ULGP
NEWS

Ask any entrepreneur what freedom means and you'll get a version of the same answer: the freedom to build something that is yours. In a month when we celebrate Juneteenth and Pride, The Entrepreneurship Center wants to talk about what that freedom really costs, and what it really creates, for Black and LGBTQIA+ business owners in America right now. What ownership means for us For Black Americans, entrepreneurship has never been only about commerce. It is about self-determinat

In a month built around freedom, the Office of Reentry Programs & Services wants to talk about the people for whom freedom is most fragile, and most hard-won: returning citizens. Men and women who have served their time, paid their debt, and are now doing the hardest work of all, coming home and building a life. This summer, as a new class of eager college interns and graduates enters the workforce, we want to make a case for a group of job-seekers who deserve the same consid

Community development is, at its core, about building the conditions that let people move forward. Not charity, infrastructure. The kind of permanent, physical, financial scaffolding that turns good intentions into lasting opportunity. This month, the Office of Community & Economic Development is proud to share several ways the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia is building exactly that. A Reentry House for returning citizens One of the most exciting projects on our horizon

Freedom is only as strong as the rights that protect it, and rights are only as strong as the people who know them, use them, and defend them. During a month when we celebrate both Juneteenth and Pride, the Office of Advocacy wants to have an honest conversation about something that can feel heavy: what it means to stay civically engaged as an LGBTQ person, especially when the legal landscape keeps shifting beneath your feet. Let's name the reality. Being civically engaged as

In a year when the nation celebrates 250 years of freedom, the Office of Youth & Education wants to talk about a kind of freedom that doesn't get enough attention: financial freedom. Because for a young person standing at the edge of adulthood, few things shape the rest of their life more than whether the door to higher education is open or closed. The math is unforgiving. A college degree remains one of the most reliable pathways to economic mobility, to higher lifetime earn

There is a particular kind of meaning to celebrating freedom in the month of June, in the year the United States turns 250. This is the month of Juneteenth, June 19, the day in 1865 when freedom finally reached the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is not simply a date. It is a reminder that freedom in America has always arrived unevenly, that it has had to be carried the last mile by the people still wait

There is a particular energy that fills the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia when summer arrives, the energy of a new class of interns walking through the door, ready to learn, ready to contribute, and ready to serve their communities. This summer, that energy is back. Our Summer Internship Program returns with a fresh group of college students prepared to gain real, hands-on experience and to give back to the city that raised them. This program is one of the most direct

On a long-vacant corner in West Philadelphia, the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia put shovels in the ground on something this city has been waiting for. At 5616 Chestnut Street, a building that sat empty for years is about to become a lifeline, a new $8 million Center for Well-Being and headquarters designed to bring health, opportunity, and stability together under one roof. We called the groundbreaking ceremony "Framing the Future," and that is exactly what it was. The

The room at the Event Center at Rivers Casino did not feel like a typical fundraiser. From the first words of the evening, the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia's Annual Gala felt like a charge, a night that, in the words of President and CEO Dr. Darrin Anderson, "asks something of all of us." Dr. Anderson opened the program by placing the evening inside a larger moment. "As this country approaches 250 years, we are reminded that history is not just something we inherit. I

At the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia, we believe cultural celebration is deeply connected to community wellness. Representation matters. Feeling seen matters. Preserving heritage matters.

As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, this year’s gala feels especially significant. At a moment when conversations around equity, justice, democracy, representation, and opportunity continue shaping the future of our communities, the Empowerment Gala will serve as both a celebration and a reminder of the collective power that exists when communities come together intentionally.

For many entrepreneurs and small business owners, one of the greatest barriers to growth is not lack of vision or talent. It is lack of access to funding. Traditional financial institutions have historically underserved Black, Brown, immigrant, and low-to-moderate income communities, making it significantly more difficult for many entrepreneurs to secure affordable loans, build business credit, purchase commercial property, or invest back into their neighborhoods.

For many students and families, the transition to college comes with both excitement and financial uncertainty. Rising tuition costs, housing expenses, transportation needs, books, technology requirements, and everyday living expenses continue creating significant barriers for students pursuing higher education. The Urban League believes every student deserves access to opportunity regardless of zip code, financial circumstances, or systemic barriers.

Returning home after incarceration often comes with overwhelming barriers connected to employment, housing, healthcare access, social stigma, emotional wellness, and financial stability. Successful reentry requires more than survival.

Safe housing creates stability, dignity, emotional safety, and opportunity. The Urban League of Greater Philadelphia remains committed to helping residents build long-term stability through housing counseling, first-time homebuyer education, financial coaching, and community development support.

Entrepreneurship has long served as a pathway toward independence, cultural preservation, generational opportunity, and community investment.

For decades, Section 2 has protected Black voters and other historically marginalized communities from discriminatory voting practices that dilute political representation and silence community voices. This protection has applied not only to presidential elections, but also to congressional, state, county, municipal, school board, judicial, and local elections across the country. The initial VRA did not address problems of minority political representation in how voters elect

Civic participation is deeply connected to community wellness. Communities that feel unheard, excluded, or politically powerless often experience deeper levels of distrust, frustration, stress, and hopelessness.

This month, our Workforce Development & Career Services team is sharing five practical strategies to help professionals move forward intentionally.

These disparities are not caused by biology. They are deeply connected to systemic inequities, racial bias within healthcare systems, environmental stressors, unequal access to care, and generations of medical neglect.