Marnese Elder, interim CEO of the Dallas-Fort Worth Urban League, spoke Monday morning at a press conference at the Fort Worth City Club in downtown to introduce how the new affiliate will help bring economic opportunities to those in need.
Kamal Morgan
A 100-year-old civil rights and advocacy organization will revive its affiliation in the Dallas-Fort Worth region to help historically underserved urban communities.
The National Urban League announced the launch of its 93rd affiliate in North Texas, the Dallas-Fort Worth Urban League, at a news conference Monday morning at Fort Worth City Club. The organization will provide economic empowerment, educational opportunities, and the guarantee of civil rights for the underserved in counties in and around DFW.
Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League and former two-term mayor of New Orleans, said the organization will build a combination of advocacy and programs to fill the void in these communities.
“This is a dynamic, growing economic region, but like many dynamic growing economic regions, we are at risk of leaving many people behind, at risk of leaving Black people and other communities of color behind, from a real upswing in economic opportunity that will take place in this region,” Morial said.
The new affiliate is a revival of the Dallas Urban League affiliate, which ceased operations in 2015. In 2021, a sponsorship committee was formed, comprising 12 individuals from the Dallas-Fort Worth Urban League Young Professionals, a group for individuals up to 40 years old that promotes service, civic engagement, and leadership development, to welcome a new affiliate to the region.
Last July, they obtained their status and renamed the affiliate the Dallas-Fort Worth Urban League. The plan is to launch programs by June, have them impact up to 40 individuals by the end of the year, and then, annually, impact up to 55 individuals.
The organization will have two offices in Fort Worth and Dallas. Currently, a committee is searching for locations. They are also working to make their training virtual to open it up to more people.
They are funded through corporate dollars, private donors and grants.
Their next step is to engage current and future partner organizations to support their goal of providing services to underserved communities. They will also review their needs assessment in Dallas and Tarrant counties to learn what people need, fill service gaps and replicate it in other counties.
Marnese Elder, interim CEO of the Dallas-Fort Worth Urban League, said the organization can add to the services already provided in the area, as it has a proven network to bring these resources to those in need.
“We make sure that we are adding to the economic stability of low to moderate-income individuals throughout all 13 counties… that’s our goal,” Elder said.
On Monday night, the new organization will hold its fundraiser, “A Night of Recognition, Connection and Inspiration,” at Gilley’s Dallas, 1135 Botham Jean Blvd., to support its programs and services.
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Kamal Morgan covers racial equity issues for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He came to Texas from the Pensacola News Journal in Florida. Send tips to his email or Twitter.