Ray King's Bio and Affiliate Background
Ray King, the President and CEO of the Urban League of San Diego County since October 2007, was with the Port of Oakland for 20 years, most recently as General Manager, Maritime Operations/Marketing.
Before joining the Port, King worked as a senior consultant with the accounting and consulting firm of KPMG in San Francisco, as well as in city government on the East Coast while attending college in Connecticut. He has a Masters in Business Administration from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
At the Port, a $125 million enterprise, King held increasingly responsible positions during his tenure. His accountability was national and international in scope, including operations, systems implementation, business development, community development/outreach, strategic planning, project management, and P&L oversight. King has held various community service positions, including President of the National Supplier Development Council, San Francisco Bay Area, and President of the Community Development Advisory Board, City of Oakland. He has led and participated in various successful fund-raising campaigns for the organizations he has served.
Since joining the Urban League of San Diego County, Ray King has emphasized youth education programs to enhance academic performance and reduce the drop-out rate. He is mainly focused on the role of community-based organizations in developing systems and programs to assist youth launch successful careers. The Urban League offers mentoring, tutorials, and parenting classes and has initiated Project Ready to promote and develop a universal standard of behavior in support of academic excellence and civic engagement. As a result of his work in education, Ray King was appointed to an Education Commission by the Governor of California, California Community College Career Education Black, and African American Advisory Panel, President’s Advisory Committee on African American Presence at the University of California, and UC San Diego Chancellor Community Advisory Board. In addition, he sits on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the USS. Midway Museum.
(Edited 6.13.22)
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads its local affiliates’ efforts through the development of programs, public policy research, and advocacy. Today, the National Urban League has 90 affiliates serving 300 communities in 37 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than two million people nationwide. Each affiliate is embedded in the social and political fabric of their communities through:
- The National Urban League programs and services they offer
- The local influence of their CEO, Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers
- The Guild, Young Professionals, and community service
Each affiliate has an open-door policy, is solution-oriented, and is focused on helping our communities, clients, and accomplish their goals. Our work not only shapes the communities we serve, but we grow in the process, and we cannot do it without you.
Urban League of San Diego County (ULSDC), located in the City of San Diego, is an affiliate of the National Urban League (NUL).
The Urban League Movement, under the leadership of the NUL, was started in 1910 as a civil rights organization to address the challenges of Black Americans to achieve economic and social justice, especially related to employment, during a period of tightening segregation and racial oppression.
The ULSDC, which recently celebrated its 69th anniversary, is one of 90 nonprofit Urban League affiliates providing employment, housing, education, and health services to low-and-moderate income individuals and families. The ULSDC focuses on improving the financial achievements of clients through integrating employment, education, and financial coaching. Asset building is a primary objective, with the end goal of homeownership. The focus for youth clients is education and degree attainment. Specific client categories served included: families from at-risk environments, reentry, opportunity youth, and seniors.
Signature programs include Project Ready, College Access; Ignite Your Future, Integrated Services; EMASS, and Housing and Financial Capabilities.
Geographic Areas Served
We primarily serve the County of San Diego with arms that extend to the Inland Empire, Riverside, Orange County, and Imperial County. This includes the Promise Zone and San Diego Opportunity Zones. The target population includes individuals and families from low to moderate-income levels, diverse clients from under-served, underrepresented populations within San Diego, Riverside, Orange, and Imperial Counties who have been impacted by COVID-19. The Urban League focuses on Urban Core segments of the community characterized by modest incomes, lower levels of educational attainment, and older housing stock.
Vision for the Future
As the President and CEO of the Urban League of San Diego County, I can share that we want to see change for the better for all Americans. COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and the divided political landscape demonstrate that there is much work to be done in meeting the economic and social expectations of Americans from all walks of life. Many Americans are increasingly challenged by the economic impact that technological trends, like artificial intelligence (AI), and automation are having on employment opportunities. Socially, communities across the nation are facing an opioid pandemic, that 10 to 20 years ago, was largely concentrated in urban centers among minority populations.
As this country becomes more economically stratified, there is a convergence of experiences across racial lines. Issues like quality education, college access, employment opportunities, homeownership, income and wealth inequities, and community-police relations will be mainstream issues and the Urban League Move and your San Diego County Urban League are already at the forefront. In addition to our regular program services, an increased emphasis is being placed on:
- Public education around socioeconomic, public policies and their impact on the communities we serve;
- Social justice advocacy, especially in addressing disparities in income and wealth and access to quality education;
- Removing barriers to employment for the formerly incarcerated adults and youth low-to-moderate income levels; and,
- Homelessness to get people off the streets and into productive lives.
I hope that this information serves as an update on activities at the Urban League of San Diego County. Feel free to contact me directly at 619.266.6257 or ray.king@sdul.org to discuss your questions, and advise ways to partner with us during this season of COVID-19, Elections Aftermath, and Social Unrest. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Please know that your feedback is vital to our success.
Ray King
President and CEO
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