment, jobs and people.

###

19TBE 5/12/10 ? 120 Wall Street ? New York, NY 10005 ? (212) 558-5300 ? WWW.NUL.ORG

Avondale Youth Council videos promote the 2010 Census

2010-04-29T09:19:00.000-04:00

The Avondale Youth Council recorded a series of public service announcements to promote the 2010 Census. They deserve to be seen - and the message needs to be heard. The first of these messages follows - with links to the others in the set.

Video 2

Video 3

Video 4

Video 5

Teachers Wanted - Urban League/Winton Woods City School District Job Fair May 5

2010-04-19T10:03:00.001-04:00

Winton Woods City School District and Urban League of Greater Cincinnati will offer a Teacher Job Fair on Wednesday May 5, 2010, from 6:00 - 8:30 P.M. at the Urban League Headquarters, 3458 Reading Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229.

Registration is by resume only. Individuals interested in participating should email their resumes and RSVP by Wednesday, April 28 2010 to rshabazz@gcul.org. For more information call (513) 487-6516.

More information about Winton Woods City School District: visit www.wintonwoods.org.

Visit http://www.gcul.org/programs1/jobs/winton-woods/ to download a flyer for the May 5 event.

2010 Gillette Civil Rights Game Tickets Available Now

2010-04-16T14:13:00.001-04:00

Cincinnati Reds vs St. Louis Cardinals, Saturday, May 15, 2010, 7:10 PM. Tickets are $20 each (Section 414). Follow this link to purchase tickets online. More information at www.gcul.org/reds.

2010 Gillette Civil Rights Game Weekend

MLB Beacon Awards Luncheon. Willie Mays, Billie Jean King and Harry Belafonte will receive MLB Beacon Awards, former congressman and U.S. ambassador Andrew Young will deliver the luncheon keynote address, and the Cardinals will visit the Reds on May 15 as Major League Baseball's Gillette Civil Rights Weekend returns to Cincinnati. The Beacon Awards Luncheon will be held at Duke Energy Convention Center.

Singer Lena Horne and Rachel Robinson -- the widow of Jackie Robinson -- will also be honored at the luncheon. There will also be a special tribute to the surviving members from a pivotal 1960 sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C., where African-Americans were once denied service at a "whites only" establishment.

There will be other events leading up to the Saturday night game, which will be carried live by MLB Network. The Baseball and the Civil Rights Movement roundtable discussion will return on May 14 at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, which is adjacent to the ballpark. Led by Harvard law professor and race-relations expert Charles Ogletree, the panel will include Reds great and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, Reds former star Barry Larkin, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, actor Mark Curry and tennis legend Zina Garrison.

There will be a youth summit and the MLB "Wanna Play?" interactive area on Saturday in Fountain Square. It will include an open Q&A forum with Larkin and MLB Network colleague Harold Reynolds, actor Josh Hutcherson and members of the Reds and Cardinals. Last year, more than 2,500 children participated at the summit.

Hall of Famer Ernie Banks will throw out the ceremonial first pitch while Grammy Award winning recording artists Roberta Flack and Jeffrey Osbourne are scheduled to perform prior to the Civil Rights Game.

Complete event details at http://www.mlb.com/civilrightsgame.

Follow this link to purchase tickets online. More information at www.gcul.org/reds.

Construction Connection Class begins April 26

2010-04-09T09:51:00.000-04:00

This program helps workers build skills needed to find jobs in the construction industry. Attendees to this class must be preregistered and have completed the prerequisite SOAR Class. Interested parties may contact The Construction Outreach Coordinator Reggie Brazzile 513 487-6525.

Class meets at Cincinnati Arts & Technology Center, Longworth Hall, 700 W.Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati Ohio 45203

Urban League Honors Employers, Workforce Program Graduates

2010-04-07T16:35:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday April 7, 2010, the Urban League celebrated the achievements of its workforce program graduates, and honored members of Cincinnati’s employer community who have supported its training programs.

Clark Handy, Sr. Vice President, Human Resources, Convergys for providing Webinars, Mock Interviews, access to web based tools that enhance our program and hiring 8 of our graduates. Clark is also a member of the Urban League’s Board of Trustees.

Ken Varda, Store Manager, Wal-Mart (Milford, Ohio) for participating in our Career Fairs, Mock Interviews and hiring 3 of our graduates.

Tracey Shouse, Quality Associates, Hired 5 Urban League Graduates in 2010

Paul Aragon, Restaurant Depot, Hired 5 Urban League Graduates in 2010: 2 enrolled into management training programs.

This twice-yearly event celebrates the success and personal achievement of 200 Greater Cincinnati residents who completed Urban League job training programs from October 2009 to March 2010. Many graduates have overcome significant personal challenges to complete programs and find jobs.

Sickle Cell Awareness Coping Group Begins April 6

2010-03-30T16:17:00.001-04:00

The Urban League of Greater Cincinnati is offering a new resource for people living with Sickle Cell disorder – a “coping group” series that will meet every other Tuesday for 10 weeks beginning April 6, 2010, from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM at the Buford Gaston Sickle Cell Building, 3770 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45229.

The April 6 and April 20 topic will be “Psychological Aspects of Pain Management” presented by Pamela King, Health Initiatives Coordinator, The Urban League of Greater Cincinnati and Pamela Jenkins, Social Worker, University Hospital Sickle Cell Center.

The session is free and open to the public. For more information about this group, please contact one of the group’s co-leaders: Pamela King (513 487-6506) of The Urban League, or Pamela Jenkins (513 584-2189) of University Hospital Sickle Cell Center.

Help us recruit AALDP Class XVIII

2010-03-25T10:13:00.000-04:00

We are looking for people like you! We will match our alumni against the alumni of any other program in the country and know that we have in our midst some of the finest minds in Cincinnati. Therefore, we have set an ambitious goal for Class XVIII. We believe we can have 45 achieving African Americans in the next class ... but we need your help to recruit these new leaders.

Please recommend your candidates for the next class no later than April 19. 2010. Send us the names and email addresses for persons you think might be interested in AALDP and we will do the rest.

For additional information please contact Jenny Laster at (513) 487-6530. Candidate materials can be downloaded from the Urban League website .

'Designing Our Future’ Neighborhood Summit Feb. 26-27

2010-02-16T15:39:00.000-05:00

The City of Cincinnati is inviting residents to help shape the City's future by attending the 2010 Neighborhood Summit on February 26 – 27 in the Cintas Center at Xavier University. Be among the residents from 52 communities throughout Greater Cincinnati who will come together to discuss and help create PLAN CINCINNATI, our City's first comprehensive plan in nearly 30 years.

Download Media Release and Full Details.

TEACHERS WANTED! Mason City Schools Employer Information Session Feb. 24

2010-02-16T08:28:00.000-05:00

Mason City Schools are seeking individuals who presently have teaching certifications and experience working with students grades K thru 12.

The Urban League is excited to announce that we have once again been afforded the opportunity to partner with Mason City Schools for a Career Insight. This partnership offers certified teachers the chance to apply for employment with Mason City Schools and hear first-hand from teachers & administrators.

Please notify or recommend individuals you know who will be awesome candidates. The career insight will be held on February 24, 2010 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm at The Urban League of Greater Cincinnati.

Please send all resumes to Rocky Shabazz (rshabazz@gcul.org) by February 19 for early registration.

New Website Under Construction

2010-01-31T16:48:00.003-05:00

Be on the lookout for Urban League of Greater Cincinnati's new website.