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
James Covington

Chief Executive Officer
Impact Tickets, LLC

Treasurer
Dwight Rawls, Sr.

Charles H. Beady, Jr. 
Chief Executive Officer
Mississippi Food Network

Richard Bradley
President
A3 Consulting, LLC

Alan P. Branson
Executive VP & Chief Financial Officer
Hope Enterprise Corporation & Hope Credit Union

Rev./Dr. K. Jason Coker
President
Together for Hope

         Monica Barnes         

Executive Producer

iHeart Media and Premiere Network

Linda M. Dixon
Health Law Director
Mississippi Center for Justice

Carolyn DuPre'
Certified Public Accountant 

Derek Starling, PE, CQE, PMP
Principal
SOL Engineering Services, LLC

Melissa Quinn

Operations Manager

Quinns Healthcare, PLLC

Royal P. Walker, Jr.
Director of Member Services & Community Outreach
United Healthcare Community Plan – MS

Ivy L. Williams
Community Development Manager
Trustmark Bank

Walter Zinn, Jr.
Walter Howard Zinn 

Attorney at Law

 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. 

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