Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler!

The Louisville Urban League is proud to present its most prestigious event of the year. Our Annual Derby Gala, “Mardi Gras Louisville,” will take place Wednesday, May 1, 2024. As we continue to make strides in empowering and uplifting our community, I invite you to be a key player in this monumental endeavor by becoming a sponsor. This year holds special significance as Louisville celebrates the 150th Running of the Kentucky Derby. The city will be abuzz with excitement and activity. Still, with your support, we will undoubtedly be the best and most impactful party in town!

Since our last gala, we’ve enrolled more than 600 students in intensive tutoring to help close the opportunity gap and sent hundreds of kids on college tours. We’ve assisted more than 300 Black entrepreneurs on the path to successful business ownership. Our craft skills training program, Kentuckiana Builds, graduated its 500th participant, and our housing department helped more than 100 people become homeowners–most for the first time.

All of this good work, and so much more, is made possible by people like you supporting the League through events like the Derby Gala. We’re doing something special and significant in Louisville. We’re transforming a community into a more equitable place for everyone to live, work, and thrive. Secure your seat at the link below. We hope that you will join us this year and invest in this movement. We don’t want to do this without you. (And it really is going to be a great party!)

Featured Guests

Jon Batiste is a virtuoso musician, composer, and bandleader known for reinvigorating jazz and soul with his modern style. Born in Kenner, Louisiana, in 1986, his musical journey began at an early age. As the bandleader for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Batiste has gained national recognition, infusing fresh energy into late-night TV.

His remarkable piano skills, soulful vocals, and the album “Hollywood Africans” have garnered critical acclaim. He is a 20-time Grammy nominee and a 5-time award winner. He is also a recent Oscar nominee for his incredible documentary, “American Symphony.” Batiste’s innovative approach to music transcends genres, making him a captivating and influential figure in contemporary jazz and popular culture.

Mannie Fresh is an American record producer, DJ, and rapper. Southern hip-hop wouldn’t sound the way it does without Mannie Fresh. The New Orleans representative earned his stripes on the local DJ circuit in the late 1980s before becoming the primary production force behind the Cash Money Records empire.

Beginning as the label’s only in-house producer in 1991, he’s received credits for the near-entirety of the label’s output from 1998 to 2004 before his departure. This resulted in 17 songs certified multi-platinum, platinum, or gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Mannie is also a long-time supporter of the National Urban League Movement.