URBAN LEAGUE Activist Dick Gregory to speak at fund-raiser

Dick Gregory also spoke at an Urban League event in 1999.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown Area Urban League is preparing to hold its annual fund-raising event, but with a different feel than the banquets of the past.
The event, "An Evening with Dick Gregory -- Part II," will be at 6 p.m. May 21 at the Buckeye Elks Youth Center on North Avenue.
Attorney Ron Miller, president and CEO of the Urban League, said the event will still be the organization's main fund-raiser, but financial concerns have caused it to be scaled back over previous years. The organization has seen several cuts in funding, he said.
"There is just way less funding around for various organizations and more organizations competing for those scarce dollars," he said. "Clearly we are in financial difficulty based on the drying up of financial resources for [nonprofit organizations]."
Miller lays some of the blame for the loss in revenue at the door of the White House, saying the current administration is not in favor of providing funds for social services. The organization, he said, has lost revenue from the federal government, state government and several private benefactors.
Cutbacks
As a result of the loss in funding, the organization has had to save money by eliminating positions and cutting back on some of the services it offers. Miller said additional money-saving measures may be used in the future.
According to Miller, the Youngstown Urban League has laid off about 11 people. Programs such as Seniors in Community Service -- a jobs and training service for senior citizens -- have been cut.
The organization has also had to cut some housing, and employment and training services. Miller said demand for the Discrimination Investigation and Advocacy program has increased, but the program had to be scaled back because of a lack of funds.
"We are still doing these things, but they have been reduced. If you don't have the staff, you can't do all of the things that you did before," he said. "We are still trying to serve people as best we can, but these are the results of the funding shortage."
Gregory event
As a result of the funding shortage, the Urban League is trying to increase memberships and business support. The "Evening with Dick Gregory" event, Miller said, is a big part of the fund-raising effort.
Gregory is a comedian, social activist and weight-loss expert who has been instrumental in facilitating social change for decades. Through the years, he has been a part of various marches, fasted more than 60 times in protest and has used his comedy to point out societal ills.
Gregory was also keynote speaker at the Urban League's 33rd annual banquet in 1999. At that time Mayor George McKelvey gave Gregory a key to the city and declared April 23 Dick Gregory Day in Youngstown.
jgoodwin@vindy.com