The Urban League of Louisiana officially opened registration for those looking to volunteer at the 2025 Big Health Event in Shreveport. Any questions or further inquiries can be sent to Cherie LaCour-Duckworth at cduckworth@urbanleaguela.org.
To volunteer, click here.
To register to attend The Big Health Event, click here.
The Urban League of Louisiana officially opened registration for those looking to volunteer at the 2024 National Urban League Conference in New Orleans this July. Any questions or further inquiries can be sent to Cherie LaCour-Duckworth at cduckworth@urbanleaguela.org.
For more information about the conference, visit conference.iamempowered.com/new-orleans-2024.
To volunteer for the 2024 National Urban League Conference, click here.
We’d like to thank every one of our more than 1,000 registrants, 100 speakers and panelists, and 55 generous sponsors who participated in our 5 plenary sessions, 21 breakout panels, and the over 120 students in our inaugural Youth Summit at the Conference.
And, we were excited to have an additional 1,000 attendees at our Gala which captured the amazing legacy of our 85 year journey, honored incredible trailblazers for African Americans in our state, and energized us all for the work ahead.
We hope that if you attended the celebrations, you learned a lot from our insightful speakers, and we urge you to stay involved with the Urban League of Louisiana! This Saturday, along with statewide partners, we are leading Black & Brown Voter Registration Day and it’s not too late to join and volunteer on the day of collective action – click here to register to volunteer!
Stay tuned for more exiting recaps from the conference and gala which will include videos of many panels and notable speakers that will live on our YouTube page.
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NEW ORLEANS – Today, Urban League of Louisiana (ULLA) announced the launch of its Black Women in Retail Accelerator Program in collaboration with National Urban League and sponsored by Walmart through the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity. ULLA is one of five National Urban League Entrepreneurship Centers participating in this national accelerator program. This inaugural cohort supports 10 Black, women-owned retail businesses across Louisiana with general and industry-specific coaching, mentoring, and training. The program also provides direct assistance for obtaining small business certifications, assistance with bidding on public and private contracting opportunities, and leadership skills development training.
“We are proud to offer this unique program in support of Black women in retail across Louisiana and applaud National Urban League and Walmart for being intentional in its efforts to support Black women founders,” says Judy Reese Morse, President & CEO, Urban League of Louisiana. “As we celebrate the Urban League of Louisiana’s 85th anniversary this year, it is imperative that we continue the organization’s rich history of creating programs and providing resources that yield economic impact and create generational wealth within the Black community. This program is just one more shining example of Urban League of Louisiana’s commitment to continue this legacy.”
Urban League of Louisiana’s Black Women in Retail Accelerator Program seeks to build the capacity of Black, women-owned retail businesses across Louisiana through education, counseling, mentorship, certification assistance, and connections to supplier inclusion programs. The goal is to increase the visibility and marketability of participating businesses, and to assist in the creation and retention of jobs -allowing for the expansion of sole proprietorships into multi-employee firms.
Between March and October of 2023, the inaugural cohort of our Black Women in Retail program will include:
- Entrepreneurial training and support
- Women in retail leadership development program
- WBE and MBE certification assistance
- Bid prep training and assistance
- Mentor/protégé and peer-to-peer partner programs
- Financial empowerment and access to capital services
“This program will be a game-changer for Black women in retail,” says Klassi Duncan, Vice President of Urban League of Louisiana’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. “Participants will gain knowledge and insights from retail experts in capacity building, distribution, go-to-market strategies, supply chain management, and access to capital. One of the biggest challenges that small businesses face is getting access the right resources to scale in meeting the needs of large big box retailers. This program directly addresses this challenge and much more.”
We are proud to announce the following Black women business founders will participate in cohort 1 of Urban League of Louisiana’s Black Women in Retail Accelerator Program:
- Sherilyn Hayward, Leroy’s LipSmack’n Lemonade (www.leroyslipsmacknlemonade.com)
- Tiffany Brown, Wicks Nola Candle Company (shopwicksnola.com)
- Natashia Paul, Chuupul Leather (www.chuupul.com)
- Paige Alexander, L’Jai Amor (www.ljaiamor.com)
- Keishia Deverney, Element Beverage (www.drinkelement.us)
- Jacqueline Arvie, Jax’s Creole Kitchen (www.facebook.com/jax.creolekitchen)
- Laportia Cooper, Nola Botanical Tea (nolabotanicaltea.com)
- Julie Vaucresson, Creole Made Easy (www.vaucressonsausage.com)
- Joyce Galmon, Joyce’s Sweets Inc.
- Brittney Hawkins-Dobard, Nola Cookie Co. (www.nolacookieco.com)
Hello ,
As the 10th President & Chief Executive Officer of Urban League of Louisiana, I am proud to announce the launch of Urban League of Louisiana’s 85th anniversary campaign.
Throughout this milestone anniversary year, our BOUNDLESS campaign will help capture what we believe about ourselves, share why our history informs our confidence today, and boldly proclaim what we believe our organization can accomplish in partnership with the communities we serve across the state.
For 85 years, Urban League of Louisiana has supported African Americans and other underserved communities in their pursuit of economic self-reliance, parity, power, and civil rights. And, today, our work continues to be delivered through innovative policies, programs, and advocacy. Whether in the areas of workforce, entrepreneurship, education or social justice, we are clear to always stay true to our mission and build on the legacy of our past.
In this milestone year, I can’t help but reflect that we are running our leg of a very long relay for justice, equity and economic empowerment. And there is no doubt that this continued race is possible because of the many forbearers in the movement that continue to guide our pathway today.
While our language may be slightly different from 1938, our issues of empowerment are the same. While our tactics may have evolved over eight decades, the principles of how we deliver improvements for families we serve are the same – community-focused, driven by data and analysis, and grounded in a healthy mix of direct service and policy change through strategic partnerships.
However, you slice it, I can confidently report that 85 years into this journey we remain aligned with the spirit and principles of our founders.
We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of our community, partners and many friends. The truth is we would not have been able to reach this incredible milestone without you and your belief in what we are called to do together. Thank you for joining us as we celebrate this historic milestone, and thank you for what you will do in the future.
For more on the BOUNDLESS campaign and what we have planned over the next six months, please regularly visit urbanleaguela.org/85.
If you haven’t already, please join our movement and become an Urban League of Louisiana Member. Together, we are BOUNDLESS.
Judy Reese Morse
President & CEO
Urban League of Louisiana
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The Urban League of Louisiana has been fighting to secure fair congressional maps in our State for many years. This fight intensified and led to legal action after the State Legislature failed to include two majority-Black districts in its most recently proposed maps. On Monday, the US Supreme Court issued an order dismissing the Louisiana Secretary of State’s request for the Court to hear arguments in the Robinson matter. This means the fight continues in lower courts as the order only removed the Supreme Court’s previous decision to pause the case. Importantly, this also creates the potential that Louisiana will once again have two majority-Black congressional districts.
While we applaud the Court’s order, this procedural win only means that the Robinson case can continue and the important question of whether the congressional maps drawn by Louisiana Republicans violated the Voting Rights Act remains. Likewise, this order does not undo the damage and weakening of the Black vote that has already transpired nor does it ensure a certain outcome for Black voters, thus, our work must continue!
The Urban League of Louisiana is resolved to support the litigation efforts of partners such as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU of Louisiana, and others to ensure that Black Louisianans have the political capital they deserve. Furthermore, we call on the Louisiana Legislature to preemptively redraw our congressional maps to include two majority-Black congressional districts. We believe that this move is both judicially and morally correct.
Regrettably, while the Urban League of Louisiana remains optimistic about the future of our State’s congressional maps, we are extremely disappointed and concerned by the Court’s decision in Students for Admission v Harvard and Students for Admission v UNC, respectively. The Supreme Court’s decision in these cases to strike down Affirmative Action is an endorsement for racial inequities to become even more pervasive in our education system. Those who seek to categorize Affirmative Action as discriminatory disregard our country’s gross mistreatment of Black Americans and other underserved communities. Likewise, supporters of this decision by the Supreme Court ignored the generations of marginalized Americans who were afforded opportunities that they otherwise would not have received!
Consequently, we are committed to applying political and legal pressure as we continue the fight for Black Louisianans, fair voting rights, and those seeking fair admissions to college. The Urban League of Louisiana will not relent in its pursuit of equity and voting education in all areas of life.
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BACKGROUND
Between March 9, 2023 – April 5, 2023, Urban League of Louisiana (ULLA) in conjunction with the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus engaged in a statewide tour to hear directly from residents in the cities of Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, New Orleans, Monroe, and Shreveport. While open to all community members, the vast majority of participants were African Americans. This effort across the state was sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The thoughts, comments, experiences, and information shared by residents helped inform ULLA’s 2023 Legislative Agenda and will be used to determine how best to serve the residents of our seven target cities from a policy perspective. In addition to the subject areas explicitly covered during this year’s Listen & Learn Tour, a range of additional topics surfaced as being important and impactful to African Americans and other underserved communities in each city. This summary report shares brief highlights from the tour. We encourage you to review this summary as well as our Legislative Agenda so that you can be informed about the prospective laws being debated that will no doubt have an impact on you, your family, community, and city!
WHAT WE HEARD: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Following the convening of our seven target cities, respectively, community residents repeatedly echoed concerns regarding the following:
- Combating food deserts and the lack of healthy nutritional food options for Black and Brown Louisianans;
- Closing the racial wealth gap via increasing minimum wages rates and homeownership initiatives which increase property values and community investments;
- Addressing educational inequities by introducing financial literacy programs and increasing teacher salaries;
- Prioritizing safer communities by requiring more transparency by law enforcement, mandating community policing practices, stronger gun regulations, and de-escalation training;
- Implementing meaningful health literacy programs in businesses and schools, combatting mental health issues, as well as initiatives ensuring equitable access to healthcare; and
- Enhancing the career opportunities for African Americans and other underserved communities via apprenticeships and access to the bidding of government procurement efforts.
Racial Wealth Gap
“There needs to be an earn while you learn model instead of learning to earn.”
Lafayette Resident
When asked whether to prioritize homeownership, income & wages, or business ownership/entrepreneurship – in order to close the racial wealth gap that exist between African Americans, Hispanics, and Latinos compared to their white counterparts – residents agreed that a multifaceted approach was needed. While residents felt that strategies and policies needed to focus on all three of these areas, they also elevated increasing income and wages as an aspect of their everyday lives needing immediate intervention.
Safety & Police Community Relations
“We need more peer-to-peer mediation and conflict resolution. We also need more methods that treat and address trauma.”
Baton Rouge Resident
In analyzing the most pressing need related to increasing safety in their communities and strengthening police interactions with people of color, residents in all seven target cities highlighted the need for reforms centered around community policing and increased transparency on the part of law enforcement. Additionally, while acknowledging the many areas law enforcement could be better trained and equipped to interact with citizens, residents also agreed that more can be done internally within the community to ensure that neighborhoods were safer and to foster a trusting relationship with police.
Health
“Educating people on healthcare is a need – people go to the doctor without knowledge of themselves or their rights.”
Alexandria Resident
In addressing what information would aid them in living a healthier life and combating major health issues their community is facing, residents suggested that they, as well as their communities, would be able to live a healthier lifestyle if food deserts were eliminated in Black and Brown communities. Additionally, residents highlighted the need to be equipped with affordable healthcare, to increase the number of Black and Brown medical practitioners, combat treatment biases, and learn techniques to increase self-discipline that address the mental aspects of being healthier, such as prayer and meditation, would increase their quality of life.
Education
“We need to make sure our kids are on level in their basic courses.”
Lake Charles Resident
While discussing the historical disparities existing in our education system, residents articulated that educational equity in schools must include, student home life interventions, increasing the number of certified teachers, addressing teacher shortages and salaries, and holding school leaders accountable. Residents also believed that funding educational initiatives, increasing special needs instructors, educating parents on how to educate their children, as well as including financial literacy and technical certifications as part curriculums would make schools more equitable.
Workforce
“We need a long-term strategy to beat back extreme policies in the state that negatively impact the Black community.”
Shreveport Resident
When prompted as to what jobs or job programs their city needs to invest in, residents consistently raised the need to invest and educate the community concerning jobs and industries of the future, this included, agriculture & farming, waterway professions, science-based jobs, construction, and technological fields, to name a few examples.
2023 Listen & Learn Tour Policy Change Goals
After traveling 1,783 miles across Louisiana and speaking with residents in our seven target cities, Urban League of Louisiana’s 2023 Listen & Learn Tour resulted in policy change goals. We will work further to develop these policy goals into actionable laws, and advocate for in federal, state and local legislative bodies in furtherance of uplifting Black and Brown communities of Louisiana. The following policy change goals represent consistent themes heard across the seven cities visited.
Closing the Racial Wealth Gap & Strengthening Workforce
- Increase the minimum wage
- Increase funding to homebuyer education/financial wellness organizations
- Increase apprenticeships through public-private partnerships
- Mandate coordinated economic development strategies to train workers and recruit jobs in emerging industries (i.e., renewable energy, agriculture, broadband and technology)
- Conduct analysis of government-funded workforce development programs to assess accessibility to most vulnerable populations in its jurisdiction (i.e., distance, public transit)
Safety
- Increase incentives for local police departments to deploy and expand community policing strategies that increase walking beats
- Incentivize or mandate residency requirements for local law enforcement bodies
- Mandate annual trainings for local and state police to complete de-escalation trainings, mental health screenings
- Mandate local and state law enforcement agencies hire full-time social worker to support officers
- Ban assault rifles
- Implement laws on background checks for firearm purchases
- Increase public funding to expand mental health beds
- Increase investments in youth prevent programs
Health
- Fund campaign to promote benefits of consistent mental health and treatment
- Eliminate food deserts in Louisiana by 2030
- Recruit and incentivize black physicians to Louisiana
- Increase public green and walk spaces in majority-Black neighborhoods
- Increase public education regarding health inequities
- Regulate chemical plants and other pollutants to reduce environment and health harm
Education
- Increase teacher pay
- Strengthen regulations to mandate increase in teacher certifications
- Implement financial literacy in schools
- Increase digital and broadband access
- Expand access to early childhood education
Learn more about our 2023 Legislative Agenda and how you can partner with the Urban League of Louisiana here.
Thanks to the generosity of your support, Urban League of Louisiana was able to raise a whopping $10,490. We pledge to you that these funds will be used to aid us in our fight to assist African American and other underserved communities seeking equity to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power, and civil rights. Together, we can remove barriers, create pathways, and make Louisiana stronger.
Want to continue your support of our mission? Become a member. Learn more and sign up today!
Judy Reese Morse
President & CEO
Urban League of Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS – Today, Urban League of Louisiana (ULLA) announces Debra Vaughan as the new Vice President for Research and Evaluation. This role is responsible for cultivating and maintaining ULLA’s capacity as a community-centered, data-informed strategic learning organization and ensuring continuous innovation toward equity-focused programming and experiences for both stakeholders and staff. The Vice President of Research and Evaluation will be responsible for developing and executing a research agenda and engagement strategy focused on equity, with a strong focus on education equity, as well as driving organizational effectiveness and program evaluation activities for ULLA.
“We are thrilled to have Deb join our leadership team at such a pivotal time for our organization,” said Judy Reese Morse, Urban League of Louisiana President & CEO. “Deb has extensive experience working to advance equity and improved outcomes in people’s lives. She has worked across the country in government, the private sector, and nonprofits. Deb will help our organization deepen our impact even further as we move boldly into the future.”
“Numbers and data put facts on anecdotes, and has a way of putting issues on the table that people are sometimes afraid to face,” said Debra Vaughan, Vice President for Research and Evaluation. “I am excited to join the Urban League of Louisiana to help ensure we are measuring the things important to the communities we serve because what gets measured, gets done.”
Debra Vaughan brings more than twenty years of experience conducting equity research and evaluation, developing innovative policy and practice recommendations, and engaging community stakeholders around an evidence-based advocacy agenda. Prior to joining the team, Debra supported ULLA’s Education Equity initiative as researcher and author of the Advancing Education Equity reports. In addition to serving as a consultant to various other organizations across Louisiana and the country. Debra previously served as Budget Consultant for the City of New Orleans, Senior Managing Consultant for PFM Consulting Group, and Director of Research at Tulane University’s Cowen Institute.
Relentlessly focused on sustainable equity and excellence, Debra Vaughan is skilled at helping organizations identify ways to maximize their impact, while working within communities to address systemic barriers that impede success for all. Throughout her career, she has been diligently focused on what organizations can do (and do better) to help young people, their families, and communities thrive, now and in the future.
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