To Be Equal #35
August 29, 2012
National Urban League Young Professionals are Empowering Communities and Changing Lives
Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League
“With the critical decisions we face in the areas of job creation, education disparities, and retirement solutions, we understand the importance of speaking, voting and most importantly, acting NOW.” Brandi R. Richard, President, National Urban League Young Professionals
Not all urban youth plan to get in line to buy Nike’s outrageously priced $315 basketball shoe when it goes on sale this Fall. In fact, rather than focusing on false status symbols, during 2012 thousands of members of the National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP) got in line to provide more than 50,000 volunteer hours in communities throughout the nation. They also raised more than $382,000 to support Urban League affiliates across the country. They added 4,369 new members to their ranks. Their social media strategy increased their influence to over 1.5 million friends, followers and connections. And they are now playing a major role in the National Urban League’s Occupy the Vote campaign leading up to the November election.
The enthusiastic activism of the NULYP is a clear sign that “civil rights” is becoming the choice of a new generation. These young people are infusing the National Urban League movement with new ideas and energy and we are giving them opportunities for leadership development and community service that are strengthening our organization and our nation.
At a time when many urban youth have been labelled as under-achievers and potential trouble makers, the NULYP, under the leadership of its dynamic president, Ms. Brandi R. Richard, is demonstrating the ability of urban youth, ages 21-40, to empower communities and change lives.
Their mission is to support the Urban League Movement through volunteerism, philanthropy and membership development. NULYP trains, develops and educates young professionals – the best, brightest and most dedicated -- to take leadership roles within the National Urban League, the civil rights movement and society-at large. Its members are defining and leading the next generation civil rights agenda through 57 chapters across the nation.
Recent NULYP advocacy work includes writing hundreds of letters to Members of Congress in support of the Urban Jobs Act, mentoring more than 4,000 students in STEM education during the group’s annual Day of Service, and participating in a Social Security/Personal Financial survey which gathered important information to help NULYP members better prepare for retirement. During the recent National Urban League Annual Conference in New Orleans, a number of NULYP chapters received awards for service excellence. Our 2012 Chapters of Excellence includes Young Professionals of Hampton Roads, Metro St. Louis, Greater Pittsburgh, Houston and Los Angeles. The Austin Area Urban League Young Professionals were honored as our Outstanding “Rookie Chapter of the Year.”
Rather than putting false hope in fads like the latest overpriced basketball shoe, these young people are empowering themselves and their communities to expand opportunity and bring more people into the economic mainstream. I am proud of them and we are glad they are part of the National Urban League family.
To learn more about NULYP visit www.nulyp.net. You can Like the National Urban League Young Professionals on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NULYP and Follow on Twitter @NULYP.
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35TBE 8/29/12 ▪ 120 Wall Street ▪ New York, NY 10005 ▪ (212) 558-5300 ▪ WWW.NUL.ORG
