Greetings and Happy Holidays to my colleagues and to Extension Directors around the country.  I am writing to share a few brief updates as NUEL is working to our momentum and address the needs of our Extension system working to remain relevant, responsive, and recognized in our urban communities.

The NUEL Steering Committee held our latest Bi-Annual Face to Face meeting in New Orleans, LA, December 6-8, 2023.  Special thanks to Anthony Tuggle and the Tennessee Extension System for their ongoing support for hosting NUEL Steering meetings as needed and for their contributions supporting many of our Regional Southern & 1890 Urban Network meetings!  Our entire team is looking forward to our upcoming National Urban Extension Conference, May 28-31, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee as we Rhythm to the Future!

This year our Steering Committee determined to vote on three Officers to provide Executive Leadership for NUEL in the year ahead, 2024:   

          Katherine Williams, NC State Extension, Chair

          Eric Killian, University of Nevada Extension, Vice Chair

          Janine Wood, Virginia State, Secretary

We also welcome four new Steering Committee members:  Doug Swanson, Missouri, North Central; Jeremy Engel, University of Hawaii, West; Cara Cutie, Rutgers, Northeast; Ramona Madhosingh-Hector, University of Florida, Southern Region; and one returning team member from Southern University, representing the 1890’s, DeShoin York.  These members begin 3-year terms on the Steering Committee, beginning January 1, 2024. We also send a note of gratitude to Brent Hales, who served as our ECOP Liaison for the past 3 years and welcome Ed Martin, Arizona, as our new Liaison.

This year NUEL celebrates our Regional Network Chairs (Jeff Young, South; DeShoin York, 1890’s; Nathan Shoaf, NC; Michael Dipasquale (NE); Angela Sandino, (West)) for their efforts to convene meaningful dialogues, initiative joint efforts and provide additional professional development opportunities.  Four of our 5 Regions hosted Face to Face Conferences in 2023 engaging more than 300 Urban Extension faculty.  In the West, we celebrate with our colleagues from the Western Center for Metropolitan Extension & Research as they seek to expand their reach launching the new National Urban Research & Extension Center. We appreciate Director Brad Gaolach’s ongoing commitment to collaboration and shared leadership for Urban Extension.  We acknowledge the tremendous lift and support NUEL receives through ongoing partnerships with OSU Leadership for their Leadership in the City and from the Extension Foundation supporting strategic action planning, resource development & communications.  Additionally, we are excited about emerging collaboration with ESP’s Urban & Culturally Diverse Affinity Group and aligning efforts with the National Urban Youth Development efforts in 4-H.

NUEL appreciates the efforts of our JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) Action Team under the shared leadership of Durriyyah Kemp, University of Illinois and Nicole Debose, Ohio State for championing professional development in this area which is so critically important to our effectiveness in Urban Extension.  The team hosted a series of Learning Circles & Discussions reaching more than 254 Urban Extension Faculty building enhanced understanding of multiple topics:   

- Inclusive Programming with Public Housing & Incarcerated Populations

- Human Resources & Hiring Practices through a JEDI Lens

- Understanding the Impact of Anti- DEI Legislation on the Extension System

- Cultural Competency, Humility and Translation:  What it means for Urban Extension

The Professional Development Action Team under the leadership of Brenda Rogers, UFL is launching a series in 2024 focused on getting enhanced training opportunities to urban professionals earlier in their careers.  The New Early Career Urban Professional Series will launch on February 8, 2024.  (Details Available through Connect Extension Urban Subgroup.)   Our Communications Action Team, led by Marie Ruemenapp, MSU, has enjoyed additional technical support from colleagues from Extension Foundation and now has more than 1100 members in our Urban Extension Subgroup.  Marie Ruemenapp, NUEL Past Chair has also worked this year to stand up a new ad hoc Priority Action Team focusing on Best Practice & Impact Reporting, two topics we are seeking additional resources to address through an application to Extension Foundation’s RFP ending this month.  NUEL is also committed to the work ahead with the Urban Ag & Food Systems Program Action Team, the leadership provided by Jeff Young, KY, and Andra Johnson, UFL, and collaborative projects we are considering with several other PATs:  Health, Workforce Development, and the new Food Waste & Recovery Team.

I hope you will join me in saluting the many innovative and dedicated professionals Extension has serving in our urban communities.  I am always humbled by the creativity, expertise, and shared leadership for this work that I receive as Chair and that I believe NUEL represents for our system.  Over the coming year, NUEL will be working with other groups already identified in the memo to complete a new Report outlining Reflections in Achievements, Best Practice, and the Future of Urban Extension, a 10- year update to the National Urban Framework, adopted by ECOP in 2015.   We are excited about our National Urban Conference in Nashville and will need the ongoing support of each of you as we work to update our list of Urban Coordinators representing your LGU’s and engage their voices and expertise to shape the next 3-5 years of Urban Extension.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or ideas.

Happy Holidays!      

Katherine Williams, Chair, National Urban Extension Leaders