A New Hand at the Urban League’s Helm

As the first woman to become President and CEO of the Urban League of Rochester (Rochester, NY), Seanelle Hawkins knew she might encounter challenges.

“Just the role of being a woman leader and being respected, that’s going to be a challenge,” says Hawkins, who started her job on June 3, 2019. “I’m sure any woman, even if they were not a person of color, they could speak to that.”

Hawkins brought to the position the drive and energy that have taken her far from the low-income Brooklyn neighborhood in which she was born. During her nearly two years at the helm, the nonprofit has helped local entrepreneurs survive the economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and started building low-income housing in Rochester. 

The Urban League also has led efforts to attack the racial inequity that afflicts the Rochester area, helped residents get vaccinated against the coronavirus and taken other steps to better the community. 

“She is energetic, she is visionary, she is passionate,” says Essie Calhoun-McDavid, who serves on the Urban League’s board of directors. “She cares about the community and making a difference.”

To read the full article, click here.