Los Angeles Urban League blogs

Apply for the $1,000 Youth Community Development Council Grant

urbanleague — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:11:17 +0000

The Los Angeles Urban League (South) Youth Community Development Council is dedicated to creating programs available to those less fortunate by utilizing the funds allocated to us. This Committee is responsible for awarding $1,000 in grant funds for community service learning projects to organizations that serve the south Los Angeles Area.

We are looking to fund education/youth programs offering tutorials, job and college prep services, in addition to performing and visual art components. Also, programs meeting the critical needs of the homeless by supplying shelter, healthy food, and employment opportunities.

For more information on how you can apply please contact Candice Black or Juvie Gonzalez at 323-292-8111 between 9:00AM-5:00PM March.4th-March 18th 2010.

More information after the break.

Neighborhoods@Work featured in "The Power of Social Innovation"

urbanleague — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:53:49 +0000

Professor Steven Goldsmith of Harvard focuses a chapter on Neighborhoods@Work in his new book - The Power of Social Innovation: How Civic Entrepreneurs Ignite Community Networks for Good. Attached is an excerpt about the League by Professor Goldsmith.

UC San Diego - Lessons and Action: Message from League President/CEO Blair Taylor

btaylor — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:22:37 +0000

Dear League Supporters:

Over the past few weeks, I have been involved in one of the most disturbing University of California incidents in recent memory, as the University of California San Diego’s African American students have been subjected to a very disturbing series of incidents.

It started with the “Compton Barbeque” a few weeks ago - an event which openly mocked Black History month, and made the African American students on campus feel persecuted and vulnerable. That was followed by a series of incidents, including the hanging of a noose and later a KKK hood in public spaces, and the open defiance of Caucasian students (who voiced their support for their free speech rights to humiliate African Americans) via campus television and publications.

The Los Angeles Urban League has responded to these incidents swiftly, and supported the growing coalition of Social and Civil Rights Organizations that have united with the students to find solutions. As many of you know, one of the underlying issues for such campus racial strife is the exceptionally low number of African American students on the campus (African Americans only represent about 1.5% of the student body at UCSD). Chris Strudwick-Turner (our Marketing VP) and I worked with community leaders on a similar issue at UCLA over the past few years. The ultimate result was a more than doubling of African American students at UCLA. We intend to bring the same approaches to this problem.

Black History Month with Urban League President Blair Taylor

urbanleague — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:24:45 +0000

League President & CEO Blair Taylor visited the KTLA Morning News for Black History Month. Blair discussed National Urban League's 100th Anniversary and the pending 2010 State of Black LA Report with Michaela Pereira, Mark Kriski, Sam Rubin, and Jessica Holmes. Talk also included Obama Administration's focus on supporting holistic neighborhood change models like League's Neighborhoods@Work and the hope that South LA is selected to receive the significant federal funding.

On the Retirement of Congresswoman Diane Watson

urbanleague — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:03:12 +0000

Update: Now watch video from the event above.

On the announcement of her pending retirement, the Los Angeles Urban League and President & CEO Blair Taylor salutes the years of service of Congresswoman Diane Watson to Los Angeles, the state of California. Diane Watson and the League have worked together for the betterment of lives for decades. From her tenure on the Board of Education, to the California State Assembly to her service to the country as a member of Congress and ambassador to Micronesia, Watson has been an exceptional public servant, a trusted ally of the League and a fearless champion of the constituents we serve in the African American community and other minority communities.

Winter 2010 Newsletter

urbanleague — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:07:24 +0000

In the Winter 2010 Newsletter:

Head Start Enrollment and Employment Fair
Neighborhoods@Work takes the National Stage
Annual Board Luncheon
Jim Hill Golf Tournament
Neighborhoods@Work Success Stories

Urban League's China Delegation in the news

urbanleague — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:43:41 +0000

National Urban League President Marc Morial blogged about the China Delegation for Black Enterprise.
NUL has also posted pictures on NUL.org and on their Facebook page. Become a Facebook fan of the Los Angeles Urban League!
Eurweb has also posted photos from the trip.
The LA Sentinel has a great article on the delegation’s plans in Beijing.

China Blog - The Great Wall

trevor.ware — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:04:26 +0000

Most of our delegation enjoyed the Great Wall this afternoon. After a bus ride of approximately an hour we arrived and began our ascent of the wall. As I climbed the uneven steps I couldn't help asking myself, "Can you imagine building this thing?" Just as you'd think, the Wall extends as far as you can see. And steep! It was all we could do to walk a short distance. It seemed we were walking straight up. None of us could do it in one continuous trip. All of us were panting! We joked that we could call it the NUL team building event only because, luckily, everyone came back unhurt.

China Blog - Great morning of business

trevor.ware — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:50:17 +0000

Great morning of business. While yesterday was focused on "getting to know you" today was focused on "getting things done". Our first meeting was with the Ministry of Education. Unlike other meetings, we went in focused on discussing three specific proposals. The first, creating a Confucius Institute at Xavier University and 4 other HBCU's was well received. It was, in fact, directly in line with the desires of the Ministry. The two proposals, including exchanges of students and teachers, was also well received.

China Blog - 21st Century Relationships

btaylor — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:39:53 +0000

This trip continues to establish new 21st Century relationships. Today we met with leaders from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce. We also met with the Ambassador who covers several African Countries, including Ghana. It was a fascinating day. With the Ambassador, I asked him to consider inviting members of the Delegation back when they next host the heads of state from Africa. They conduct this conference every 3 years (most recently in 2009). It last happened in 2006 just before the original China delegation from the LA Urban League arrived. Notably, our Los Angeles Urban League delegation was the first of its kind - a high level delegation of African Americans, and the precursor to this current trip. We were convinced then, as now, that some kind of three-way relationship could be enormously powerful.