Empowering Communities. Changing Lives
National Urban League enables African Americans and other underserved urban residents to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights.
Founded in 1910, the National Urban League is the leading civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice. Through our national operations and the Urban League Movement of 92 Affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, we connect over three million people annually to opportunities in workforce development and entrepreneurship, education and youth development, housing, health, and civic engagement and equitable justice. We advocate for economic opportunity, education, voting rights, community safety, health equity, and other issues on nationally and on the ground in 300 communities across the country.
In July, Marc Morial ushered in a new era of advocacy and activism for the Urban League Movement - Empowerment 2.0. This initiative builds upon the solid foundation of the five-part Empowerment Agenda he originally introduced in his inaugural State of the Urban League address two decades ago. Rooted in the organization's enduring pillars of Employment, Education, Housing, Healthcare, and Justice, Empowerment 2.0 introduces what we call:
“D3”: Defend Democracy, Demand Diversity, and Defeat Poverty.
As we continue with our nationwide public messaging and advocacy campaign, "The Urban League Fights For You," D3 will serve as the rallying cry for our collective efforts across all our programs and initiatives!
For more information visit: Urban League Fights for You | National Urban League (nul.org)
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Our goal is for every American to have access to jobs with a living wage and good benefits.
Through signature programs including Urban Youth Pathways, Urban Re-Entry Program, Urban Seniors Jobs Program, and Urban Tech Jobs, we provide training, education, and credentials to connect people to life-sustaining careers. Our Entrepreneurship Centers helps people start, grow, and sustain businesses, and, in 2022 we served 25,435 clients and helped them secure $110.3 M in contracts and financing.
Our goal is for every American to live in safe, decent, affordable, and energy efficient housing on fair terms.
Through Comprehensive Housing Counseling Program, we make housing options more accessible and sustainable by leveling the playing field for Black and other minority renters, homeowners, and the homeless. In 2022, we served 51,859 people through our signature housing program.
Our goal is for every American child is ready for college, work, and life.
Through our signature program, Project Ready, we provide middle and high school students with support to thrive academically, personally, and socially. In 2022, 97% of students served graduated high school on time, and 93% move to the next grade level. Additionally, we advocate for inclusive education, brining in voices and perspectives often left out of the education reform conversation, to build pathways for all students to succeed.
Our goal is for every American to have an equal right and responsibility to fully participate in our democracy and civic process.
Our advocacy, programs, and initiatives focus on voting rights and civic participation, policing and criminal justice system reform, gun violence and anti-hate prevention, and other related issues. In 2022, our Reclaim Your Vote Campaign engaged 1,287,841 voters via telephone calls, text messages, and in-person, and 132,400,000 via television and radio impressions.
Our goal is for every American to have access to quality and affordable health care solutions.
Our health equity approach addresses multiple social determinants of health (SDOH). During the COVID-19 pandemic, we built a community-based workforce of 2,272 trusted messengers, 229 coalition partners, and 136 community health navigators and now leverage it to address other health disparities facing Black and other underserved communities.