The Urban League, founded more than 100 years ago in New York City, once aided formerly enslaved people who migrated north seeking equality and employment. Today, the organization builds on that legacy through its 92 affiliates, including the Urban League of Philadelphia (ULP), and supports a mission that includes youth and education, workforce, housing, entrepreneurship and health and wellness.
But the President and CEO of the ULP, Darrin W. Anderson Sr., says not everyone knows what the nonprofit organization does.
“If you interact with us, you know what the Urban League does. But if you don’t necessarily need our services, you don’t know. But what you should know is that the work that we’re doing is lifting the communities where you live,” said Anderson, who spoke to CSL employees during a webinar last week.
The Urban League’s mission is to empower Black and brown communities to secure economic self-reliance, parity and civil rights, he said. Among the programs that the Urban League offers the community are housing counseling, workforce development and the Urban League Entrepreneurship Center, which offers technical assistance, strategic planning and connections to resources for small businesses.
Empowered communities can find solutions to socially pressing problems and drive for outcomes that benefit everyone, he said.
Anderson joined the ULP nine months ago and said raising its profile is one of his top priorities. He visited King of Prussia to talk about the CSL partnership, which started in 2021 and also includes collaborations with Urban League chapters in Chicago, Baltimore and Broward County, Florida.
CSL, a global biotech company that makes medicines and vaccines, has focused on community events, opportunities for job seekers and development opportunities for CSL employees. LaToya Richie, a Senior Manager on CSL’s Contract Governance team, moderated the discussion with Anderson and Nidhi Chaudhary, CSL’s Senior Director for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. They highlighted the success of CSL’s participation in the Urban Leadership Forum, a six-month development program aimed at giving mid-level professionals the tools to grow their careers. CSL employees taking part in the program soon will increase from 20 to 34.
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Chaudhary also hopes to collaborate with the Urban League to support STEM education and health care equity initiatives, she said. Anderson said he would like to see more young people work toward the reachable goal of a career in biotech.
“Our partnership with the Urban League of Philadelphia continues to be strong and through them we continue to serve our communities in various ways,” Chaudhary said.
