(February/March 2001)
Founded in 1919, the New York Urban League, Inc. (NYUL), an affiliate of the National Urban League, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, interracial, social service organization. Through service delivery, advocacy, referrals, community capacity building, information dissemination and technical assistance, the League works to improve social and economic conditions and opportunities for African Americans and other people who face barriers to full participation in American society.
Breaking Down Barriers
The League, as a movement, has had a long history of struggle for equal opportunity in the area of education. We played a vital role in breaking down barriers to higher educational opportunities by attacking segregationist policies that denied African Americans entry into institutions throughout the United States.
We addressed, and continue to address, the issues of access and affordability in higher education by opening doors and providing scholarships. We created innovative programs such as the Street Academies to meet the needs of the forgotten and abandoned youth that dropped out of the educational system. The struggle to raise the expectations of the community we serve, and build community capacity to demand and receive a better education for our children is not new. Our will and commitment to this vision has remained constant even as we have adapted to the shifting nature of educational policies, structure and funding. A key element of the League's future vision is a renewed focus on the educational experiences of New York City school children. Through our research, we learned that New Yorkers are concerned that the city's educational system is inadequate and does not effectively prepare students for the demands of the 21st century. Additionally, community residents expect the League to provide both educational services to children and parents and the leadership for community organizing and advocacy that promotes academic excellence for all students with a special focus on African American youth.
Our renewal of this vision comes at a critical threshold for the Urban League as we strive to close the achievement gap and bring our communities into a new technological age. At this time, we face what will be nothing short of a revolution in how we communicate and interact in every sphere of our lives. And, the question is -- are our children and communities ready for the challenges this will present? How will education serve to prepare us for this future? Our renewed struggle and commitment to the cause of high educational achievement is reflected in our new Urban League motto "Our Children = Our Destiny". This is the underpinning of our national Campaign for African American Achievement and our efforts to convert parents, not by faith, but by hard core economic principles that inform us to become better education consumers.
Serious Concerns about Public Education
When the League conducted its poll A State of Black New York: The Optimism and Vulnerability of the Black Community, released on June 28, 2000, many were shocked by the results. 801 African Americans revealed their concerns on an in depth basis about education, economics, crime and other issues critical to our communities. Among the findings regarding education were problems ranked as attributed to: large class sizes (23%); poor curriculum and standards (16%) poor administration (10%); troubled student home environment (22%). Most alarming however, was that most Blacks (60%) said that teachers in the public schools have lower academic expectations for Black students than they have for Whites. It is precisely this type of sentiment that this Campaign must address through its outreach, program focus and core strategies/components. Our community action plan must present the case to eradicate disparate treatment of our African American youth in a clear and convincing manner in order for us to effect real change in attitudes within the New York City school system.
The New York Urban League envisions the local campaign as one that can ensure its own long term viability and success through the engagement of and resource development from each sector of the community.
This Campaign can foster a long range, comprehensive plan to move our youth toward the attainment of higher standards. Once community change has been realized, pressure from parents and community groups should hold public institutions more accountable for the academic development of our youth. As we celebrate Black History Month, let us renew our struggle for academic excellence, which will lead to economic self sufficiency. Our ancestors expect no less of today's leaders.