Racial Equality Demands Economic Equality

We are in the midst of a great national awakening. The fundamental right of existence for people of color is, and has been, under threat. But mere existence is not enough: we must demand the resources needed to thrive. 

The Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts has been fighting for this right in under-served communities for over one hundred years, with a special focus on economic power. Looking at the wealth of the median white family versus their black counterpart, the need for this is clear: the white family enjoys ten times the wealth. From sharecropping to redlining to employment bias, we have marked off seats at the table one by one: not for you, nor you, nor you. We have denied our brethren their fair seat at the table. When white Americans were uplifted by the millions into the middle class thanks to the New Deal and the GI Bill, Americans of every other color were deliberately and systematically excluded. This prevented the creation of generational wealth amongst people of color, and that inequality— yet another chair at the table marked with a name not theirs, nor their children’s— has compounded over time.

This is our moment to right these wrongs.

The Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts: Empowering Communities & Changing Lives

The Urban League of Massachusetts mission is to champion civil rights by making a difference in individual lives. By providing local residents education, job training, and job placement at no cost, ULEM has worked for over one hundred years to bring more chairs to the table for people of color. Their programs and services have given hope to their participants and helped them to build stronger, more positive communities in a way that lasts.

Our Programs. Our Impact

Employment Resource Center

The Employment Resource Center (ERC) is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. This computer lab, pictured above, is available for employment purposes only. Within the ERC, additional support is available to not just enrolled program participants, but anyone who visits ULEM for support. Everyone who utilizes the ERC must complete an intake form. The ERC provides:

• Assistance in online job searches and access to a fax machine
• One-on-one support with cover letter and resume workshopping
• Access to our online job portal to search for work, or receive assistance with employment-related questions

Job Placement

Job placement assistance is available to all participants enrolled in our workforce development programs. Participants receive job descriptions and contact information for available positions that best suit their educational background and skillset. Participants are also prepared for job interviews through one-on-one meetings, in addition to their classroom training in job readiness.

Case Management

Case management services are available to all participants enrolled in our programs. Case  management is the most significant asset and strongest component of ULEM’s programs according to feedback received from business partners and employers. With our referrals and support, our program participants are able to take clearly-defined steps toward their place at the table: a rise from poverty through employment. We provide post-job placement support for up to 24 months.

Domestic/Sexual Violence Support

Support for victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence is made available at the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts through the Domestic and Sexual Violence Project. This culturally-specific project is offered in response to the need for equal access to direct services, information, and resources for people of color, so vital in the support of victims and survivors of trauma.

Workforce Development

MSIMBO: ULEM Coding Bootcamp

Msimbo means “code” in Swahili. This is a 20-week program for displaced, unemployed, and underemployed workers interested in becoming computer programmers. This program seeks to address the I.T. industry’s lack of diversity by providing applicants of color the skills needed to be competitive. Participants receive a stipend while enrolled. The MSIMBO bootcamp trains talented low-income individuals to become full-stack web developers. Students are trained in web development, effective business communication, and leadership.

DiGiUL Program

The DiGiUL teaches participants the fundamentals of graphic design, branding, and marketing from both the print and digital perspective. At the end of this 16-week program, participants will have the skills necessary to work as a design professional. Thanks to the assistance of experienced industry professionals who will vet all participants’ portfolios, participants looking for jobs will be able to submit professional portfolios. And, thanks to our private-sector partners, participants will receive recommendations for internships or employment as they apply. Throughout the program case management and job placement services are available. Participants receive a stipend while enrolled.

Computer Literacy and Internet Knowledge Program (CLIK)

The Computer Literacy and Internet Knowledge program (CLIK) is a computer literacy program for individuals who lack the basic computer skills critical for job search and employment success. During this five-week course, CLIK covers a comprehensive curriculum on necessary skills, including computing fundamentals, key applications, and life online. Additionally, topics such as computer hardware and software, operating systems, peripheral use, and basic troubleshooting methodologies ready participants to re-enter the workforce armed with practical and up-to-date information about the technology they will use every day. Participants that complete the CLIK program are eligible to receive a Google Chromebook.

Customer Service Sales Training (CSST)

This training course prepares participants for work through classroom learning and job-related activities. Students prepare for the Rise Up® Customer Service and Sales Certification through the National Retailer Federation. It is designed for people who are currently unemployed, have limited work experience, and want to be job-ready. The CSST program gives graduates the work experience they need to build their resumes and promote their skills effectively. Participants receive a stipend while enrolled.

We Need Your Help

America is facing unprecedented levels of unemployment and underemployment. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare deep inequities that have been passed on through the generations and exposed the true value of our essential workers, who are not just underpaid but also face a higher health risk for themselves and their families.

We advocate for the dignity of all and seek to lift these underserved communities out of the punishing cycle of generational poverty. Now, as COVID-19 ravages our communities, this fight has taken on a new urgency.

What Giving to Us Means

Thanks to the ULEM’s more than one hundred years of experience, we are uniquely positioned to advance the cause of racial justice. We have the programs and the expertise needed to tackle the economic injustice that goes in hand with other forms of racial injustice. As the economic downturn from COVID-19 hits our most vulnerable community members the hardest, and as we face the highest unemployment rate in a generation, it’s clear that our work is absolutely critical.

In order to expand our programs, and to add more seats to the table for people of color, we need your help. Participant applications have skyrocketed. We need the resources to adapt our programs to an online format in a world where social distancing is the new norm. And, above all else, we need to continue our advocacy in order to be certain that our nation’s economic recovery will serve the needs of all Americans this time.

In the midst of this great national awakening on the challenges Americans of Color face, we know that our work is critical. We are proud of our programs and what we are able to offer our communities through them. We are eager to continue our work, knowing that 100% of donations will go directly toward expanding our programs or applicants’ access to them during this time of supreme need. And we are excited to resume work on our vital mission in this time of incredible momentum.

With your donation, with your sharing of our page, and with your help, we can make room at the table for Americans of color. Thank you.