By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
kmcneir@afro.com
For more than 100 years, America’s historic “Big Four” organizations – the NAACP, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the National Urban League, and the Congress of Racial Equality – have remained at the vanguard in the battle for equality and justice for Americans denied their constitutional rights.
And on Sept. 18, Gen Z and millennial members of the Greater Washington Urban League’s (GWUL) auxiliary group Thursday Network will honor local volunteers who continue to champion and meet the needs of others through service and sacrifice.
Thursday Network president, John Houston, said the event, the 10th Annual Spirit of Service Awards, serves as both the group’s major fundraiser and an opportunity to salute those who lead with purpose and heart.
As he prepares to turn over the reins in October to president-elect Angeline Jefferson, he said while last year’s presidential elections left many of his members disappointed and leery of the future, they have weathered the storm.
“We had to figure out how to move forward after the outcome of last year’s elections and for a while spirits were low, but it forced us to lean on another and to be more creative in our outreach initiatives,” said Houston, whose membership represents D.C. and both Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, Md.
“Our Project STEAM program, which we launched in 2025, took first place in the Community Service category during National Urban League’s national convention held in Cleveland, Ohio, earlier this year,” he said. “And we have increased our membership rolls, firmed up bridges between Thursday Network and our affiliate, GWUL, provided support for local youth interested in developing video games and coding, and helped our members bolster employment opportunities with resume workshops and a panel for entrepreneurs.
“And with five of our members now serving on GWUL’s advisory board, we are really learning the ropes and seeing how officials of our organization conduct business,” he continued. “So, we are poised and prepared for the future. We’re stronger collectively after having created a new path given the unprecedented changes that have occurred because of the current administration.”
Group paves way for youth to lead in the future
Jefferson, the Thursday Network’s current vice president who will take over next month as president, said she’s ready to go and hopes to increase personal development for younger members and to ensure that their voices are heard.
“Organizations like NUL have survived because of their commitment to encouraging younger members and preparing them to move up the ranks as they develop,” she said. “That’s critical and it has to be more than just a theoretical concept.
“Our current president made increasing our ranks and developing our members part of his agenda. NUL was founded in 1910 and a lot has changed in America. But I hope we can help those who, like us, are between 21 and 40, realize that organizations like NUL are needed more today than ever before.”
North Carolina A&T freshman Kennedy Cordis, 17, has been aware of GWUL’s contributions and service to those living in D.C. and Maryland since her high school days in Bethesda, Md. She said she’s been able to finance her education because of a scholarship provided by the National Urban League and GWUL.
“My mother told me about the NUL’s Empower Scholarship and with my interest in construction management and AI processing, we thought I would have a good chance for being selected and, fortunately, I was,” she said. “I am part of a cohort of 25 girls–the Elevator Program which is a living and learning community of women committed to academic and Black excellence.
“We were all youth members with the NAACP during high school and in Montgomery County, where I’m from, I was an officer for several years. Groups like the National Urban League, the NAACP, and others have secured their place in history. But they’re more than an historical note. We still need them, and I plan to be part of the new generation of members and take my place in the struggle.”
The Spirit of Service Awards ceremony and reception will take place at SOST DC (1901 Ninth St. NW, Washington, D.C.) from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.thursdaynetwork.org/spiritofservice.
