Shannon Currie, a Vice president at Benenson Strategy Group, was recently named the National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP) 2020 National Female President of the Year. A veteran member of the league, Shannon is recognized as a formidable presence to the Urban League movement at large for the resources she brings to the table. Her dedication and creative solutions have helped the NULYP charge forward in their mission to bring equity to disenfranchised communities.
President since 2016, Shannon re-established her local NULYP chapter in Bergen County, New Jersey, cultivating a small group of dedicated members. In 2018, her chapter was named “NULYP 2018 Rookie Chapter of the Year.”
Faced with structural and funding challenges, Shannon developed the idea to merge her chapter with a neighboring chapter and formed an alliance. Determined to safeguard an Urban League presence within the community, the merger provided the resources and leadership to execute the mission of the movement. The bold undertaking formed a local, regional and national incubator for the next generation of corporate, civic, and social leaders in NJ and contributed over 6500 hours of community service in 2019-2020.
Last month, Shannon facilitated an opportunity for BSG to do pro bono polling, which she presented to the NUL Board of Trustees. That data, which focused on Black mental health, helped to justify some powerful internal programming that will educate and inform hospitals, physician groups and healthcare activists on medical racism and the social/emotional impact of microaggressions.
An unmatched commitment to the movement, she also graduated the National Urban League’s Emerging Leaders/ Duke University Corporate Executive Leadership Program this month, and is an alumnae of NUL’s Certificate of Advocacy Program.
The National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP) is a National Urban League volunteer auxiliary comprised of 21 – 40-year-olds and functions as a network of young professionals across the country that works to eradicate social and economic inequalities, through volunteerism, philanthropy, and civic engagement.