Knoxville Area Urban League receives $1.5 million from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott

Knoxville Area Urban League receives $1.5 million from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to sustain empowerment programming and advocacy Today, the Knoxville Area Urban League announced a transformational gift that will allow the organization to dramatically expand and enhance the reach of its empowerment programs. Philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott donated $1.5 million, the largest single contribution in the affiliate’s history. “We … Read More

Knoxville Area Urban League selects Charles F. Lomax Jr. as its new leader

The Knoxville Area Urban League has selected Charles F. Lomax Jr. as its new president and chief executive officer to succeed the retiring Phyllis Y. Nichols, who led the organization for two decades. Lomax, the City of Knoxville’s director of community empowerment, will assume the leadership position on Dec. 12, 2022. Lomax emerged from a pool of candidates considered during … Read More

Knoxville Area Urban League announces retirement of longtime CEO Phyllis Y. Nichols

National search underway to identify organization’s next leader The Knoxville Area Urban League today announced the retirement of Phyllis Y. Nichols, the organization’s longtime president and CEO and a highly regarded leader of one of the country’s best-known civil rights organizations. Nichols will conclude her nearly 30-year career with the Knoxville Area Urban League in September and is the longest-serving … Read More

Update from Knoxville Area Urban League: Stadium project and construction programs

Work on the multi-use stadium and surrounding development will continue, despite the one-year delay of the first Knoxville Smokies baseball season. We are communicating with individuals who have earned opportunities to work on the project and with our partners. If you are interested in building a construction career and preparing for future opportunities, now is the time to enroll in … Read More

Knoxville Area Urban League earns inaugural Stanley Black & Decker Makers Grant

Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) has announced the recipients of its first “Empower Makers” Global Impact Challenge, and the Knoxville Area Urban League earned $27,000 for its efforts to empower East Tennesseans with opportunities to earn. Initiated in 2021, the Global Impact Challenge grant program will award up to $25 million in grant funding over the next five years … Read More

Knoxville Area Urban League receives $10,000 housing grant from Bank of America

The Knoxville Area Urban League has been awarded a grant to support  housing stability programs by Bank of America. The $10,000 grant will support the Knoxville Area Urban League’s housing programs that educate families on the processes of purchasing a home and provides counseling to help clients keep their homes. “Bank of America continues to be a valued partner, supporting … Read More

Knoxville Area Urban League adds five new board members

The Knoxville Area Urban League has announced the addition of five new members to its board, which comprises business, civic and community leaders who lend their experience, expertise, knowledge, and vision to the nonprofit. The five new members, who were announced at the annual membership meeting, are: Gabriel Bolas II, president, and CEO of Knoxville Utilities Board; Harry Boston, founder … Read More

GEM Community Development Group enlists Knoxville Area Urban League to ensure diverse participation in all phases of private development surrounding stadium project

Pledging that minority firms and individuals will be integral to all aspects of the private development that will surround the publicly owned multi-use facility being proposed on the eastern edge of downtown Knoxville, GEM Community Development Group has announced that it plans to enter into a partnership with the Knoxville Area Urban League. “The Urban League has a long history … Read More

Knoxville Area Urban League CEO earns prestigious business leadership award

Phyllis Y. Nichols, the president and CEO of Knoxville Area Urban League, will be honored this month with the James A. Haslam, II Chair’s Leadership Award by the Knoxville Chamber. The prestigious award will be presented to Nichols at the Pinnacle Business Awards on Friday, Feb. 19, during a virtual midday event. The annual event, which is now in its … Read More