The Millennial A Team (clockwise from top left): Ratasha Smith, Darryl Brackeen Jr., Jayuan Carter, Gage Frank, Walter Morton.
Upper Westville Alder Darryl Brackeen has been named president of a local young professionals group along with several other prominent New Haven millennials.
The group is the Urban League of Southern Connecticut Young Professionals (ULSCYP). The group of “community leaders ages 21 – 40” work in conjunction with Southern Connecticut’s Urban League “to empower communities and change lives through the Urban League Movement,” according to a release Monday issued by the organization.
The release announced a list of new chapter officers. Besides Brackeen (who played a leading state role in Joe Biden’s presidential campaign), the new board includes New Haven mayoral spokesperson Gage Frank, Hamden Director of Legislative Affairs Walter Morton, and new Haven activist Jayuan Carter.
Morton will serve as the chapter’s “vice president of the town of Hamden,” Carter in the same role for New Haven. Frank will serve as “vice president of communications.”
Other officers include Executive Vice President Winni Paul, Secretary Tamara Gray, Treasurer Rev. Dr. Charles Simmons, and Parliamentarian Willie Newton.
Ratasha Smith, the immediate past president, will continue in the role of advocacy chair.
“I am so excited to be leading this team and want to thank Ratasha Smith for her leadership during this very challenging time,” the release quotes Brackeen as saying. “Together we will ensure that we can empower young professionals in Fairfield and New Haven counties so that everyone can have an opportunity to actualize their fullest potential. I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the Urban League.”
Find out more about the chapter here.
Don't know all of them, but Darryl, Gage and Jayuan will bring a deeply needed fresh, urban, professional perspective tot he New Haven scene. I was wondering when this was going to happen ... to put all the talk into muscle. Now get to work, grab some high schooler interested in entrepreneurialism and community focused financial initiatives, and make it happen! Good luck.