The National Urban League is celebrating 100 years of dedication to economic empowerment for African Americans. To mark its centennial, the organization has ramped up its focus on galvanizing youth involvement with its I Am Empowered initiative.
Using a social networking platform, I Am Empowered incorporates an interactive Website that allows members to access information, create profiles and share video and other information. Users can also obtain assistance on issues such as homeownership and entrepreneurship. The site also has mobile capabilities and users can download the application at the Apple store and Android Market. A BlackBerry app is also in the works. People can become apart of the community by visiting www.iamempowered.com.
“The whole social mobilization platform is going to be about getting people to connect,†Marc H. Morial, National Urban League president. “The aim is to create the largest digital community of its kind,†he adds.
The NUL said this initiative is a tool to continue its mission of eliminating racial gaps and disparities. As part of the launch, users are urged to sign up and pledge online to commit their time and talents to achieving the four main goals of the I Am Empowered initiative by 2025.
As part of the National Urban League’s centennial celebration, the organization will host an Empowerment reception March 2 in Harlem and its annual conference in Washington D.C., July 28-31. The historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment for African Americans was founded in 1910. With 100 local affiliates in 36 states, the organization has developed community based programs, public policy research and advocacy. The organization counseled black migrants from the South in the early 1900s, helped train black social workers, and worked in various other ways to bring educational and employment opportunities to blacks.
“I am so proud of the National Urban League’s rich history and what it has done for people over the past 100 years,†said former Urban League president Hugh B. Price. “As we move forward by extending our reach and improving our way of servicing those who need our assistance, I’m excited about what the Urban League can and will do for urban communities throughout the 21st century.â€