Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: URI’s Enduring Source of Inspiration
On this Martin Luther King Day, we honor the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a leader whose enduring impact on civil rights and justice for the Black community continues to inspire us. Dr. King’s dream of a just and equal society resonates deeply with the mission of Urban Resource Institute (URI). In 1980 URI was established in Brooklyn by a Black medical doctor committed to addressing the unmet needs of Black and brown communities in the inner city. Today, our doors are open to all, but our focus remains on confronting issues that disproportionately affect the Black and brown community – domestic violence and homelessness. The majority of our dedicated staff and leadership are people of color, reflecting our commitment to serving and empowering the communities we work with.
As we commemorate this day, URI remains unwavering in our vision of a world where individuals and communities are safe, stable, and thriving. We understand that Dr. King’s dream of a just society has not yet been fully realized, as recent events have shown. This includes the sobering findings in the 2023 NYC Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee Report, which revealed a 29% surge in domestic violence homicides – with shocking increases of 225% in Brooklyn and 57% in the Bronx – particularly impacting Black and Hispanic women from marginalized communities.
While challenges persist, URI is resolute in our commitment to addressing these issues head-on, advocating for targeted investments in youth violence prevention, healthy relationship education, trauma-informed accountability programming, and economic empowerment for survivors and their families. We believe that, in alignment with Dr. King’s ideals, together, we can create a more just and equal society for all.
About Urban Resource Institute: Urban Resource Institute (URI) transforms the lives of domestic violence survivors and homeless families by empowering individuals, families, and communities, particularly communities of color and other vulnerable populations, to end cycles of domestic violence, homelessness, poverty, and trauma by increasing safety and resiliency. As the largest provider of domestic violence shelter services in the US and a leading provider of homeless services, URI’s programs impact more than 40,000 individuals annually through prevention, intervention, education, and direct services in both residential and non-residential settings in New York. URI is recognized as a thought-leader with influence across the U.S. and beyond. For more information, visit www.urinyc.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, call NYC’s 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-621-HOPE or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.
