By Adoria Doucette
National Urban League President Marc Morial with Congresswoman Maxine Waters & Congresswoman Gwen Moore - Members of the NUL Recognized "Titanium Ten"
Perpetual world attention on Washington DC has made it the most dynamic urban community on the planet. There is a long term reality that our nation’s urban communities will grow in population and will continue to see economic entrepreneurial activity, urban transformation, civic mobilization and vibrant neighborhoods. Recently, our city was the host of a bold proclamation by Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League, the oldest and largest American nonprofit dedicated to the expansion of urban empowerment.
Mr. Morial declared that the Urban League is initiating a 15 year grass roots mobilization to accomplish 4 goals: 1) Every
National Urban League Honoree Stephanie Jones
American child will be ready for college, work and life. 2) Every American will have access to jobs with a living wage and good benefits. 3) Every American will live in safe, decent, affordable and energy efficient housing on fair terms. 4) Every American will have access to quality and affordable health care solutions. The “I Am Empowered” mobilization utilizes the Urban Leagues unprecedented credibility, data analysis, and global relationships to spearhead and support individual actions cementing a nationwide commitment to accomplish the 4 goals of the initiative.
Mr. Morial’s most recent visit to our city was at a invitation only event on the rooftop of 101 Constitution , where he emboldened the “I Am Empowered” movement while also recognizing Altria Group and Citigroup for their long term financial commitments to supporting the initiative. Mr. Morial issued an award to Stephanie Jones, a local urban strategist and lead editor of “Jobs, Responding to the Crisis”, a NUL report on optimizing urban development. Awards were also presented to the “Titanium Ten” a group of US Congressmen and women who serve on the House Financial Services Committee; they were recognized for standing up for urban interests during the legislative aftermath of the 2008 financial crises.
Power Source showcases Mr. Morial’s firm commitment to fairness and resolve; he maintains the energy that is required to ensure the empowerment agenda is a success. Morial’s tenure as Mayor of New Orleans, La. from 1994 to 2002 was heralded as a model for how to turn around an urban city, following in the footsteps of his father Ernest “Dutch” Morial who also was a historical trailblazer by being the first African American graduate of LSU, the first African American member of the Louisiana legislature after reconstruction, the first African American elected to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the first African American Mayor of the City of New
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
Orleans. Marc Morial was groomed to be great through his father’s passion and his mother’s nurturing, He attended the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University Law Center prior to serving in the Louisiana State Senate and being elected Mayor in 1994.
After serving two terms as Mayor, Mr. Morial assumed the Urban Leagues Presidency in 2003. Morial is married to CBS anchor Michelle Miller, and after 7 years of forward thinking, results based leadership from the Urban Leagues Wall Street headquarters, Morial is now positioning the “I Am Empowered” initiative to make American history. Mr. Morial is respected worldwide for his ability to bring parties together around urban interests, in February he led a large delegation of urban leaders and private businesses to China for a meeting with senior government ministers and business executives about long term global urban partnerships.
The remainder of 2010 will be an eventful one highlighted by galvanizing efforts around the nation, and urban leaders around the nation came out to support Mr. Morial and the National Urban League, such as Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who represents one of the nations most dynamic urban communities.
Mr. Morial sets the golden standard when it comes to commitment to community and bringing people together, Power Source encourages you to join him in the smart, meaningful development of our nation’s urban communities by visiting www.iamempowered.com
