Our Mission
The Mississippi Urban League helps African-Americans and others in Mississippi’s historically underserved communities achieve their highest true social parity, economic self-reliance, power, and civil rights
What
We
Do
The Mississippi Urban League works to create sustainable pathways to health equity, improved educational outcomes, and economic empowerment as a means to elevate the standard of living for those Mississippians existing in historically underserved communities.
We empower people of color and others to embrace who they are, decide their future, and join the fight to change their community.
Our Board
Chair
Dr. Tyrone A. Williams
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Dept Head & Senior Aerospace Science Instructor
Northeast Mississippi Area
Vice Chair
Rev./Dr. K. Jason Coker
President
Together for Hope
Treasurer
Dr. Alan P. Branson
Executive VP & Chief Financial Officer
Hope Enterprise Corporation & Hope Credit Union
Secretary
Dr. Carolyn DuPre'
Certified Public Accountant
Richard Bradley
President
A3 Consulting, LLC
Dr. Charles H. Beady, Jr.
Chief Executive Officer
Mississippi Food Network
Cathy Northington
Operating Officer
Mississippi Economic Council
Linda M. Dixon
Health Law Director
Mississippi Center for Justice
Derek Starling, PE, CQE, PMP
Principal
SOL Engineering Services, LLC
Melissa Quinn
Operations Manager
Quinns Healthcare, PLLC
Annie L. Amos
Judge
City of Beaumont, MS
Jonathan Ward Townes
Vice President, Career and Technical Education, Sponsored Grants, and HBCU Initiatives
Hinds Community College
Ivy L. Williams
Community Development Manager
Trustmark Bank
Dr. Andrew Clark
Pharmacist/Owner
Northtown Pharmacy
Our Team
Dr. Portia Ballard Espy
President/CEO
She is a native of southeast Louisiana and has been a resident of Mississippi for the past 22 years. Prior to joining the Mississippi Urban League, Portia served as Executive Director of the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation, where she also served as Director of Community Building.
She has held positions with the Children’s Defense Fund Southern Regional Office, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Mid-South Delta Initiative, Royal Dutch Shell, Entergy Corporation, and Raytheon Aerospace. Portia holds a PhD in Public Policy and Administration from Jackson State University, an M.B.A from Loyola University, New Orleans, and B.A. in Communications from Southern University, Baton Rouge.
Angele C. Shaw
Administrative Assistant
She initially served as Administrative Assistant to the President of Mississippi Roadmap to Health Equity, the organization from which the Mississippi Urban League was formed. Angele has extensive experience working within higher education in the areas of operations, administration, and organizational support. Prior to joining the Mississippi Urban League, Angele worked for historical Tougaloo College located in in Jackson, MS.
Ida Patterson
Program Manager -
Disaster Recovery
Ida Patterson is currently a Disaster Recovery Program Manager at Mississippi Urban League. She is a proud graduate of Tougaloo College, where she earned a degree in Political Science. She went on to pursue her Master's in Public Policy and Administration from Jackson State University. She has always been dedicated to helping others, which inspired her to pursue a career in various Social Service roles. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends.