LOS ANGELES (April 22, 2026) – The 2027 National Urban League Conference is returning to Los Angeles after 25 years. It’s projected to lure tens of thousands of attendees generating millions of dollars in economic impact for Los Angeles and its surrounding communities. This major announcement was made today by National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial, along with Cynthia Mitchell-Heard, Los Angeles Urban League President and CEO, before a packed room in downtown Los Angeles at the InterContinental Hotel.
Last held in here in 2002, the conference is expected to attract the nation’s most forward-thinking community, business and political leaders for four days of world-class speakers, informative workshops, dynamic entertainment, and networking events. Held a year before the 2028 Presidential election, all of the major candidates seeking the White House are expected to make appearances as well. The National Urban League Conference is the nation’s largest and most influential civil rights gathering.
“The Urban League Movement’s goals in the areas of employment and entrepreneurship, education, housing and health care are threatened by a rising tide of racial polarization and extremism in our governing institutions,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. “Uniting the country means removing systemic roadblocks to opportunity and embracing multicultural democracy.”
The Conference is slated for July 21-24, 2027, at the J.W. Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. The Conference will confront the challenges of unprecedented attacks on racial justice, discrimination, and barriers to opportunity in every aspect of the current social and economic landscape and bring together leading innovators and trailblazers in business and industry, government, and community to chart a path forward.
“This a moment of alignment between the urgent needs of our communities and the national movement to advance equity and opportunity,” said Cynthia Mitchell-Heard, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League and the first woman in over a century to lead the organization. “The challenges facing Black and underserved communities here in Los Angeles are deeply connected to those across the country, and we are proud to elevate those voices, solutions, and partnerships on a national stage as we welcome the national conference back to our city.”
After making formal remarks, Morial and Mitchell-Heard discussed the impact of the Conference and the opportunities it presents for Angelenos, while answering questions from media members and the audience for 25 minutes. In addition to dynamic panel discussions, workshops, and plenary sessions for attendees, the Conference features free events open to the public:
- Back to School Community & Family Day on Saturday, July 31, featuring informative exhibits, free health screenings, legal clinics, live entertainment sessions, games with prizes, and backpacks loaded with school supplies for K-12 students.
- Project Ready College, Work, & Life Fair, part of Community & Family Day Expo, featuring colleges and universities from across the country, and information on financial aid, scholarships, and college access organizations.
- The Small Business Matters Entrepreneurship Summit on Saturday, July 31, a day filled with workshops, resources, and networking to help launch or your business to the next level, including networking with industry leaders, potential investors and successful entrepreneurs, valuable information about MBE certification process and how to do business with Fortune 500 companies, and a pitch contest with cash prizes for the best business ideas.
This year’s annual conference will be held in Nashville. In the coming months you’ll be hearing much more from us as we lay out the groundwork for our 2027 conference in Los Angeles.