Contact: Michelle Merriweather
National Urban Young Professionals
Phone 805.208.3311
[email protected]
Press Release
National Urban League Young Professionals Celebrate Fifteen Years of Service: Moving the Movement Forward
New York, NY, October 9, 2013: The National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP), an auxiliary of the civil rights organization National Urban League, are poised to let America know that the wait is over for the next generation of civil rights leaders. In the wake of commemorating the March on Washington, and other historic events that marked a shift in civil rights in America’s history, the next generation of leaders are ready to carry the torch. Led by President Brandi Richard (Washington, DC), the auxiliary is preparing to celebrate 15 years of service to the National Urban League through their work in over 60 chapters tied to Urban League affiliates throughout the country empowering communities through service projects including registering thousands of new voters through our National Day of Empowerment, and mentoring future leaders through our National Day of Service.
The NULYP is led by a talented group of 12 Young Professionals (pictured below), from all over the country including President Richard, Executive Vice President Jameeka Green Aaron (San Jose, CA), Secretary Kamari Aykes (Portland, OR), Policy and Procedures Chair Carlos Clanton (Hampton Roads, VA), Treasurer Elijah Williams (Houston, TX), Eastern Region Vice President Marisa Bartley (Pittsburg, PA), Southern Region Vice President Joe Randolph (Charlotte, NC), Central Region Vice President Kira Van Niel (St Louis, MI), Programs Chair Travis Townsend (Atlanta, GA), Communications Chair Michelle Merriweather (Los Angeles, CA), Information and Technology Chair Jeremy Johnson (Hampton Roads, VA), Membership Chair Hakimu Shuttlesworth Davidson (Washington, DC), and Advocacy Chair William Barnes (Birmingham, AL). This leadership team volunteers to develop programming that helps the organization execute an agenda of: advocacy, community service, and leadership development to support the 6,000 members throughout the country. President Richard says “we have studied the work of leaders such as Dorothy Height, Marc Morial, Ella Baker, and Reverend Al Sharpton, and are ready to move our country forward. We are the ones they fought to protect and we are the ones who will carry the movement forward.” She continues “we must never forget that it was Young Professionals that led the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King was 29 years old when he gave the famous ‘Dream’ speech, and it is our time to make the same impact on society. We’ve got now.”
Since the auxiliary’s inception in 1999 the volunteer auxiliary, age 21-40, has developed a pipeline of leadership within the National Urban League Movement. To date several of the past leaders of the organization have become Chief Executive Officers of Urban League affiliates across the country, including one of the NULYP founders, Kevin Hooks, who now serves as the CEO of the Las Vegas Urban League. Other past leaders of the NULYP that are now leading affiliates include: Nolan Rollins, CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League and Jill Littlejohn, CEO of the Urban League of the Upstate.
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About National Urban League Young Professionals
The National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP) is a National Urban League volunteer auxiliary that targets young professionals ages 21-40 to empower their communities and change lives through the Urban League Movement. Our mission is to support the Urban League Movement through our volunteerism, philanthropy and membership development. NULYP began in 1999 by a group of young, people looking for an opportunity to make a difference. Today, there are nearly 60 chapters and 6000 members supporting Urban League affiliate offices throughout the country.