Leading with Heart and Vision, Michelle Merriweather Uplifts Seattle Community

In February 2018, Michelle became the 13th President of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle (Seattle, WA).

“I am not anxious to be the loudest voice or the most popular, but I would like to think that at a crucial moment, I was an effective voice for the voiceless, and effective hope for the hopeless” a quote by civil rights leader Whitney M. Young is Michelle’s mantra as she leads the organization towards its 92nd anniversary. Michelle Y. Merriweather joined the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle team in August of 2015 as the Vice President.  Her passion is combining her extensive sales, fund development, event planning and marketing background to better the communities in which she serves.

As a Los Angeles native, her dedication for the Los Angeles community and for being a voice for the voiceless, led her to volunteer for the Los Angeles Urban League.  Her role grew from volunteer to the first woman President of the Los Angeles Urban League Young Professionals and an active member of their board of directors and a part of the National Urban League Movement.

She spent some time with rolling out publisher and CEO Munson Steed and here’s their conversation:

Munson Steed: Hey, everybody! This is Munson Steed and welcome to another edition of CEO to CEO, where we bring you the most powerful CEOs in the community, making a difference every single day. I am so proud to bring to you all the way from LA, and literally not in LA now. My dear sister, CEO, running the world all over Seattle, Michelle Merriweather, how are you?

Michelle Merriweather: I’m doing well, Munson. Good to see you. How are you?

MS: I am fantastic. I’m having a phenomenal day. It’s great to reconnect with you. Just a couple of questions. If you would share your position, where you lead? And why you lead in what you do?

MM: Absolutely! Happy to. I have the honor and privileges serving as the President and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle. Up here in our little corner of the United States in Seattle, Washington. I have served in this role since 2018, been in Seattle since 2015, as you said born and raised in Los Angeles. And why do what I do? I love my people. And our people, our community deserve the very best. And I feel like I was, I not only choose to do this, but something tells me that I was called to do it, and I’m a person of faith, and I obey, and here I am.

MS: For those who don’t know and have zero idea of how many services the Urban League is delivering right there in Seattle to make a difference in the Black community each and every day, can you give us a peek into the window or under the covers of what you do and what’s on your agenda to advocate for each and every day?

MM: Absolutely. First, let me say what may surprise folks is that the Urban League has been serving the Seattle region since 1930. So, we’ve been up here a long time. We’re one of the oldest civil rights organizations, not only in Seattle but in this country. Advocating for black folks and underserved communities up here in the Pacific Northwest. What we do. We are a social service and advocacy, civil rights organization. So, we make sure that folks have access to opportunities, tools and resources that create economic empowerment and growth for our community. 

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