About us
Equitable Quality of Life Opportunity for All
Our Vision
The vision of the Austin Area Urban League is an Austin/Central Texas non-profit that provides an Equitable Quality of Life opportunity for all its residents, in all aspects of life.
Our Mission
The mission of the Austin Area Urban League is to provide tools to African Americans and under-served populations to build a foundation for social and economic equity and equality.
Our History
Since 1977, the Austin Area Urban League has enriched the lives of citizens within the greater Central Texas Region. The Austin Area Urban League is one of more than 90 affiliates of the National Urban League providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of thousands in the Central Texas region. Aligning with the Empowerment pillars of the National Urban League, the Austin Area Urban League seeks to meet the needs of underserved populations in the Austin/Central Texas region by focusing on programming and Services in the areas of Education and Youth Development, Workforce and Career Readiness, Health, Housing, Justice and Advocacy.
Our divisions
EDUCATION & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Every American child is ready for college, work and life.
Through mentorship, intervention and college-immersion experiences, Urban League Education and Youth programs are closing the racial achievement gap in communities large and small. Advocacy on the local, state and federal level keeps issues of equity and fairness forefront in the education debate.
WORKFORCE & CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Every American has access to jobs with a living wage and good benefits.
From at-risk teens, to the formerly incarcerated, to older Americans re-entering the workforce or in need of new skills, Urban League workforce programs have helped thousands to find careers and prepare for new challenges.
Housing & Community Development
Every American lives in safe, decent, affordable and energy efficient housing on fair terms.
The housing crisis of the last decade hit African Americans disproportionately hard, wiping out recent gains in the home ownership rates. Through Home repair, foreclosure prevention, pre-purchase counseling and financial literacy initiatives, Urban League programs are closing the gap and helping minority families buy and keep their own homes.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Every American has access to quality and affordable health care solutions.
Black Americans are almost twice as likely as whites to lack health insurance. Life expectancy is four years shorter, and younger people of color are more likely to develop or die from health conditions that typically occur at older ages in whites, such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Urban League programs are raising awareness about health disparities and helping people to quit smoking, enroll in health insurance and make healthier choices.
JUSTICE AND ADVOCACY
Every American has an equal right and responsibility to fully participate in our democracy and civic processes, and all people have a right to justice and fairness.
Voter suppression, mass incarceration, lax civil rights enforcement and rising levels of hate crime and racial hostility threaten to erase the nation’s progress over the last 50 years. The Urban League remains a powerful voice for fairness, peace and equality.