Answering the Challenge of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Statement from the CEO

On Monday, January 16, we celebrate the birth of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who in his relatively brief life left behind an outsized legacy as a leader in the struggle for civil rights and justice for the Black community.

The work of Dr. King and the imprint he left on society is particularly meaningful to Urban Resource Institute (URI). In 1980, just 12 years after the assassination of Dr. King, URI was founded in Brooklyn, NY by a Black medical doctor who was interested in addressing the unmet needs of the Black and brown communities living in the inner city. He also believed it was important to ensure that the Board and staff reflected the community it served. While our doors are open to everyone, through more than four decades of impact URI has addressed issues that still disproportionately impact the Black and brown community – domestic violence and homelessness – and the majority of our staff and leadership are people of color. And while progress has been made, the events of recent years have demonstrated that Dr. King’s dream of a just and equal society has not yet come to pass.

As the struggle for social justice continues – in New York City, the U.S., and around the world – I am proud that URI remains steadfast in our vision of a world where individuals and communities are safe, stable, and thriving. Every day we continue to make meaningful impact on the lives of our clients, including domestic violence survivors and homeless families. The URI staff and leadership can proudly respond to Dr. King’s challenge: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”

I invite you to learn more and join us as we work towards a world free of domestic violence, homelessness, poverty and trauma.  www.urinyc.org

Nathaniel M. Fields
Chief Executive Officer
Urban Resource Institute