Payge Turner (second from left), a participant in CUL’s Project Ready program and a 2025 graduate of Lincoln Park High School, was one of six youth to win a $6,600 scholarship at the National Urban League Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, in July
BEHIND THE MISSION
FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK
Undoubtedly,2025hasbeenaninterestingyear.Theculturaland institutionalnormsweunderstoodassettledhavebeenupended, promptingusalltofindnewwaysofworkinginthisuncertainclimate. Throughitall,ourdonors’steadfastsupporthasbeenaninspiration.
Wewanttoupliftthatcommitment.Todoso,wearelaunchingBehind theMission,anewsletterdesignedtoensurethatallofourstakeholders canseethedifferencesupporterslikeyoumakeinthelivesofthosewe serve.InBehindtheMission,youwillbeintroducedtodonors,staff,and communitymemberswhomaketheChicagoUrbanLeagueasuccess.
Inthisinauguralissue,Iamexcitedtohighlightlong-timedonorand ChicagoUrbanLeagueboardmemberMariaGreen.Hertruepartnership inourmissionfillsmewithhopethat,despitecurrentcircumstances,our visionforChicagoremainsattainable.Ihopeshewillinspireyou,too.
WithGratitude,
President&CEO
OUR IMPACT
94%ofhighschoolseniorsinour YouthDevelopmentprograms graduatepreparedforcollege.
94% DonorsdrivetheChicago UrbanLeague’simpact, supportingprogramsthat opendoorsforthousands ofBlackyouth,adults,and entrepreneursacross Chicago.Thankstodonor contributions:
WHY I GIVE
Meet Maria Green
IgivetoCULbecauseIam passionateaboutthemissionand haveseenprovenresultsofhow CULadvancesjusticeandequity fortheAfrican-American communityinChicago.
RetiredexecutiveMariaGreenhasbeenastalwart supporteroftheChicagoUrbanLeagueformore than20years.Hersupportincludesregular financialcontributionsaswellaslendinghertime andexpertiseasamemberofourboardof directors.Sincejoiningtheboardin2007,Maria hasservedasViceChair,BoardChair,andChair oftheDevelopmentCommittee
Beforeretiringin2019,Mariawasseniorvice presidentandgeneralcounselofIngersollRand plc,whereshewasresponsibleforalllegaland complianceactivitiesworldwide.Priortojoining IngersollRand,shewasseniorvicepresident, generalcounselandsecretaryofIllinoisTool Works(ITW).Duringher18yearswithITW,Maria guidedthecompany’sexpansionthroughboth acquisitionsandorganicgrowth.
EvenwhenhercareermovedheroutofIllinois, MariacontinuedtosupportCULwithhertime, talentandtreasure.Sheiscurrentlyavicechair onourboardofdirectors.
AreYOUreadytosupportourmission?
ChicagoisaFoodie’s Dream.Whatisyour favoritefoodinChicago? Thelollipoplambchops attheChicagoFirehouse
ChicagoWhiteSoxor ChicagoCubs? WhiteSox,ofcourse!
Chicagoisknownfor havingfourseasonsin oneday!Whatisyour favoriteseason?Autumn inChicagocan’tbebeat, especiallythisyear! Whatthreewordswould youusetodescribe Chicago?Feisty,funand fabulous.
WE’VE BEEN BUSY
DevelopmentOfficerMelindaDecatusandotherCULstafferswelcomedandassistedattendeesatourCitywideJobFairinJune Withmorethan100employersandnearly 3,000jobseekersinattendance,thisyear’sjobfairwasourlargesttodate
Workforce Development Center
FromJanuary1-August30
IndividualsEngaged:5,459 Events:44 Partnerships:208
Oureventsaredesignedtoreachadiversegroupof participants,fromjobseekersenteringtheworkforcefor thefirsttimetoexperiencedprofessionalslookingto transitionintonewindustries Weleveragerelationships withemployers,trainingproviders,andcommunity partnerstoensurethatparticipantsnotonlygainaccess toopportunitiesbutalsoreceivethementorshipand careercoachingneededtosustainsuccess
Housing & Financial Empowerment
FromJanuary1-August30
IndividualsEngaged:5,176 WorkshopsHeld:53 NewHomeowners:45
Sincethebeginningoftheyear,HFEChasconducted319 one-on-onecounselingsessionsandeight8-hourHome Buyingworkshopswith290attendees Seventypercentof participantscompletedtheprogram,and204received HomeBuyingCertificates
Additionally,HFEChasconducted45FinancialLiteracy Workshopswith277attendees
Beyondjobplacementsandtrainingprograms,our initiativesintegratedigitalliteracy,professional developmentworkshops,anddirectengagementwith industryleaders Thisapproachallowsparticipantsto developbothtechnicalskillsandsoftskills,preparing themtobecompetitivecandidatesinthejobmarketand strengtheningtheirlong-termcareerreadiness
AROUND TOWN
BUDBILIKEN PARADE
BACK-TO-SCHOOL FESTIVAL
BLACK WOMEN’SEXPO
Clickimageabovetoviewarecapvideo
CULisinthecommunity!
The Chicago Urban League both hosts and supports events that help residents of our communities thrive. In August alone, staff members and volunteers met Chicagoans at:
BudBillikenParade
WeproudlymarchedintheChicagoDefender Charity’s2025BudBillikenParade,sharing informationaboutourprogramsandservices alongtheroute.TheAugust8thparadedrew nearlyonemillionattendees.
Back-to-SchoolFestival
OnAugust2nd,CULhostedmorethan900 communitymembersatourannualback-toschoolevent.Wegaveaway700backpacks filledwithschoolsuppliesandprovidedmeals, haircuts,healthresources,andmoretosupporta strongstarttotheschoolyear.
BlackWomen’sExpo
OurIllinoisNavigatorsjoinedusatMcCormick PlacefortheBlackWomen’sExpo,providing informationaboutGetCoveredIllinoisand helpingattendeesenrollinhealthinsuranceand Medicaid.
64THANNUALGOLDENFELLOWSHIP DINNER
Saturday,November8
SkylineBallroomatMcCormickPlace
Oursignaturefundraisinggalawillbringtogether 2,000+business,civic,andcommunityleadersto supportourmission.TicketsalescloseOctober 31.GETTICKETS
BANKONCHICAGO
Monday,November17
JamesW.ComptonCenter(4510S.Michigan)
Hearfromlegislators,bankexecutives,andcommunity membersabouthowtheBankOnprogrambenefits low-andmoderate-incomehouseholdsand strengthenscommunities.
WEALTH&OPPORTUNITYSUMMIT
Friday,November21
CULEmpowermentCenter(8331S.Stewart)
Ourannualentrepreneurshipsummitwillinspirethe nextgenerationofsmallbusinessownerswith workshops,speakers,andmore