URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER SOUTHWESTERN OHIO
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Mission Statement
The mission of the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio is to “transform generations by promoting personal empowerment and economic self-sufficiency”. “The vision of the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio is to have vibrant communities with thriving individuals, families, and businesses.” The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio carries out its mission in three primary ways — 1) promoting an inclusive community; 2) workforce development; and 3) business development & entrepreneurship.
About This Cause
History The Greater Cincinnati Urban League was founded in 1948 as an independent social service agency dedicated to the enhancement of economic opportunities for African Americans in the tri-state area. Over the years, the Greater Cincinnati Urban League has focused its efforts on five initiatives; training and job placement, advocacy, health, youth development and leadership. The background for each of these areas provides a rich understanding of the League, as we know it today. Training and Job Placement Incorporated in 1949, the Greater Cincinnati Urban League focused its earliest efforts on providing employment opportunities for African Americans who had migrated to northern cities in the century. The Industrial Relations and Vocational Guidance Counseling Program, the initial program sponsored by the Urban League, laid the groundwork for decades of training and business intervention designed to ensure that African Americans could provide a livelihood for their families, while contributing to the betterment of the Cincinnati community. Throughout the 50s and 60s, the Urban League sponsored a variety of skills training programs that resulted in the placement of thousands of local Cincinnatians in viable jobs. Today’s Workforce Development Program, a complete job preparation program, grew out of these historical roots. The Workforce Development Unit equips African Americans with training in a wide variety of job skills to prepare our constituents for the business community. It serves as a vital link between African American community and major businesses in Cincinnati to procure job placement and retention for local citizens. Advocacy The Greater Cincinnati Urban League has maintained a prominent position throughout its history as an advocate for civil rights for African Americans. In the late 50s and 60s, the Urban League campaigned for equal housing through programs that assisted local communities in responding to changing neighborhoods and promoted equal opportunity to secure affordable housing for our constituents. The League worked in some cases for decades to achieve complete integration of public entities and entertainment. In the turbulent 60s, the Urban League took a leadership position shaping policy guidelines for black protestors to encourage an emphasis on peaceful demonstration to effectively stamp out discrimination and where it occurred. In recent years, the Urban League has focused on the relationship between policing authorities and the African American community, offering education, counsel, and representation to ensure that African Americans are provided their civil rights and treated with dignity when they come in contact with local law enforcement representatives. Health In the 1970s, the Urban League added a focus on health to address the specific needs of African Americans in our community. In 1973, the Health and Community Services Program was founded to research the health needs of African Americans and provide viable solutions to those needs. In its earliest days, the Health and Community Services Program published a Health Services Industry Analysis and Health and Community Services Directory that served as resources to our constituents. The League sponsored annual health fairs and partnered with local health organizations to establish programs, like the AIDS Awareness Program. Youth Development Characteristic of its pro-active approach, the Urban League has focused on the positive development of youth to open doors and build futures. In its early days, the League sponsored College Jamborees that encouraged African American youth to seek post-high school education as a foundation to their professional future. Over the decades, the League has sponsored multiple youth enrichment programs designed to equip our youth with the necessary skills to compete effectively. The Centers for Excellence, designed to provide after-school programs for our youth, and our summer Village Schools have their roots in the youth-enrichment programs of the 60’s and 70’s. The Greater Cincinnati Urban League has addressed the difficult problem of teen pregnancy through programs that began in 1986 to encourage our young people to postpone the creation of families until they have completed their education and established their own direction. Such programs have been very successful in reducing the rate of teen pregnancies within the city of Cincinnati. Leadership As we moved into the last decade of the twentieth century, the Urban League focused much of its efforts on leadership skills. We established the African American Leadership Program to enhance the leadership skills of our professional constituents in the city and to prepare them to support the work of the Urban League in addressing remaining social issues. The NULITES program was established to equip our teenage youth with problem-solving skills that enhance their ability to deal with life’s challenges and to prepare them as future leaders within our community. A variety of parent involvement and training programs were established to ensure that African American mothers and fathers would be able to effectively address issues surrounding the education of their children and the development of youth in our community. The position of the Urban League as a leading force in the Cincinnati community was galvanized during the 1990s, as the League grew into its own. The number of programs and amount of support received from the community increased dramatically under sound leadership. The Urban League established an annual report, the State of Black Cincinnati, designed to update the community on progress that has been made and issues that remain to be addressed. The tremendous support for the Urban League was demonstrated in the capital campaign that resulted in building our current facility, A League of Our Own. With support from the local community and major businesses, the groundbreaking for the building occurred in 1996 and was completed in 1997. This state-of-the-art structure serves as a focal point for the African American community and the many League programs designed to continue our emphasis on training, advocacy, youth development, and leadership. Summary For over 60 years, the Urban League has worked collaboratively with all sectors of the community to level the playing field and provide a better way of life for African Americans. As we move into the 21st century, much work needs to be done. However, the League has established itself on many fronts as a viable force ensuring that we will realize our vision of strong African American families who are well educated, healthy, and contribute significantly to their communities.