As the President and CEO since 2011, Sorraya E. Sampson has been the visionary for the 100-plus-year-old civil rights organization. With more than two decades of experience in the Urban League movement, she passionately works to help disenfranchised individuals achieve social and economic self-sufficiency through workforce, health, youth, and homeless services. With a background in HIV/AIDS policy and advocacy, she champions social justice and serves on numerous boards; her impact has reached statewide and international levels. A graduate of Stony Brook University with Bachelor's degrees in Economics and the Integrated Social Sciences, along with a Master's Degree in Management and Policy.
Whether it's providing HIV/AIDS education to minority communities or helping disenfranchised individuals achieve social and economic self-sufficiency through the Urban League, my work has always been guided by a passion for creating a more just and equitable world. It's not just a job to me; it's a calling, and I wake up every day eager to make a difference in the lives of those I serve.
A look at the visionary impactful journey in driving social equality and civil rights advocacy
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Dear Friends,
Every day in Westchester, the Urban League is helping people move forward. Our work is local, practical, community-based, and built on relationships. We connect individuals to opportunity, advocate for policies that meet real needs, and stand beside those who are too often overlooked or written off.
The challenges facing our communities are serious, but so is our resolve. For more than a century, the Urban League of Westchester has worked to expand access to education, economic opportunity, healthcare, and civic engagement. That work continues because it must.
We help people find jobs that pay a living wage, support students experiencing homelessness, and provide harm reduction services that save lives and keep families intact. We respond to what is happening right here, without waiting for permission or perfect conditions. Elijah’s story reminds us what this work means.
At just seventeen, Elijah had survived trauma and violence no child should face. He came to us with legal challenges, school instability, and no clear path forward. With support from our dedicated staff and the resources made possible by donors like you, he received legal help, emotional support, and safe relocation. Today, Elijah is back in school. He is mentoring his younger sister and is focused on a future he once could not imagine.
This is what becomes possible when the right support meets the right moment.
We continue this work with focus. That means growing job training programs, increasing access to healthcare and educational support, and continuing to advocate for policies that address root causes. It means walking alongside young people and families navigating systems that too often ignore their dignity and worth.
This work is not about visibility.
It is about responsibility. We are nonpartisan. We are never neutral on justice, equity, or the basic right to live with stability and hope.
If you believe in second chances, in education that opens doors, and in justice that closes the gap between promise and reality, we invite you to walk with us. Join our initiatives: volunteer, advocate, partner, and donate. Whether showing up to our community events, facilitating community workshops, or helping shape policy, your involvement makes this work possible. It gives people like Elijah a chance to rebuild and allows us to build a stronger Westchester for everyone.
Our focus remains steady despite every shift in policy and public tone. Our dedication to empowering under-resourced communities is not a reaction. It is a commitment, and it continues every day, in every neighborhood we serve.
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