First and foremost, I would like to thank all of the great supporters of The Urban League Movement!
More than a human service and civil rights organization, the National Urban League, is a MOVEMENT designed to uplift and empower those in need. We have served, advocated, educated, employed, engaged, and mobilized thousands of people in Greenville-Spartanburg and surrounding communities in Upstate South Carolina for over 35 years.
This could never have been accomplished without the dedicated and passionate service of volunteers, such as: Theo Mitchell, the late Joe Allman, the late Sam Zimmerman, the late Alberta Grimes, Minor Shaw, the late Thomas Kerns, Mack Whittle, Hayne Hipp, the late Rev. S.C. Cureton, Ethel Piper, the late Rev. Robert Dennis, Judge Alex Kinlaw, former Greenville Mayor Max Heller, the late Carolyn Frederick, James M. Shoemaker, Jr., Oscar Prioleau, Ralph Ogden, Doug Dent and many, many others who put their faith, hope, and trust in this organization from it’s humble beginnings in the 70’s.
The Urban League Movement was organized in 1910 to help minorities and others migrating from the rural South, adjust to the faster pace and demands of urban cities in the industrialized North. And since the year 2010 is officially our Centennial Celebration, a special kick-off was held March 2, 2010. Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League, Inc., has asked ALL Urban League affiliates to adopt the I Am Empowered Centennial Campaign theme.
What’s I Am Empowered all about? “A key component of this initiative,” says Morial, “is the launch of www.iamempowered.com, an online platform that will forever change the way the ‘movement’ is connected. This Social Mobilization Platform will place powerful tools in the hands of affiliates and enhance our ability to communicate and provide input at a new level. The platform will significantly increase and enhance our ability to target new members and attend and participate in affiliate events and programs. It will inaugurate a new period of growth and capacity building. This new platform also seeks to leverage the power of social media, technology tools, and the Urban League’s desire to be increasingly connected in communities where we work, worship, and serve.
What’s more, our National Urban League President and CEO, Marc Morial, has challenged the Urban League of the Upstate – located in Greenville and Spartanburg, SC – as well as the 97 other UL affiliates across the country, to galvanize the support of two million people to take a pledge to commit their time and talents to achieve the following I Am Empowered Goals by 2025.
We pledge to EMPOWER and ensure that:
1) Every American child is ready for college, work, and life.
2) Every American has access to jobs with a living wage and good benefits.
3) Every American is free from barriers to safe, decent, affordable, and energy-efficient housing on fair terms.
4) Every American has access to quality and affordable health care solutions.
It is our strong belief that the” I Am Empowered” campaign will give us a broad awareness of the issues facing our communities and help with our fundraising efforts and support base. We are very excited about the direction given to us by our National President and CEO, Marc Morial, and I hope each one of you will join the Urban League of the Upstate, Inc. and this new online community, and leverage it not only for the benefit of this agency, but the interests and needs of the people we strive to EMPOWER – everyday!
As always, I thank you for giving us the privilege to serve . . .
Yours in the Movement,
Johnny M. Mickler, Sr.
President & CEO – Urban League of the Upstate, Inc.
