From October 10th through the 13th, I had the pleasure of attending my first Whitney M. Young, Jr. Urban Leadership Conference representing the Rhode Island Young Professionals (RIYP). The conference was hosted by the National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP). RIYP is one of over 60 chapters that are part of NULYP. I currently serve as the membership chair/social media coordinator for RIYP and am also a part of the national membership committee. This year's theme, Project Lead: Advancing Our Future was packed with outstanding workshops, world-class speakers, exceptional networking, and fun events. Read on to learn more about my experience at this great event!
This year, the courses and keynoters reflected the theme, Project Lead: Advancing Our Future. The conference offers attendees the opportunity to learn the latest skills; grow their competencies, contacts and confidence; and empower their career and community. There are several tracks at the conference that feature the following topic areas: Mature Workers, Entrepreneurship, Housing, Education & Youth Development, Health, and the nuts and bolts of Operations. There was plenty of sessions to choose from and to learn from. The success of the National Urban League movement rests on their ability to identify, inspire, and empower effective leaders, and this conference is a cornerstone of their efforts to develop leadership talent in the young professionals auxiliary.
The Young Professionals track began with a leadership breakfast that brought together the CEOs of Urban League affiliates, members of the National Council of Urban League Guilds, and corporate sponsors. Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, addressed the how the government shutdown was affecting local and national initiatives of the Urban League and other community-based organizations.
"Our goal is not to keep up with the pack, but to lead the pack" - Marc Morial
He spoke in detail about the National Urban League's newest initiative, Jobs Rebuild America. Jobs Rebuild America is a solutions-based comprehensive approach to America's employment and education crisis. It's a "do-tank" initiative between the National Urban League and their partners that is shifting the debate from the problem of joblessness to comprehensive solutions. As someone who is currently job searching, this initiative really piqued my interest and resonated with me. Below are some of my tweets from this session.
I've been a part of the National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP) since 2011 but wasn't well versed what was done beyond my local chapter until I attended some national conferences. The first few sessions of the Young Professionals track focused on the history of the organization and the newest strategic plan. NULYP is a National Urban League volunteer auxiliary that targets young professionals aged 21 to 40 years old. Each local chapter supports their Urban League affiliate and the National Urban League's movement through volunteerism, philanthropy and membership development. There are over 60 NULYP chapters nationwide. Under the 2011-2013 NULYP executive board leadership, over $700,00 was raised for Urban League affiliate offices. Additionally, a partnership with Anheuser-Busch as a title sponsor resulted in $450,00 raised in grants for several chapters. Under the 2013-2015 NULYP executive board, we will continue with volunteerism, philanthropy, membership development and add advocacy, sustainability, and development as foci. At the next National Urban League annual conference, July 2014 in Cincinnati, NULYP will celebrate it's 15th anniversary. Our current tagline, #WeGotNow, is about being the change we wish to see in the world. Now is our time become informed citizens and really be change makers.
We had an amazing luncheon speaker, Dr. Randal Pinkett, season four winner of The Apprentice. Besides being the first African-American to win The Apprentice, Dr. Pinkett is a Rhodes Scholar with experience in engineering, business, and as an author. There were several valuable takeaways from his energizing and empowering talk.
- The most valuable thing he's developed is the way he thinks; mindset. An innovator's mindset is part of being a global citizen.
- There are three essentials needed to compete in the 21st century:
- Economy
- Technology
- Diversity
- If passion isn't your guiding principle, then there is no point.
- Don't let a set back get you down. It's a set up for success.
- You have to go through to grow through.
- "To win without risk is to triumph without glory." ~ Pierre Corneille
- Don't confuse connections with relationships.
- We're not meant to see through each other, but to see each other through.
Kia K. Clarke, RIYP President & I
Another powerful session was Ladies of the League where three female CEOs of Urban League affiliates spoke of their journeys, both personal and professional. For the first time in the history of NUL, half of the affiliate CEOs are women. Most of these women have been in the role for five years or less. The panel session explored the challenges faced by woman leaders of the Movement and how to navigate the unique situations faced by the women who comprise the majority of NULYP membership. For me, the conversations were reminiscent of a similar panel I attended at a NASPA region conference hosted by the Women In Student Affairs (WISA) Knowledge Community. When it comes to entry-level and mid-level, women are everywhere. But as you look up the ladder and try to reach roles with greater responsibility, there's less female leadership. Where is the disconnect? How can we alleviate the problem? What can be done to open the pipeline for women in leadership positions? Why is work/life balance always a part of the discussion? Some great points made by the panelists:
- You need to be disciplined when it comes to leadership.
- Really think about when it's the right time for you.
- Don't forget to take care of yourself. Invest in yourself.
- It's about mission and values aligning; work where you're passionate.
- Some mistakes young (female) leaders make is coming into an organization and trying to make changes too quickly when they don't fully understand the history or culture of the organization.
- Don't be afraid to ask for help.
- Know what you know and what you don't.
- What value you add to an organization is beyond the job description.
- Take all the opportunities you can to be better.
- A true sign of leadership is taking calculated risks.
- Mistakes: What did you learn? What will you do differently? Don't beat yourself over them.
- Mentorship vs. Sponsorship:
- Just ask. Don't be afraid.
- Take advantage of the resource that are your peers
- Be persistent. It's not personal is they say no; ask somebody else.
- Offer yourself; volunteer and try to help them.
- Ask yourself, what do you want your legacy to be?
Additional lessons learned at this conference will be shared in subsequent posts. From my post, what statements ring true to you? How do you plan to advance your future in your field?
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