Urban League of Greater Atlanta Centennial+ Celebration

PLATINUM SPONSOR

Greetings!

Welcome to the Urban League of Greater Atlanta’s Centennial+ celebration.

The “plus” marks the two years we delayed recognizing our 100th anniversary in 2020. As the full force of the Covid pandemic disrupted our lives, we put much of our normal activity aside and focused on “emergency response” to the overwhelming numbers of new clients who needed us. These were primarily low- and middle-income residents in the Atlanta metropolitan area who suddenly found themselves facing financial instability, job loss, health crises, hunger, lack of childcare, eviction, or foreclosure.

We reorganized our programming under the umbrella of the Financial Empowerment and Emergency Response Center – the FEERC -- an evidencebased, holistic economic mobility model. With the generous support of our donors, and wide-ranging public and private sector partnerships, we have been able to extend life-saving assistance to individuals, families, small businesses, and community-based agencies throughout the region.

At the same time, we expanded our advocacy work and launched a comprehensive study of Black life in Georgia to understand how entrenched racism and bias continue to consign communities to generational poverty. We will release our State of Black Georgia report in January 2023.

Tonight, it’s all about taking a moment to celebrate and to renew – renew our commitment to equity and justice for all; renew our partnerships and friendships that have brought us this far; renew our appreciation for the generations that came before us and the new leaders accepting the mantle now and for the future.

And let’s not forget to take time to turn to each other and smile. Enjoy tonight’s program that will highlight the contributions of a few outstanding people who represent so many like themselves who are committed to the cause. And groove to the music from the magnificent performer, Anthony Hamilton. The only way for us to ensure a strong and stable future for our region is to accept our individual responsibility to take action to end poverty and help families on the margins step onto pathways of opportunity to build generational wealth.

Let us give thanks for each other and the good we can continue to do together.

President/CEO

NANCY FLAKE JOHNSON

THE HISTORY OF THE URBAN LEAGUE MOVEMENT

The Atlanta Urban League was founded in 1920 as an affiliate of the National Urban League, to support African American families migrating from the rural communities of Georgia in unprecedented numbers to the vibrant industrialized city of Atlanta. It was the dawn of the industrial revolution and the 20th century, and Atlanta was a segregated city. These families were seeking opportunities and the Atlanta Urban League provided the much-needed support to connect with employment, job training, housing, health care and education for their children. One-hundred and two years later, during the worst economic downturn many believe our nation has ever known, the Atlanta Urban League is just as relevant today, as it was in 1920. To more accurately reflect the region that it serves, the Atlanta Urban League changed its name to the Urban League of Greater Atlanta in January 2011. The agency works diligently to “Empower Communities and Change Lives!”

Today, the League’s focus is on emergency response during crisis and preparing the workforce for careers in the 21st century and the new economy; raising the graduation rate among metro Atlanta students and preparing youth for college and careers; homeownership and wealth creation; entrepreneurship and small business growth; sustainable communities; and serving as an advocate for education, civic engagement and economic development and a voice for the underserved in our community.

The National Urban League, founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, spearheads our nonprofit, nonpartisan, national community-based movement that has grown to 98 affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia across the country.

ATLANTA’S

Greetings!

We are honored to welcome you to tonight’s event that culminates the Urban League of Greater Atlanta’s yearlong recognition of operating in Atlanta since 1920. As members of the League’s Board of Directors and cochairs of this Centennial+ event, we are especially proud of all the work that has gone into making this night unforgettable and inspiring for you.

This evening will highlight the League’s vital work and the important collaborations that make it possible. Our honorees -- and people like you in our audience tonight -- represent those who take direct action to build a sustainable future for us all. This means committing our time, treasure, and talent to the quest for economic justice and racial equity in all systems that affect our lives.

Thank you for celebrating with us. It does the spirit “good” to gather like this and recognize each other as allies. Especially as we

of divisiveness, it is encouraging to see how many of us share the same goals and want to contribute to “the

envisioned.

a

A special congratulations also to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens for the City’s initiatives to combat poverty by creating well-paying jobs, affordable housing, educational opportunity, criminal justice reform, and more -- and to develop partnership with civic organizations throughout the city.

Enjoy the program and the Anthony Hamilton concert! We look forward to seeing all of you in the new year!

confront

national climate

beloved community” Dr. Martin Luther King

Congratulations to our honorees: NAACP President Richard Rose; Grace Fricks, president and CEO of Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs; Tai Roberson, ULGA Board Chair and Vice President, Well Fargo; and Dr. Sandy-Asir Hogan, vice president of the League Young Professionals chapter and a public health professional at ORS Impact.

Randy Koporc President and CEO Fifth Third Bank – Georgia

Charmaine Ward-Millner Vice President Marketing, Communications, Community Relations Kaiser Permanente

Diversity keeps us sharp.

At Georgia-Pacific, we believe that diversity isn’t just good policy, it s also great for business. Different backgrounds, different point of views are essential to creating the best ideas that help us move forward.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE HONOREE

RICHARD ROSE PRESIDENT, ATLANTA NAACP BRANCH

Richard Rose is the president of the Atlanta NAACP Branch, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious civil rights organizations. Richard is a graduate of Clark College, now Clark Atlanta University. An Atlanta businessman and long-time civil rights activist, Richard was elected president of the branch in 2015. He has been involved with the NAACP and the civil rights movement since his high school days in Memphis, Tennessee.

Richard is grateful to have been mentored by civil rights luminaries such as Rev. James Lawson, Rev. James Bevel, Freedom Rider and civil rights leader Diane Bevel, Rev. Hosea Williams, State Senator Leroy Johnson, and Q. V. Williamson (the first Black City of Atlanta Alderman).

Richard has served the region for more than 50 years as a certified public accountant and businessman. His diverse client list has included public housing, an HBCU, and black professionals, business owners, and manufacturers.

A family man, Richard has volunteered in his community as a Little League coach, president of his neighborhood association, president of the Clark Atlanta Athletics Booster Association, and treasurer and member of the executive committee of the Atlanta Branch of the NAACP prior to his service as president. He has been honored as a member of the Clark Atlanta University Athletics Hall of Fame and is a Rice Award recipient.

Richard recognizes that each unit of the NAACP must be in the “business” of civil rights that requires a consistent fundraising mechanism, expansion of its membership base, attention to changing communication methodologies, adjusting to shifting community priorities that affect mission execution, and constant redevelopment of a business structure that effectively manages these priorities.

As president of the Atlanta NAACP Branch, one of his highest priorities is to increase the number of Black people registered to vote, and to find ways to get more African Americans to the polls. He developed the website and mobile app ridetothepoll.com to match voters with drivers for transportation to polling places.

He is proud of his position as lead plaintiff in a successful lawsuit against the State of Georgia that challenged the method of electing public service commissioners. This decision has the potential of strengthening the application of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

SMALL BUSINESS EMPOWERMENT AWARD

GRACE FRICKS

PRESIDENT & CEO, ACCESS TO CAPITAL FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Grace

In 2019 Fricks was recognized as a Corporate Diversity Champion at the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Diversity and Inclusion Awards. She was honored with a Vision of Excellence Award by the Atlanta Business League and named Financial Services Champion of the Year by the SBA Georgia District Office.

While she is identified as one the 100 Most Influential Georgians by Georgia Trend Magazine, when asked what her greatest strength is, she will tell you that it is her ability to empower others to fulfill their dreams. That’s what she’s good at, and that is what excites her. Fricks currently serves on the Boards of Appalachian Community Capital, Atlanta Emerging Markets Inc., Village Micro Fund, and the Veteran Loan Fund. She also serves on The Carter Center Board of Councilors. Fricks, a small business owner for more than 15 years, is also a former Board Member of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Atlanta chapter. Her undergraduate degree is in social work from University of Tennessee at Martin, and her MBA is from the University of Memphis.

Fricks founded award-winning Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, Inc. (ACE), a Georgia CDFI that helps underresourced business owners grow their businesses through capital, coaching and connections. ACE has now provided more than $158 million in loans, assisted more than 2,000 small businesses, and impacted over 17,000 jobs for Georgians.

EXEMPLARY BOARD & COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

TAI ROBERSON

ULGA BOARD CHAIR

Tai Roberson is Vice President and Community Relations Senior Consultant in the Social Impact and Sustainability division of Wells Fargo Bank, with philanthropic and community development responsibility for the State of Georgia. She is responsible for delivering the company’s community development strategic initiatives around CRA, including affordable housing, neighborhood stabilization and revitalization, community lending, service, and investments. Her responsibilities also encompass the company’s Foundation strategies around housing affordability, financial health, small business growth, and sustainability. She works closely with Wells Fargo’s line of business executives, market leaders, community stakeholders, and government officials to stimulate positive outcomes and solutions for the social, community, and economic development issues impacting the region.

Tai has more than 25 years of banking experience in affordable lending and retail banking at Wells Fargo and its predecessor companies and SunTrust Bank. Prior to rejoining Wells Fargo in 2017, Tai spent 10 years as a development executive with Clearpoint (CCCS of Greater Atlanta), one of the nation’s largest nonprofit consumer credit counseling agencies focused on financial capability counseling and education.

Tai currently serves as Board Chair of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta and sits on the boards of the Greater Women’s Business Council, Quest Community Development Corporation, Enterprise Community Partners SE (advisory board), and Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership (ANDP advisory board).

She is co-chair of the City of Atlanta’s Bank On Atlanta Program and Financial Empowerment Center and a member of HouseATL Funders Collective. She is a graduate of Leadership Cobb and active with many non-profits and leadership groups focused on education, youth development, affordable and sustainable housing, job readiness, and economic development.

Tai has received numerous awards and recognition for her work in Community Development. On May 2, 2020, she received a Proclamation from the Atlanta City Council. Her work in the community and housing has also been recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Small Business Administration.

Tai is a graduate of Spelman College. She enjoys spending time with her husband and family, traveling, volunteering, and going to sporting events to watch her three sons.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD

SANDY-ASARI HOGAN

VICE PRESIDENT ULGA YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Dr. Sandy-Asari Hogan is a Director at ORS Impact focused on evaluation and social impact strategy. In her role, Dr. Hogan partners with clients engaged in innovative social change to evaluate aspects of their work that are complex and hard to measure, employing the use of culturally responsive, equitable, and innovative evaluation methods. Dr. Hogan credits her time as an Urban League Young Professional for building her capacity to address complex issues in her professional life.

Dr. Hogan joined the movement in 2013 in Dallas, but it was her time as a member of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta Young Professionals that fostered her growth as a leader within the movement. Dr. Hogan currently serves as Vice President (2021-2023) of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta Young Professionals. Dr. Hogan is a past ULGA-YP chapter treasurer and has volunteered on committees with the National Urban League YP group. Additionally, Dr. Hogan has participated in important leadership training programs throughout the city of Atlanta, within the NUL movement, and is an alumna of the NUL Advocacy Program (2019). She graduated from the NUL Emerging Leaders Program in 2022.

PARTNER OF THE YEAR COMMUNITY COLLABORATION & IMPACT AWARD

ANDRE DICKENS

MAYOR, CITY OF ATLANTA

Andre Dickens is the 61st Mayor of Atlanta. A proud native of Atlanta and a product of Atlanta Public Schools, Mayor Dickens is focused on bringing opportunity and equity to the city that he loves.

Mayor Dickens’ agenda is rooted in Moving Atlanta Forward, through improving public safety, increasing opportunities for the city’s young people, empowering neighborhoods, and investing in housing and combatting homelessness, all while fostering a culture of integrity in the City. As he shared in his first State of the City address, his vision for Atlanta is:

One city with one bright future. A city of safe, healthy, connected neighborhoods with an expansive culture of equity, empowering upward mobility and full participation for all residents, embracing youth development, and an innovative, dependable government moving Atlanta forward, together.

Mayor Dickens was sworn in as Mayor in January 2022. Early accomplishments include making the City’s first-ever investment in early childhood education; the establishment of the Nightlife Division to address establishments with a history of high crime; the reestablishment of the Pothole Posse to rapidly respond to residents’ reports; and leading the successful coalition to keep Atlanta whole in opposition to a de-annexation effort.

Prior to his election as Mayor, Dickens served eight years as an at-large City Council member. He was an entrepreneur for over a decade in both the private and nonprofit sectors and a leader in Atlanta’s tech sector. Mayor Dickens is a graduate of Mays High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology as well as a Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University.

Mayor Dickens enjoys spending time with his daughter, experiencing live music, attending church services, and traveling the world. He is an avid supporter of all of Atlanta’s sports teams.

MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES

KARYN GREER WSB-TV

Karyn Greer has been part of the WSB-TV Family since September 2022 and anchors Channel 2 Action News at 5 p.m. Greer has served as an anchor and investigative reporter in the Atlanta market for more than 30 years. She has a history of hands-on community involvement and can be seen hosting breast cancer, Alzheimer’s and other fundraising events all over Georgia. Greer is the past president of the Atlanta Press Club and currently serves on the Board of Governors for the National Academy of Television, Arts & Sciences. She is the recipient of 10 Southeast Emmy awards, two awards from the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and a Salute to Excellence award from the National Association of Black Journalists. Greer is a member of the Magnolia chapter of The Links Inc, a charter member of the Greater North Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc., on the board of Pebble Tossers Inc., and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. to name just a few. Throughout her career Greer has been the recipient of numerous awards honoring both her professional work and community contributions. She has consistently been named one of Atlanta’s 100 Women of Influence by the Atlanta Business League and featured as a powerhouse in Who’s Who in Black Atlanta.

GOLD SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

At GEICO, we know the only way to build stronger communities for tomorrow is to invest our time and energy today. We call it our insurance plan for the future and it ’ s a policy we ’ re proud of. We specifically focus on education, strong community engagement and promoting equity & inclusion.

GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

SILVER SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

BRONZE SPONSORS

FRIENDS OF THE LEAGUE

Impossible

When we invest in our communities, we help turn impossible challenges into possible solutions. By sharing, growing, and encouraging, we can create a “can-do” spirit for our communities.

Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Congratulations on 102 Years, we proudly celebrate the success of your commitment and service to the community.

wellsfargo.com/donations

© 2022 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. 7321524-5 MOD: 994