Practicing What We Preach: Our New Home on the Hill

By Marc Morial

President & CEO of national Urban League

Hallmarks of any sustainable organization are its ability to evolve to meet the needs of changing times and to lead by example.

So, I am proud to make two announcements. First, the National Urban League Policy Institute has been officially renamed as the National Urban League Washington Bureau to more effectively capture the evolution of its work and its role in advancing the mission of the Urban League Movement.

Second, last week the Washington Bureau, led by Senior Vice President and Executive Director Chanelle Hardy and its talented team of experienced professionals, moved to its new home in the appropriately named Progression Place in the historic Shaw district in Washington, D.C. Shaw, like many parts of D.C., is undergoing a significant transformation led, in part, by the new Progression Place office building, restaurants and housing. We determined that it was critical to demonstrate our commitment to empowering the community by participating in its revitalization. Therefore, rather than perpetually leasing space, we decided to establish permanent roots in the community we serve.

For more than 50 years, the National Urban League has had a presence in our nation’s capital – building a direct relationship with the federal government and ensuring that the Urban League actively advocates for legislation on the issues and challenges most impacting urban communities. As our policy, advocacy and research arm, The Washington Bureau represents our 95 affiliates on Capitol Hill and before federal agencies and has made a tremendous impact on helping to facilitate economic empowerment and civil rights progress in our nation.

Together, the National Urban League, our Washington Bureau and the Urban League Movement stand poised to serve more and empower more as we continue our work as a “do-tank”  in Washington, D.C. and beyond – leading the discussions, crafting the policies and providing the direct services that help urban communities across America grow and thrive.