Our Programs & Initiatives

Arts and Culture Committee

The Arts & Culture committee is responsible for the development, creation, and coordination of activities that promote arts and cultural awareness. This committee also cultivates partnerships with the Wilmington Arts & Culture Community.

Past events include:

The Black Experience: an annual event that celebrates Black History Month through the Arts. MWULYP members and non-members submit visual art pieces that honor the experiences of African Americans, past and present.

Civic Engagement Committee

The Civic Engagement committee coordinates and plans events to develop MWUL YP members personally and professionally. This committee is responsible for promoting political awareness and education.

Other duties of this committee includes: serving as the liaison to local and state political networks and developing, creating and coordinating ongoing voter registration efforts.

Past events include:

Community Organizing Training: an annual event hosted by MWULYP in partnership with Delaware State University, the Young Movement, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Network Delaware, and Nexters PAC. The Community Organizing Training program takes place each July. One of the primary objectives for the Civic Engagement Committee is to ensure the YP teach our members, along with the community at large, how to become effective leaders and help them to create the mechanism to advocate on their own behalf.

The MWULYPs has certified over 150 participants from all over the state of Delaware, in addition to the Washington Mandela Fellows from the Young African Leadership Institute from the University of Delaware.

Community Engagement Committee

The Community Engagement committee acts as a liaison to local community organizations and a liaison for MWUL community service initiatives.

This committee is responsible for creating and organizing our annual community service events. This committee is also responsible for oganizing a National Day of Service initiative.

Economic Empowerment Committee

The goal of the Economic Empowerment committee is to increase profit and exposure to professionals of color, support our members and offer membership incentives through discounts and special offers, and support our community by localizing our spending.

This committee develops, creates and coordinates activities that promote economic empowerment as well as cultivates partnerships with the Black Business Community.

The Economic Empowerment committee is also responsible for gathering our Business of the Month and Entrepreneur of the Month nominees.
This MWULYP initiative recognizes businesses and entrepreneurs each month.

Past events include:

The Annual Buy Black Bazaar: The Annual Buy Black Bazaar brings together a plethora of businesses owned by people of color to create a small black shopping mecca for MWULYP members and non-members. The bazaar includes our Business and Entrepreneurs of the Month.

Education and Youth Committee

This committee is responsible for the development, creation, and coordination of activities that promote education and youth development. In 2016, under the leadership of YP Marsha Hinson, a Homework Help & Tutoring Program at Hicks Anderson Community Center was established for children in grades K-12. Since its inception we have helped over 75 youth ages 6 to 13 in Christina, Red Clay, Brandywine, and Colonial School districts with plans on extending the program to another Community Center in 2019. 15 MWULYP Members collectively volunteered over 120 tutoring hours each year.

Past events include:

Youth Empowerment Day & STEM Expo: April 2017, We participated in the National Urban League Young Professionals National Day of Empowerment along with over 50 other chapters. The event included representation from local colleges, youth-centered community organizations, academic enrichment programs, STEM related programs & activities, a financial literacy workshop facilitated by PNC Bank, vision board workshop & more!

Kent County Committee

The Kent County Committee (Formally Dover Committee) is responsible for developing, creating and coordinating activities that promote the MWULYP strategic plan in Kent County. This committee regularly gives back to the community through various service projects. In 2018, Kent County YPs held a drive collecting nonperishable food, diapers, baby supplies, and toiletries and delivered them to Catholic Charities. They also volunteered at the Mobile Food Bank held at Solid Rock Baptist Church in Dover. Ten Dover YP’s collectively invested 45 hours of service at the Food Bank of Delaware in Dover and organized and boxed more than 800 pounds of non-perishable items.

Past events include:

The Annual Kent County Unsung Hero Awards: This event spotlights members of Kent County who go above and beyond, dedicating time and effort into making a positive impact in their communities. We received upwards of 20 nominations and each year the annual awards banquet sells out seating 100 individuals from Kent County celebrating their unsung heroes. Some of the honorees include Wilma Mishoe, Dr. Reginald Chandler, Jean Dowding, Rev. Michael B Rogers, Sharon Sade Truiett, Rosemary Baughman, Gerald M. Green Jr. Lillian Harrison, Tasha Scott, John G. Moore, Vashita Pierce, and Eileen Wilkerson.

Health and Quality of Life Committee

The Health and Quality of Life Committee is responsible for developing, creating and coordinating activities that promote a holistic healthy lifestyle. This committee also acts as a liaison for MWUL health initiatives. Some of the past YP events promoted health and wellness through fitness, nutrition, and exercise like the Bootcamp held in partnership with the Central YMCA, and the 2018 Healthy Eating Seminar and Smoothie Workshop.

Membership & Socials Committee

The goal of the Membership & Social Committee is to develop, create and coordinate social activities and events for MWUL YP Members and the community. This committee is also responsible for recruiting and retaining members.

Past events include:

Join Week 2018: Join Week showcased the spirit of the mission through events that were impactful, engaging and educational. Our 2018 Join Week began with an event that combined essentials needed to grow professionally and personally. EME Consulting Speaker Dr. Juanita Foster discussed developing your Leadership Brand & Building Professional Relationships AND young professionals were provided with free headshots. The week festivities also included a Karaoke Happy Hour. The event was hosted at local Black-owned business – Stone Oven Pizza.