overview
Cherished friends,
For the first time in three years, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle is delighted and honored to welcome you back in-person to join us Friday, December 2 from 8AM to 9:30AM for our 21st Annual Breakfast: Era of Essential Service!
For 92 years, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle has been on the front lines in times of crisis. We have been, and remain, a place of solace, refuge, and support for our most vulnerable communities, families, and people. Over this last year, the need for our work as essential first responders in the community we serve has surpassed what it’s ever been before.
This year’s theme includes a special emphasis on our essential programming and services including our efforts to ensure economic self-sufficiency and create pathways to generational wealth and stability amongst those we serve. We will also share how our team has amplified our emergency response efforts over the past year and our overarching goals for how we plan to address the important work that lies ahead.
We cannot wait to see you!
Additional Information
The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle’s Annual Breakfast is the organization’s yearly signature fundraising event. By the time we gathered for our 2022 celebration, ULMS would have spent millions of dollars on support services for local residents and their families by various means, including but not limited to:
- Securing and maintaining permanent housing
- Rental Assistance & eviction prevention
- Local Black-owned small business support
- Emergency food assistance
- COVID education and vaccine outreach
- Direct cash assistance
- and more!
In addition to raising critical funds for our work, the Annual Breakfast serves as a celebration of the impact on our mission from our donors, constituents, volunteers, friends, and, in particular, our corporate and institutional partners. Stakeholders and friends join us each year to reaffirm our shared commitment; and we very much hope you will be a part of this exclusive, community-minded group.
- Date: Friday, December 2, 2022
- Time: 8:00AM – 9:30AM (doors open at 7:00AM, Breakfast served at 7:30AM)
- Location: The Westin – Seattle | 1900 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101
Attire: Attire for the event will be business casual.
Parking: Parking will be available in the hotel garage. Limited street parking is also available. Ride share services are strongly encouraged.
Check-In: Upon arrival to the event, please visit the ‘Welcome’ tables to find your name badge. Once you find your name badge, a ULMS staff member will assist you with locating your assigned table.
This year we will be joined by special guest, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson!
BIOGRAPHY
Earvin “Magic” Johnson is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Magic Johnson Enterprises, an investment conglomerate that provides high-quality products and services that focus primarily on ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities. Having left the basketball court for the boardroom, Johnson parlayed the skills and tenacity he acquired on the court into a winning formula for his successful business ventures.
For the last two decades Johnson has consistently turned heads with his unprecedented partnerships. In his early years as an entrepreneur, he forged an alliance with Sony Pictures to develop Magic Johnson Theatres. In 1998, he teamed with Starbucks to become the only franchisee in the history of the company, acquiring and eventually selling 125 stores in a lucrative move which further solidified his position in the business world. Both ventures served as catalysts for redevelopment in urban communities, and are widely recognized as the corporate blueprint for engagement and success with urban consumers across America.
Still a commanding presence in the sports world, he made history in 2012 when he became co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a Major League Baseball franchise that was purchased for an astronomical $2 billion dollars. It was the highest purchase price for any professional sports team at the time. He also co- owns the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club, and eSports franchise Team Liquid.
Johnson continues to expand his influence through a number of other investments. He currently has controlling interests in EquiTrust, a $20 billion financial services company, and SodexoMAGIC, a food service and facilities management company.
The Lansing native is constantly evolving and remaining relevant in a dynamic digital age by broadening his scope into infrastructure and technology. In 2015, Magic Johnson Enterprises and Loop Capital formed an alliance to create MJE-Loop Capital Partners. The firm raised a fund committed to investing millions of dollars on infrastructure improvement in the United States.
Operating under the philosophy that true success is making others successful, he is one of the leading investors in a number of minority-owned tech companies that include Uncharted Power, an award- winning power and data infrastructure technology company; Jopwell, a diversity and hiring recruiting platform; and ShotTracker, a company that makes wearable technology for basketball players that helps track player and ball movement. In 2021, Johnson was appointed to the board of directors for Fanatics, a sports licensing company, and Cameo, a company that lets celebrities sell personalized messages to fans. With his unique positioning as a businessman spanning multiple industries and generations, he aims to help companies expand and foster a positive impact domestically and globally.
outcomes
Thank you for your support!
As an attendee, your opinion in invaluable to us and we’d love to hear from you! Your feedback about your experience attending the Annual Breakfast will help us ensure we are meeting our effectiveness and impact goals for future events.
This survey is anonymous. We sincerely value your input and participation!
focus areas
Essential Programming & Services
As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, our focus has expanded from addressing the emergent needs and immediate challenges within our community to creating long-term essential services and programs that will provide continued support to those we serve.
Here is a brief overview of a few new ULMS programs, partnerships, and services implemented or sustained over the last year to progress toward that goal. For a full list of programs and services, please review our 21st Annual Breakfast Program book.
Programs
The Safe Parking pilot program was designed to assist residents in the city of Seattle who are homeless and live in their motor vehicles.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
Each Safe Lot operates 7 days of the week. While ULMS is working diligently to secure more community partner participation to expand the Safe Lot program, our current Safe Lot holds 7 vehicles on a first come, first served basis.
There is currently no limit as to how long an individual can occupy a space in the Safe Lot as long as they comply with the Safe Lot rules. However, the goal is to ultimately assist anyone who enters the Safe Lot program to transition into permanent, safe, and sanitary housing.
Each Safe Lot has its own set of additional rules and regulations (i.e rules in regards to drug & alcohol use, curfew, etc.) All of which can be explained once placement is complete.
In addition, participants in the Safe Lot program may expect to receive the following benefits:
- Free & Safe Overnight Parking
- Employment Assistance Opportunities
- Assistance with Meeting Standard Permanent Housing Requirements
- Full Access to related ULMS Programs & Services
The Zero Youth Detention Electronic Home Monitoring (EHM) program provides direct services to meet the needs of youth and families who are involved with or have been on electronic home monitoring.
This program provides pathways for youth and families to circumvent the juvenile legal system and go directly into strengthened community-based support systems. We offer direct services to meet the needs of EHM youth and families while identifying and removing barriers caused by the juvenile legal system.
Program referrals come from the Alternative to Secure Detention team.
The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle is a proud partner of the Community Diversion Program (CDP).
CDP is a public safety strategy developed by the King County Executive Office, Public Health – Seattle & King County (DPH), the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and community organizations. CDP aims to address the root causes of some the lowest-level, non-violent, first-time felony cases AND make historic investments in supporting harmed parties in ways that are faster, and more holistic. This program does not involve violent offenses, gun crimes, weapons offenses, and people with repeat felony offenses are not eligible.
ULMS participates in this partnership by providing community-based services in a variety of areas, including Housing, Workforce, Education, Advocacy, Public Health and more.
“We Outside!” is a community outreach program we’ve created as part of our Environmental Justice focus area. We believe that the current narrative of environmentalism ignores the impacts of social injustices on the planet—further perpetuating the issues of environmental health disparities.
We established our “We Outside!” Program to not only challenge the status quo of outdoor recreation and gardening only belonging to white people, but to educate on the health benefits of being in a healthy environment. Our events include Black Earth Day, Farm Days, Bike Day, and community conversations to educate and discuss on topics within environmental justice.
Program Benefits Include:
- Free Gardening
- Education Books
- Free Plant Starts
- Free Gardening Tools
- Gift Cards
- Free Meals
- Outdoor Activities
Services
In October 2022, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle announced its partnership with SRM Development to secure 354 apartment units across six apartment buildings in Seattle to designate for affordable housing.
The six properties (to be managed by ULMS) are located in Seattle’s popular Eastlake, Lower Queen Anne, Roosevelt, and West Seattle neighborhoods.
This project is funded through a $97M deal via Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund and the City of Seattle’s Office of Housing. To learn more about this partnership, please click here.
The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle acts as a liaison between United Way King County and the community to prevent eviction and homelessness during the Covid-19 pandemic by providing rent assistance for families that are eligible.
Potential tenants sign up on United Way’s website to be added to a waitlist. Lotteries are drawn randomly for tenants to be selected by United Way King County and assigned to the Urban League (and other local CBO’s) for processing.
To be eligible for assistance, Families have to be at an 80% AMI and cannot have had assistance through King County funding previously.
This year, our ULMS rental assistance team has processed more than 1,700 families totaling to over $15M in funding spent to prevent homelessness through these eviction prevention and rental assistance efforts.
The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle Young Adult Shelter services young adults between the ages of 18-24 who are battling chronic homelessness, mental health challenges, substance abuse, and employment barriers.
During the day the shelter is open to up to 15 participants at a time. This includes access to wrap around services including daily free hot meals, skill training, job search assistance, personal hygiene supply access, shower & laundry services, substance abuse evaluations, healthcare resources, and more.
At night, the space is available to up to 24 participants in need of a warm place to sleep for the night.
The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle Community Health Navigators are certified to assist participants in accessing Apple Health (Medicaid) insurance through Washington Health Plan Finder!
Additionally, our team can enroll participants in Orca Lift (Reduced transit fare), as well as make referrals to programs such as Basic Food Assistance, Energy Assistance, and Medicare. Beyond health insurance, our Community Health Navigation team are passionate and skilled in helping participants navigate health resources to find providers, clinics, and care that meets their needs.
To learn more, please click here.
One of the most challenging barriers for those who were previously justice involved, is obtaining employment to help support their families and remain productive members of the community. The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle has partnered with Microsoft to connect ULMS clients facing this barrier with Microsoft pro-bono attorneys who work with them to begin the record vacating process, thus allowing for better opportunities for future success. This work helps our clients by ensuring that minor and significantly dated criminal offenses no longer prevent self-sufficiency in employment, housing, or educational opportunities.
To learn more, please click here.
Please note: this service is valid only for King County, WA convictions.
2022 Award Honorees
recipients
This year’s slate of honorees includes Professor and community public health advocate, Dr. Benjamin Danielson, who will receive the Urban League’s Edwin T. Pratt award; community leader and local business owner of Boon Boona Coffee, Efrem Fesaha, who will receive the Urban League’s Community Coalition award; and finally, former NBA All-Star player and coach, Lenny Wilkens, who will receive the organization’s President’s award.
Dr. Danielson is a clinical professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington. For two decades he was the medical director at the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic which serves mostly low income families in an historically Black community. He resigned in late 2020 in protest of racism and related dysfunctions at the clinic’s overseeing entity: Seattle Children’s Hospital.
He also serves on various boards of health related organizations, philanthropic organizations, and community groups dedicated to health issues. He chairs the Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities, co-chaired the Governor’s Task Force on creating an Office of Equity, chairs the Group Health Foundation Board, and co-chairs King County’s Racism Is A Public Health Crisis Team. He has been on many boards and currently serves in this capacity on the Seattle YWCA, the Seattle Foundation, Center for Children and Youth Justice, and Amara. He has been active in the public health and healthcare governance realm.
The unifying thread in Dr. Danielson’s activities relates to promoting well-being and dignity, especially for communities who have been pushed aside. He has found opportunities within and outside of systems to advocate in partnership with groups and individuals who are dedicated and passionate about creating a better world. He realizes he is often the least useful member of the circles he joins and he is inspired – every day – by the children, families, communities and organizations with whom he interacts.
Edwin T. Pratt is a legacy Seattle civil rights leader who led the Urban League and the Seattle community in the 60s. Since 2000 we have honored living legends in the Seattle area who follow in his footsteps by leading with excellence and setting a high standard in their area of expertise as a pillar in our community.
Congratulations, Dr. Danielson!
Efrem Fesaha, is a first-generation Eritrean American whose family moved to the US (West Seattle) in 1988 for an opportunity his Father received to work for Boeing as a Mechanical Engineer. Efrem attended grade school in West Seattle, attended Washington State University for his B.A., and is currently a candidate for a Masters in Business Administration at Seattle University.
Prior to establishing Boon Boona Coffee, Efrem worked 13 years in corporate finance for local companies such as Holland America, Nordstrom and Amazon. In 2011, Efrem returned from a three-month stay in his family’s native country of Eritrea where he became inspired by the Cafe culture that existed in the capital Asmara and returned to Seattle with the desire to venture into coffee.
Boon Boona Coffee was launched with the aim of sourcing the highest quality coffee from Africa. In collaboration with coffee farmers across many African nations they look to develop long lasting relationships and support the sustainability of their crops. Boon Boona Roastery & Café operations are located in Downtown Renton, a second in the Central District of Seattle, and a third on its way on University Ave (new UW).
Efrem won the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Washington Small Business Person of the Year award for 2022 and most recently was named 2022 Pacific Northwest Small Business Person of the Year, selected among state winners from Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
This award recognizes local trailblazers for their service to those most economically disadvantaged in our community. This is only the third time we have presented the Community Coalition award, with the first going to the Black Prisoners Caucus and second going to Chef Kristi Brown.
It is more important for us than ever to acknowledge the essential work of those who have been on the front lines as we continue to navigate the challenges of the pandemic. We are grateful for the work Efrem has done, especially over the last 2 years, to ensure that members of our community were supported and had access to the necessary health resources they needed to continue navigating the pandemic!
Congratulations Efrem!
Most people are familiar with Lenny Wilkens’ distinguished basketball career which includes coaching the Seattle Sonics to the NBA Championship in 1979. He retired as the winningest coach in NBA history. He served as the lead assistant coach of the 1992 Dream Team and the head coach of the 1996 Dream Team.
After graduating from Providence College in 1960, Lenny played in the NBA until 1975. After his rookie season, Lenny spent a year serving in the U.S. Army before returning to the NBA. He played in nine NBA All-Star Games and was named MVP of the 1971 All-Star Game. Lenny is the only person who has been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame three times: Player, Coach and Olympian. Further, Lenny was recently named to the list of both the Top 15 Coaches in NBA History and the Top 75 Players in NBA History.
Lenny has performed coaching clinics all over the world. During his work in South Africa, Lenny was invited to have a private audience with Nelson Mandela. Lenny has received numerous awards and honorary degrees for his civil rights work and civic engagement throughout his career as a player and coach. Despite his success on the court, Lenny is equally proud of his contributions off the court.
Since the 1970’s, Lenny and his wife Marilyn have developed and maintained a strong commitment to the greater community of Seattle. They founded the Lenny Wilkens Foundation to raise and contribute funds to enhance health and educational programming for kids. At the heart of Lenny’s community involvement is his commitment to the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic. Since its inception, the Lenny Wilkens Foundation has raised and contributed over $8M.
Lenny Wilkens is the ultimate champion of the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic and the need to provide respectful and high-quality services for children. As one of five children raised by a single mother in Brooklyn, NY with little access to quality health care, Lenny has made it his life’s mission to improve the healthcare challenges faced by children. Lenny has been a national advocate for healthcare and educational opportunities for children. His advocacy has included working with President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden and other elected officials.
The President’s award is provided to a community partner who we believe has made outstanding contributions to those we serve.
Congratulations Lenny!
quick access
Sponsorship FAQ
Thank you for your interest in supporting the transformational work of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle! Here is a list of our most anticipated frequently asked questions regarding sponsorship for our in-person 21st annual breakfast.
Click any button to download!
Woo hoo! The first step is to select a sponsorship level and complete the Sponsorship Opportunity Form (SOF) included in this packet. The SOF can be filled out and submitted digitally or mailed to our office. Once the form is submitted, you will receive an email from our event planning team with additional next steps for your indicated sponsorship level.
Each sponsorship level comes with 10 seats per table. Once you have officially become an event sponsor, you will receive a custom RSVP link for your guests to use to register for the event. You will be able to make changes to your guest list up until 11:59PM on November 25th. If you have any questions regarding your guests or the registration process, please send an email to Ashley Pugh via apugh@urbanleague.org.
If you end up with extra seats and cannot fill your table, you always have the option to donate the remaining seats back to the Urban League to use for a community member, volunteer or student program participant.
Requested sponsorship materials (ex: logos, program ads) can be submited as full color, high resolution .PDFs or .JPG images. Program book ads will need to be 5.5×8 in dimension.
Video ads can be coordinated by our event planning team to assist with recording if needed!
All sponsorship assets/digital materials can be emailed to Ashley Pugh via apugh@urbanleague.org.
You can indicate your preferred method of payment on the Sponsorship Opportunities Form (SOF).
For credit/debit cards, we will send you a link to make a digital payment once your SOF has been received.
If you’d prefer to be invoiced, a member of the ULMS accounting team will send an invoice to you.
Checks can be dropped off or mailed to our main office: 105 14th Avenue, Suite 200, Seattle, WA.
scenes from 2021
2021 Annual Breakfast Recap
Click the button below to recap scenes and final outcomes from our 20th Annual Breakfast
Thank you to our event sponsors!
SPONSORED BY
Presenting
Champions
Advocates
Partners
See you next year!