Chicago Urban League Names New President and CEO
Chicago Urban League Names New President and CEO
BY KATHERINE NEWMAN
A little over a year ago, the Chicago Urban League announced that their president and CEO at the time, Shari Runner, would be stepping down. Since that time, Barbra Lumpkin has been serving as the interim CEO. Recently, the Chicago Urban League announced that Karen Freeman-Wilson will be joining the team early next year to serve as the organization’s next president and CEO.
The Chicago Urban League was founded over 100 years ago to focus on the needs of African Americans as they were relocating from the south to the north during the great migration. Ever since then, the organization has been steadily adapting to the changing needs of Chicago’s African American residents and has continued to operate under their original goal of strengthening the communities they are serving.
Freeman-Wilson is currently serving as the Mayor of Gary, Ind. and is the State of Indiana’s first black female Mayor. Freeman-Wilson has served in the public and non-profit sectors most of her professional life and previously held positions as the Indiana Attorney General, the Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, and was the presiding judge of the Gary City Court, according to information provided by the Chicago Urban League.
“Karen Freeman-Wilson has a depth of leadership experience and a demonstrated passion for the issues of equality and social justice that are central to the mission of the Chicago Urban League,” said Eric Smith, Chicago Urban League board chairman. “We are confident that she will be a strong, visionary leader who will continue to advance the organization’s excellent work toward serving the needs of African American communities and advocating for equity.”
After her term as Mayor concludes on Dec. 31, Freeman-Wilson will make her way to Chicago and assume her role at the Chicago Urban League. Barbara Lumpkin will remain active as the interim president until that time.
“I am excited about the opportunity to join the Urban League team. I am humbled by the opportunity to build on the legacy of Barbara A. Lumpkin and her predecessors who have been amazing community advocates for justice, housing, employment, and business development. I look forward to working with the board and staff of the Chicago Urban League as well as the partners throughout Chicagoland to continue the impact and prestige of this historic organization in the community,” said Freeman-Wilson.
Over the past year, despite the lack of a permanent president and CEO, the Chicago Urban League has remained vigilant in their efforts to provide resources in Chicago’s African American communities. Over the past year, Lumpkin and Chicago Urban League staff released the organization’s State of Black Chicago report and the Money and Power: The Economic and Political Impact of the 2020 Census on Illinois report.
“We are sincerely grateful to Barbara for her contributions toward advancing the Chicago Urban League’s longstanding work in connecting people to jobs, affordable housing, educational opportunities and resources to grow their businesses and careers,” said Smith.
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