Loading organizations...
Key people at Council of Urban Professionals.
The Council of Urban Professionals is a New York-based nonprofit civic and social organization that provides career progression, skill-building programs, and networking opportunities for diverse business and civic leaders. The entity primarily serves professional women and people of color operating across the finance, technology, law, sports, media, and entertainment sectors in both the New York and Los Angeles metropolitan areas. Operating with an estimated valuation of $2.2 million and generating approximately $665,314 in annual revenue, the organization maintains a dedicated workforce of 21 to 50 employees. The professional network has steadily grown to encompass 19,000 active members and is currently managed by key executives including Melissa Fenton, Crescent Muhammad, and Alexis Jose Rios. The Council of Urban Professionals was officially founded in 2007 by a collective of initial investors led by visionary founder Tarrus Richardson.
Key people at Council of Urban Professionals.
The Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring, elevating, and empowering the next generation of diverse business and civic leaders, particularly women and professionals of color.[1][4][5] Operating primarily in New York and Los Angeles, CUP delivers leadership development through over 65 annual events, forums, summits, peer networks, and skill-building programs that foster career acceleration, networking, and thought leadership on diversity, equity, and inclusion.[1][4][7] Its related entity, the Council of Urban Professionals Institute, focuses on training and career-building, reporting $1.53M in revenue and $1.35M in expenses in 2024, with a mission centered on community improvement and urban economic development.[2][3]
CUP partners with corporations and foundations to boost employee leadership profiles, creating a pipeline for multi-faceted professionals into executive roles while addressing broader community prosperity through empowered talent.[1]
Founded as a nonprofit (EIN 26-4037351 for CUP Inc. and related Institute), CUP emerged to connect, empower, and mobilize rising diverse leaders who demonstrate talent and ambition for top management.[4][5] Its backstory centers on building inclusive networks for professionals of color and women, starting with New York operations and expanding to Los Angeles around four years prior to recent updates, where it now targets film, television, and public service sectors.[7]
Key evolution includes launching specialized programs like the CUP LA Fellows Program, Dinner @ 7 invitation-only discussions, "How To" Series, Entertainment Power Forum Series, and LA Entertainment Summit, which have built unique communities around diversity in entertainment and leadership.[7] Pivotal moments involve growing corporate partnerships and thought leadership to catalyze promotions into leadership, with the Institute handling scaled training initiatives.[1][2]
While not a tech firm or investor, CUP influences the tech and entertainment ecosystems by accelerating diverse talent into leadership roles amid rising demands for DEI in tech, media, and civic sectors.[1][4][7] It rides trends like inclusive leadership driving business success, particularly in LA's film/TV industry intersecting with tech (e.g., streaming platforms), where diversity gaps persist despite market pushes for equity.[7]
Timing aligns with corporate DEI mandates and post-2020 social justice momentum, amplified by hybrid events enabling broader reach; market forces like talent shortages favor CUP's pipeline of skilled professionals of color.[1][4] CUP shapes the ecosystem by fostering networks that yield business development, thought leadership, and promotions, indirectly boosting innovation through diverse executive benches in tech-adjacent fields.[2][7]
CUP is poised to expand its voice as the premier catalyst for diverse leaders, scaling LA programs and national events amid sustained DEI priorities.[1][7] Trends like AI-driven entertainment and hybrid work will amplify demand for its Fellows and networking models, potentially growing revenue through more corporate ties.[3]
Influence may evolve toward deeper tech integrations, such as digital leadership tracks or VC networking for diverse founders, solidifying its role in prospering communities via empowered professionals—echoing its core mission to inspire the next generation.[1][4]
