I Am Empowered - I am the National Urban League

The National Urban League (NUL) Leadership Youth Summit recently held at New Orleans’ Tulane University presented NUL members, supporters and young people with possibility, encouragement and real-time reminders of steps for success.

Hosted to encourage education, empowerment, and employment, the NUL presented diverse panelists and speakers to address the youth.

Tony Jones, a representative of Best Buy’s global strategy team, reminded the audience of an ideal society.

Jones asked listeners to imagine a world where education connected with employment and technology so that people can “better empower themselves.” While asking for individual work and aspiration, the Best Buy rep also emphasized the power in numbers and unity.

The strength of numbers was highlighted as the crowd was called to action on behalf of slain teen Trayvon Martin.

“We will not let Trayvon’s death go in vain,” civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump said to the crowd. Crump is the Martin family’s attorney.

The first African-American named Philanthropist of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professions, Crump, called on NUL’s youth and supporters to keep up with the Martin case, and continue social media and cyber advocacy by tweeting and blogging about the topic so that justice will be served.

While civil rights and daily life meshed at the event, young people who are involved with the NUL also earned the crowd’s amens, claps and support.

Troy Simon, a member of the Urban League’s college track spoke truth to power about growing up in New Orleans, overcoming illiteracy and claiming the education necessary to make his life what he wants it to be.

“As a kid growing up in New Orleans, education has played a pivotal role in my life,” Simon said.
 

He said that he was could not read until age 14 and expressed his anger through violence and hiding his literacy struggle.

Simon said that he initially thought that education happened by experience, but didn’t acknowledge the choice. With no one in his immediate family stressing the importance of education, it took self-determination and assistance from the NUL to get Simon on the track to pedagogical progress.

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He said that he was could not read until age 14 and expressed his anger through violence and hiding his literacy struggle.

Simon said that he initially thought that education happened by experience, but didn’t acknowledge the choice. With no one in his immediate family stressing the importance of education, it took self-determination and assistance from the NUL to get Simon on the track to pedagogical progress.