Chanelle P. Hardy, Esq.
Senior Vice President and Executive Director
National Urban League Washington Bureau
I am thrilled to welcome you to the Washington Bureau of the National Urban League. For more than 50 years, our office has served as the policy, advocacy and research arm of the National Urban League, representing our President Marc Morial and the 95 affiliates of the National Urban League on Capitol Hill and before Federal Agencies.
Many of you will know us by our former name, the Urban League Policy Institute. With the opening of our new home at Progression Place, we thought this slight name change would better reflect the evolution of our work and our role in advancing the mission of the Urban League Movement.
Since 1962, the Washington Bureau has pushed for critical resources to help support the League’s core mission: to promote economic independence and empowerment through job training and placement, tools for entrepreneurs, counseling for new homeowners and those seeking to avoid foreclosure, pre-k to 12 supplemental education services, and health and wellness programming. Currently, our agenda is embodied in the 21st Century Agenda for Jobs and Freedom, a comprehensive policy document that articulates the challenges and opportunities facing urban and underserved communities, and the policy solutions we will be pushing for.
As our President, Marc Morial likes to say, we aren’t a “think-tank,” we’re “do-tank.” Our research and advocacy efforts are grounded by the direct service and program experience of our 97affiliates throughout the U.S., and the more than 2 million people they serve every year. Informed by this real-work perspective, The Washington Bureau is uniquely qualified to lead the discussion on public policies that impact the ability of communities to grow and thrive, and remains the leading civil rights organization pushing for more resources and policies that help empower urban communities and advance economic and social equality.
It is our hope that this new site, our blog, and other content will help our friends, supporters and those yet to become familiar with our work to stay up to date with our events, reports and advocacy efforts. If you don’t already receive our Washington Update, please sign up here and we hope to see you again soon!