Igniting Change: ULHR Joins National Voices at Empowerment Summit 2025

President and CEO Gilbert T. Bland and Guild President Francine Allen Humphrey represented the Urban League of Hampton Roads (ULHR) at the 2025 Empowerment Summit, held May 13 to 16 in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the National Urban League’s Legislative Policy Conference (LPC), the summit centered around the theme ‘Empowerment, Equity, Action,’ offering a vital platform for advancing civil rights, economic justice, and workforce inclusion.

Held in Washington, D.C., the summit kicked off with powerful opening remarks by National Urban League President Marc Morial, setting the tone for an agenda brimming with strategic policy sessions, receptions, and leadership forums. One of the most impactful events was the Energy Jobs Convening titled “Growing with Clean Energy.” This session positioned clean energy as the next frontier for civil rights, urging investment in minority entrepreneurship, workforce training, and educational access to close the racial wealth gap, a cause at the core of ULHR’s mission.

Throughout the summit, ULHR leadership engaged with national partners during signature events such as:

• Opening Plenary: Democracy on Fire – Our Fight for America’s Future

• Empowerment Luncheon: The Future is United and Diverse

• Saluting the Congressional Black Caucus Reception

• D3 Leadership Awards Breakfast honoring champions of equity and justice

The summit concluded with a dynamic forum at the MLK Library hosted by National Urban League Young Professionals (YP) and Guild leaders. Featured speaker Ray Shackelford, Vice President of NUL’s Equitable Justice and Strategic Initiatives, spotlighted collaborative strategies to strengthen community leadership and expand access to justice. This final session reinforced ULHR’s ongoing commitment to leadership development and intergenerational bridge building, a value shared deeply by our Guild and YP networks.

As ULHR continues to advocate for economic parity and inclusive opportunity across Hampton Roads, national forums like the LPC Empowerment Summit play a pivotal role in amplifying our voice and broadening our impact.