Young Black Professionals Host National Day of Empowerment

On Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016, National Urban League Young Professionals chapters nationwide will engage in an annual Day of Empowerment. Today, black consumers constitute $1.3 trillion in buying power; yet, purportedly, studies show that only $0.02 cents of every dollar circulates back into black-owned businesses. There is enormous potential for black consumers to leverage their economic power by spending their dollars with black businesses.

 

Day of Empowerment

 

This year, NULYP aims to empower the black entrepreneur, as well as the black consumer. Chapters will host events in partnership with National Urban League Guilds and Entrepreneurship Centers that educate chapter and community members

about circulating their dollars in local communities. Chapters will continue to highlight economic empowerment year-round. NULYP will be creating a Young Professionals Business Directory. The directory will be available for sharing beginning on Nov. 19, during the National Day of Empowerment activities.

“African Americans own 1.9 million businesses, which contribute $136 billion in economic output and provide more than 900,000 [jobs] per year, according to the Unites States Minority Business Development Agency,” said NULYP President Carlos Clanton in a released statement. “The economic impact of the black dollar is being highlighted in our theme and activities this year.”

Research suggests that communities’ generational economic empowerment is linked to entrepreneurial success. What’s more, research shows that black-owned businesses are the second largest employers of black workers next to the government sector. Therefore, the best way to improve black communities and provide more jobs is to advance and strengthen black-owned businesses.

 

Young Black Professionals Taking Action

 

NULYP is a National Urban League volunteer auxiliary that targets young professionals ages 21—40 to empower their communities and change lives through the Urban League Movement. The mission is to support the Urban League Movement through volunteerism, philanthropy, and membership development. All National Day of Empowerment events are free and open to the public. Official hashtags for this nationwide series of events are #NDOE16 and #YPEmpowered.

 

List of Chapter Events:

 

Check out some of the events taking place for National Urban League Young Professionals National Day of Empowerment! Visit chapter Facebook pages for additional event details. #NDOE16 #YPEmpowered

Atlanta, GA Urban League of Greater Atlanta Young Professionals (ULGA-YP) Black Business Scavenger Hunt/Challenge | Soul Food Sunday, Nov. 25—28

Cincinnati, OH Urban League Young Professionals of Greater Southwestern Ohio E-Commerce Bootcamp Nov. 19, 9 AM — 1 PM

Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles Urban League Young Professionals South LA Pop-Up Shop Nov. 19, 10 AM — 4 PM

New Orleans, LA Urban League of Greater New Orleans Young Professionals

Small Business Class/NOLA Made

Pittsburgh, PA Urban League Young Professionals of Greater Pittsburgh “Black Health, Black Wealth Cash Mob” Nov. 19, 2 — 5 PM

Virginia Beach, VA Urban League of Hampton Roads Young Professionals Our Dollars, Our Voice: Entrepreneurship in the African-American Community Nov. 19, 11 AM — 1 PM

Washington, DC Thursday Network – GWUL Young Professionals Young, Black & Innovative: Soul Food Social + Black Biz Pop-up Nov. 19, 12 PM — 3 PM

Winston-Salem NC Winston-Salem Urban League Young Professionals Our Dollars…Our Voice Nov. 19, 12 PM — 3 PM