GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Urban League was founded more than 100 years ago to advocate for economic and social justice for African Americans. Thanks to a federal grant, the Grand Rapids chapter has more help to maintain their mission.
The Grand Rapids Urban League announced Wednesday that they are going to create a youth center in a vacant building next door to their Eastern Avenue headquarters. The center, being called "A League of Their Own," will target eighth through 12th-grade students with programs including job training, tutoring and after-school programs.
The grant was a community funding project through Congresswoman Hillary Scholten’s office. She says when she was made aware that the Urban League was creating a youth center, it moved to the top of her list for funding.
“I can tell you it's just the beginning," Rep. Scholten said. "There is so much more that we want to do with the Urban League and other organizations across the city that are helping to champion true equity in education and healthcare and economic outcomes.”
“I grew up five and a half blocks from here," Grand Rapids Urban League CEO Eric Brown added. "Having something like this when I was coming up a few decades ago would have been just something that I would really been appreciative for. This is going to allow us to just transform the work that we're doing."
The goal for the Urban League is to have the center completed by next summer.
Watch the full press conference below:
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