By HWM
The New York Urban League marked a major milestone with its 60th Annual Frederick Douglass Dinner and Gala, bringing together more than 500 business, civic, and community leaders for an evening focused on advancing equality, opportunity, and economic empowerment.
Held under the theme “RISE,” the event honored a distinguished group of leaders whose work has impacted communities across New York and beyond. Honorees included EGOT-winning entertainer and activist Whoopi Goldberg, Amalgamated Bank President and CEO Priscilla Brown, Union Square Hospitality Group CEO Chip Wade, and former New York City Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom.
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The annual gala serves as one of the New York Urban League’s signature fundraising and recognition events, supporting programs that help New Yorkers gain access to education, employment opportunities, and economic advancement.
New York Urban League President and CEO Arva Rice challenged attendees to continue investing in the organization’s mission and the communities it serves.
The evening began with a VIP reception followed by dinner and an awards ceremony. Rev. Jacques DeGraff delivered the invocation, while New York City Comptroller Mark Levine offered welcoming remarks. Guests also heard a special video message from National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial.
Spectrum News NY1 political anchor Errol Louis served as host for the evening.
New York Urban League Board Chairman Malcolm Ellis addressed attendees on behalf of the board, while gala chair Tina Byles Williams, founder, CEO, and chief investment officer of Xponance, delivered special remarks. Major support for the event came from co-chairs Airbnb, the Joyce and Juanita Foundation, Uber, and Verizon.
Several prominent civic and business leaders participated in the evening’s presentations, including Danny Meyer, founder and executive chairman of Union Square Hospitality Group; Cheryl McKissack Daniel, president and CEO of McKissack & McKissack; media personality Bevy Smith; and Robin Hood Foundation CEO Richard Buery Jr.
The gala also featured cultural performances celebrating Black history and resilience. New York Philharmonic principal clarinetist Anthony McGill performed a woodwind rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” while spoken-word artist Lyrical Faith delivered a performance of Maya Angelou’s iconic poem, “And Still I Rise.”
Founded in 1919, the New York Urban League is one of the city’s oldest civil rights organizations. For more than a century, the organization has worked to expand access to education, employment, housing, healthcare, and economic opportunity for underserved communities.
Proceeds from this year’s gala will support the League’s growing portfolio of community programs, including academic enrichment, college access initiatives, workforce development, and mentorship opportunities. The organization continues to connect students with Historically Black Colleges and Universities while supporting educational achievement and career readiness programs across New York City.
As the organization celebrated six decades of the Frederick Douglass Dinner, the evening served as both a reflection on past accomplishments and a call to continue the work of creating greater access and opportunity for future generations.
Photos by Margot Jordan_CSI, via NY Urban League
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