The Council of Urban Professionals develops diverse business and civic leaders in order to strengthen our communities, increase opportunities for minority and women businesses, encourage diversity at all levels of our society, and invest in the future of our children.

Helping Emerging Leaders Thrive

The Council of Urban Professionals Fellows are talented, visionary minority and women professionals aged 25 to 45 with the passion to become powerful civic or political leaders in their communities. CUP Fellows share an intense 10-month journey that includes comprehensive training, networking events and board placement services that prepare them for their leadership path, introduce them to distinguished leaders who motivate and inspire them, and guide them as they navigate the winding road towards their highest goals.

Providing Access to Capital and Opportunity

Creating and expanding minority and women business opportunities through government and corporate diversity programs is critical to the growth and vitality of our economy. By leveling the playing field such programs yield a more competitive economic environment, strengthen communities and grant the access necessary for minority and women owned and led businesses to thrive. CUP works with government and corporate leaders to help ensure that effective supplier procurement diversity programs are established, implemented and monitored, and that woman and minority professionals and MWBEs are given opportunities to succeed.

Diversifying Boards & Management Teams

Diverse non-profit, public and private sector boards and management teams create institutions more aligned with the communities they serve, stimulate dialogue and innovation, improve strategic thinking and decision making, and expand networks of dedicated talent. Through our Board & Management Team Diversity Initiative, the Council of Urban Professionals secures strategic board and career placements for our highly motivated and qualified members so that, individually and collectively, our organization fulfills its vision of enhancing the capacity of organizations, institutions and agencies to better serve our communities.

Rewarding Achievement

Recognizing the urgent need for education reform in New York City, and frustrated by the number of bright students falling through the cracks at high schools in New York’s poorest neighborhoods, CUP launched REACH (Rewarding Achievement) in 2007 to put the infrastructure in place so that students from any participating urban high school could compete on par with their private and suburban school peers in Advanced Placement (AP) college preparatory coursework, helping students break the cycle of poverty and enroll in better colleges than have traditionally been available to them.  Today, we believe REACH touches more students than any program of its kind in the United States.

Provoking Dialogue. Inspiring Leaders.

CUP’s Distinguished Leadership Series is a unique public affairs forum featuring local, national and global leaders in conversation with CUP Members at 30 events annually on topics ranging across politics, the economy, culture and society. Former speakers have included: Governor David Paterson, U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton; Essence Communications Founder Ed Lewis; U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner;  Michael Bloomberg; New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli; Nickelodeon TV President Cyma Zarghami; Newark Mayor Cory Booker; U.S. Federal Judges; Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards;  Hispanic Federation President Lillian Rodríguez López and many other luminaries.