Urban League Of Louisiana

TO EMPOWER COMMUNITIES AND HELP CHANGE LIVES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OTHER EMERGING COMMUNITIES ANF GROUPS. THE URBAN LEAGUE SEEKS TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY AND ASSISTS INDIVIDUALS IN ATTAINING ECONOMIC SELF SUFFICIENCY.

CENTER FOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVLEOPMENT "URBAN LEAGUE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (OWD) - URBAN LEAGUE'S CENTER FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (CWD) SERVES AS THE ORGANIZATION'S IN-HOUSE ECONOMIC ENGINE, PROVIDING INDIVIDUALS WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO THRIVE IN THE WORKFORCE, GROWING LOUISIANA'S POOL OF QUALIFIED WORKERS TO CONNECT THEM TO EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE STATE. CWD CONNECTS NEW CAREER SEEKERS, UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS, AND PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES RE- ENTERING THE WORKFORCE WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO ATTAIN LIVING WAGE JOBS. OUR SIGNATURE CAREER PATHWAYS PROGRAM (CPP) IS A MULTI-PRONGED SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL, WHICH INCLUDES CAREER READINESS TRAINING, INTEGRATED CASE MANAGEMENT, TUITION ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL LITERACY, OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING, AND DIRECT EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT, TO MOVE PARTICIPANTS TOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THE PROGRAM SERVES RESIDENTS OF METRO NEW ORLEANS AND EAST BATON ROUGE, WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED INCLUDING YOUNG ADULTS AGES 18 TO 24 AND ADULTS AGES 18 AND ABOVE. IN 2022, OWD SERVED 1,000 CAREER SEEKERS. 252 IN-SCHOOL YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN CAREER EXPLORATION FOR TECH OCCUPATIONS, 304 INDIVIDUALS COMPLETED VARIOUS DIGITAL SKILLS TRAINING, AND 136 ADULTS WERE CONNECTED TO EMPLOYMENT WITH AVERAGE EARNINGS OF 18.00 PER HOUR. 81 INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS COMPLETED MOCK INTERVIEWS AND RESUME DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT TRAINING PRE RELEASE. "URBAN LEAGUE CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION THE URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA'S CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION (CEI) IS DEDICATED TO ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STATE OF LOUISIANA WITH DEDICATED EFFORTS IN SUPPORTING MINORITY- AND WOMEN-OWNED FIRMS. THE WORK OF THE CENTER IS BUILT UPON THE DOCUMENTED NEED FOR INCREASED ACCESS TO CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND CAPACITY-BUILDING RESOURCES FOR THESE DIVERSE GROUPS. THE CEI PROVIDES BUSINESS EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, ONE-ON-ONE AND SMALL GROUP COUNSELING, HANDS-ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES RELEVANT TO ASPIRING AND EXISTING ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS VARIOUS INDUSTRIES. THE CEI INCLUDES: THE WOMEN'S BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER, THE CONTRACTOR'S RESOURCE CENTER, THE SBA COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PILOT PROGRAM, REGIONS BANK MICRO GRANTS PROGRAM, WELLS FARGO OPEN FOR BUSINESS PROGRAM, SCALE UP LOUISIANA, VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLES, SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND THE LADOTD DBE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM - REGION B, BRIDGE CITY/NEW ORLEANS AND HAMMOND. IN 2022, 2,447 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED CEI TRAININGS, AND 411 CLIENTS RECEIVED 3,781 HOURS OF COUNSELING. THE CEI CONDUCTED 138 TRAININGS REPRESENTING 315 HOURS OF TRAINING. 25 NEW BUSINESSES WERE CREATED.

EDUCATION , YOUTH DEVELOPMENT & SOCIAL JUSTICE "URBAN LEAGUE CLARENCE L. BARNEY HEADS START CENTER (ULCLBHS) - THE URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA CLARENCE L. BARNEY HEAD START CENTER (ULCLBHS) CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A BEACON IN THE UPPER 9TH WARD DESIRE NEIGHBORHOOD. WITH SCHOOL READINESS AS THE FOCUS, THE ULCLBHS IS PREPARING CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES FOR KINDERGARTEN. THE ULCLBHS SERVES 62 CHILDREN, RANGING IN AGE FROM BIRTH TO FIVE YEARS OLD, 10% OF WHOM HAVE VERIFIED DISABILITIES. FIFTY-TWO PERCENT OF CHILDREN RESIDE IN THE DESIRE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. IN 2022, 91% OF CHILDREN SERVED AT THE CENTER MET AND EXCEEDED DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES IN THE EARLY LEARNING DOMAINS, AND 90% OF CHILDREN TRANSITIONING FROM PRESCHOOL TO KINDERGARTEN WERE ACADEMICALLY READY. ULCLBHS ALSO SERVED 12,146 NUTRITIOUS MEALS AND 18 FAMILIES PARTICIPATED IN PRIME TIME FAMILY READING. "URBAN LEAGUE PARENT INFORMATION CENTER (PIC) THE URBAN LEAGUE'S PARENT INFORMATION CENTER (PIC) EMPOWERS PARENTS TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL AGENTS AND ADVOCATES FOR EXCELLENT SCHOOLS, EDUCATES PARENTS ABOUT SCHOOL CHOICE AND EQUIPS PARENTS TO BECOME LEADERS IN NEW ORLEANS. FROM HIGH VOLUME COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES TO TAILORED TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS, PIC RESPONDS TO THE DISTINCT NEEDS OF PARENTS IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF ITS PROGRAMMATIC GOALS. PIC CONTINUES TO OFFER A RANGE OF RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS INCLUDING THE PRIDE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY FOR PARENTS, MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS, THE NEW ORLEANS GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOLS AND BEYOND, THE NEW ORLEANS GUIDE TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WEBSITE, THE PARENT CHARTER BOARD MEMBER TRAINING, TECHNOLOGY TRAININGS, AND STEM FEST. IN 2022, PIC-NOLA SERVED 7,11 STUDENTS AND PARENTS, 100% OF PARENTS COMPLETED CHARTER BOARD TRAINING, THIRTY-TWO PARENTS COMPLETED OVER 241 HOURS OF TECHNOLOGY TRAINING OFFERED BY THE URBAN LEAGUE'S OPPORTUNITY TECH HUB AND 90% EARNED THEIR CERTIFICATES. 600 UNIFORM VOUCHERS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO FAMILIES TO ASSIST WITH SCHOOL UNIFORM EXPENSES. 1,319 STUDENTS AND PARENTS ACCESSED THE NEW ORLEANS GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOLS AND BEYOND AND THE NEW ORLEANS GUIDE TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WEBSITE EXPLORING PERTINENT INFORMATION ABOUT HIGH SCHOOLS AND EARLY LEARNER PROGRAMS. 5,179 FAMILIES WERE REACHED VIA THE ULPIC STAY CONNECTED NEWSLETTER INFORMING THEM ABOUT EDUCATION, YOUTH AND ADULT PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY FORUMS, REDISTRICTING AND VOTING. URBAN LEAGUE PARENT INFORMATION CENTER (PIC) - BATON ROUGE - THE URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA'S PARENT INFORMATION CENTER IN BATON ROUGE (PIC-BR) IN 2022, SERVED 700 FAMILIES. ULPIC-BR HOSTED ITS VIRTUAL STEM FEST WITH 120 PREK-12TH GRADE STUDENTS FROM THE GREATER BATON ROUGE PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENT. URBAN LEAGUE PIC BATON ROUGE ALSO HOSTED A SCHOOL & COMMUNITY EXPO AT THE F,G CLARK ACTIVITY CENTER AND FEATURED 30 LOCAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING FAMILIES WITH OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH LOCAL SCHOOL LEADERS, GEN ENROLLBR APPLICATION ASSISTANCE, AND LEARN ABOUT SCHOOL OPTIONS IN BATON ROUGE. "URBAN LEAGUE PROJECT READY - PROJECT READY PROVIDES STUDENTS AT SCOTLANDVILLE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL IN BATON ROUGE AND L.B. LANDRY COLLEGE AND CAREER PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL IN NEW ORLEANS WITH A CADRE OF ACADEMIC, LIFE SKILLS AND CAREER READINESS SUPPORT TO PREPARE THEM FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS DURING AND AFTER-SCHOOL. AT BOTH SITES, STUDENTS CAN ACCESS COLLEGE APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY SUPPORT, CAREER FUNDAMENTALS PRESENTATIONS, CAREER EXPOSURE AND ADVISING, AFTER- SCHOOL TUTORING, ACT PREP, GENDER-BASED MENTORING, COLLEGE TOURS, "BEHIND THE BUSINESS" TOURS, CAREER FAIRS, AND STEM/STEAM ENRICHMENT. THESE SCHOOL SITES SERVE AS KEY PARTNERS IN PREPARING STUDENTS FOR GRADUATION AND LIFE BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL. IN 2022, PROJECT READY SERVED 235 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. STUDENTS COMPLETED 2635 HOURS OF ACT PREP, 232 HOURS OF COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, AND ATTENDED 5 COLLEGE TOURS. "EDUCATION EQUITY PROGRAM (EEP) THE EDUCATION EQUITY PROGRAM OPERATIONALIZES THE URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA'S EXPLICIT COMMITMENT TO AN EQUITABLE AND EXCELLENT EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN, AND SEEKS TO HOLD STATES AND LOCAL DISTRICTS TO THIS PROMISE. AT THE CENTER OF THIS APPROACH ARE PRIORITIES THAT FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING KEY AREAS: 1)EARLY LEARNING AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, 2) EQUITABLE AND HIGH-QUALITY IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMON COLLEGE AND CAREER READY STANDARDS, 3) IMPROVED ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY CURRICULA AND EFFECTIVE TEACHERS, 4) COMPREHENSIVE, ALIGNED AND TRANSPARENT EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT DATA SYSTEMS, 5) EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE AT SCALE, 6) OUT OF SCHOOL TIME LEARNING (EMPHASIS ON EXPANDED DAY AND SUMMER LEARNING), AND 7) COLLEGE ACCESS, COMPLETION AND ATTAINMENT. KEY TO THE EEP IS THE PRODUCTION OF THE URBAN LEAGUE'S ADVANCING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY REPORTS, WHICH IDENTIFIES THE BARRIERS TO EDUCATIONAL EQUITY THAT PREVENT ALL STUDENTS FROM REACHING THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL. THE REPORTS EXAMINE PUBLIC SCHOOL PERFORMANCE THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS BY DISAGGREGATING KEY EDUCATIONAL METRICS. THE REPORT DOCUMENTS EXISTING INEQUITIES AND SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSION AND ADVOCACY TOWARD POLICY CHANGES AND OTHER ACTIONS TO CLOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS. IN 2022 EEP SOLICITED STAKEHOLDER INPUT ON MAJOR EQUITY CONCERNS AND ISSUES FACING EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM (EBRPSS) AND LAFAYETTE PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT WAS ABLE TO SECURE THE COMMITMENT OF THE EBRPSS SUPERINTENDENT TO PARTNER WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE AND LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS IN DEVELOPING AN EDUCATION EQUITY FRAMEWORK AND AN EQUITY SCORECARD. RESEARCH WAS ALSO FINALIZED ON KEY METRICS FOR THE LAFAYETTE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY REPORT. "URBAN LEADERS FOR EQUITY AND DIVERSITY (ULEAD) URBAN LEADERS FOR EQUITY AND DIVERSITY (ULEAD) IS A FOREMOST TRAINING ACADEMY FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OTHER MINORITIES INTERESTED IN LEARNING HOW TO EFFECTIVELY NAVIGATE THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE IN NEW ORLEANS AND ACROSS THE STATE. ULEAD WILL PROVIDE THE INFORMATION AND EDUCATION TO PREPARE PARTICIPANTS FOR ENGAGEMENT IN DEVELOPING AND SUSTAINING A QUALITY EDUCATIONAL ECOSYSTEM IN LOUISIANA THROUGH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING MEANS; ADVOCACY, HUMAN CAPITAL, GOVERNANCE, POLICY AND/OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP. IN 2021-2022, THE ULEAD PROGRAM ENGAGED OVER 40 NEW ORLEANS RESIDENTS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN OR WORK DIRECTLY IN NEW ORLEANS EDUCATION. ULEADERS MEET REGULARLY TO DISCUSS AND PRESENT SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES THAT IMPACT EDUCATION, EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND PROCESSES. POLICY & SOCIAL JUSTICE CENTER FOR POLICY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ENGAGES IN CROSS-SECTOR EFFORTS TO IMPACT SELF RELIANCE, PARITY, AND POWER THROUGH POLICY INITIATIVES FOCUSED ON AREAS IMPORTANT TO AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ACROSS LOUISIANA SUCH AS EDUCATION, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION, VOTER AWARENESS. THROUGH THE WORK OF THIS CENTER, THE URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA LEADS A SERIES OF ANNUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE ARE INFORMING THE DIRECTION OF A STATEWIDE POLICY AGENDA. IT INCLUDES A STATEWIDE LISTENING AND LEARNING TOUR, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS, IN SEVEN MAJOR CITIES ACROSS LOUISIANA TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES AND VISIONS FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSION; AND ANNUAL EMPOWERMENT AND POLICY CONFERENCE; POLICY WORK GROUPS; AND ADVOCACY AND MOBILIZATION AROUND THE RESULTING POLICY AGENDA. THIS CENTER ALSO HOUSED THE URBAN LEAGUE'S RACIAL EQUITY PROCESS, WHERE THE URBAN LEAGUE OFFERS DIRECT SUPPORT TO STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS AND BUILD PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE TO PRACTICE RACIAL EQUITY ALL THE TIME. "EMPOWERMENT & POLICY CONFERENCE - THE ANNUAL EMPOWERMENT AND POLICY CONFERENCE, POWERED BY THE URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS, IS A STATEWIDE CONVENING DESIGNED TO EXAMINE SYSTEMS, INFLUENCED POLICY DECISIONS AND ENACT CHANGES WHAT WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND OTHER COMMUNITIES. URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA HELD THE 2022 EMPOWERMENT & POLICY CONFERENCE: EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY: BUILDING LOUISIANA'S INFRASTRUCTURE BEYOND ROADS AND BRIDGES ON MARCH 16-17, 2022. THE CONFERENCE WAS A MIXTURE OF VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON GATHERINGS AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER IN BATON ROUGE, AND UNPACKED IMPORTANT TOPICS LIKE HEALTH EQUITY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, RACIAL WEALTH GAP, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND EDUCATION EQUITY. THE CONFERENCE INCLUDED OVER 100 INFORMED SPEAKERS, 7 PANELS, 15 BREAKOUT SESSIONS, AND 3 SPECIAL KEYNOTES. "SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY REDISTRICTING LOUISIANA THE URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA'S REDISTRICTING LOUISIANA IS OUR ONGOING ADVOCACY PROGRAM TO FIGHT FOR FAIR ELECTORAL MAPS, INCLUDING AND ADDITIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN MAJORITY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT THAT IS SUPPORTED BY POPULATION CHANGES. REPRESENTATION AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT REQUIRE THAT POLITICAL DISTRICTS BE UPDATED TO ACCOUNT FOR POPULATION CHANGES. A