By Chris B. Bennett
The Seattle Medium
Michelle Merriweather, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, was recognized last week as one of the National Urban League’s 2026 Women of Power Award recipients during the organization’s annual conference, joining a distinguished group of women honored for their leadership, service and impact on communities across the nation.
Presented annually during the National Urban League’s national conference, the Women of Power Awards recognize extraordinary women of color whose leadership has transformed communities and advanced change in fields including social justice, public service, business, education, public health and the arts. This year’s honorees included Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and creator of The 1619 Project Nikole Hannah-Jones, actress and comedian Kym Whitley, Debbi Howard, Racquel Oden, Nina Easton, Pattie Sellers and Merriweather.
During the awards luncheon, hosted by CBS News correspondent and CBS Saturday Morning co-anchor Michelle Miller, Merriweather was recognized as a transformational leader whose work has reshaped the Urban League’s impact throughout the Pacific Northwest. Under her leadership, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle has expanded programs focused on workforce development, housing stability, education access and economic empowerment while strengthening partnerships that connect underserved communities with critical resources and opportunities.
The recognition celebrated not only Merriweather’s leadership but also the remarkable growth and expanding impact of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle during her tenure.
Accepting the award, Merriweather reflected on the journey that brought her to national recognition, a path that began more than two decades ago through the National Urban League Young Professionals, the organization’s volunteer auxiliary for adults ages 21 to 40 that empowers emerging leaders through volunteerism, philanthropy and community service.
“Truth is, I never set out to become CEO of an Urban League,” said Merriweather.
She said she joined the Young Professionals chapter in Los Angeles simply looking for a way to give back to her community. Instead, she found a movement that shaped both her personal and professional life.
“I started my Urban League journey 20 years ago as a Young Professional in Los Angeles and was simply looking for a place to serve,” said Merriweather. “I wanted to give back to my community. I wanted to meet people who cared about the same things that I did. What I found was so, so much more.”
Merriweather said the experience helped her discover a deeper sense of purpose that eventually shaped both her career and her calling.
“I found a place where I was able to bridge my occupation with my purpose and my passion. I call it my occupassion,” said Merriweather.
Reflecting on her journey through the Urban League movement, Merriweather said she never imagined it would eventually lead to leading one of the organization’s affiliates.
“I was a Young Professional. I was an emerging leader. I served on the National Urban League Young Professionals board, and now I serve as the CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle,” said Merriweather. “That’s the power of this movement.”
Merriweather said the mentors, colleagues and fellow leaders she encountered through the Urban League have continually encouraged her to grow and embrace new opportunities.
“Once again, this Urban League family tells me who I am before I see it in myself,” said Merriweather.
Merriweather also reflected on the growth of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle during her tenure, crediting the organization’s staff, volunteers and community partners for its expanding impact.
“When I joined the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle in 2015, there were 12 of us. Today, there are more than 150 hardworking, incredible people dedicated to this work,” said Merriweather. “This belongs to you.”
She said the recognition represents the collective efforts of everyone committed to expanding opportunity and creating a more equitable future.
“This recognition is not mine alone. It belongs to every person fighting to expand access, uplift families, and open doors for those too often left behind,” said Merriweather.
Acknowledging the challenges facing communities across the country, Merriweather said difficult moments only reinforce the importance of the Urban League’s mission.
“Those difficult times don’t change the mission. They clarify it,” said Merriweather.
She also reflected on the importance of hope and resilience in sustaining communities through adversity.
“Joy is not in the absence of struggle. Joy is how we survive it. Joy is how we build,” said Merriweather.
For Merriweather, the national recognition reflects not only her own leadership but also the growing impact of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, whose work continues to expand economic opportunity, strengthen families and advance racial equity throughout the Pacific Northwest. It also underscores the organization’s increasing role within the National Urban League movement as a model for community-centered leadership and innovation.
Recalling her own introduction to the Urban League through its Young Professionals program, Merriweather said she hopes others find the same sense of purpose that transformed her own life.
“There’s still a lot of work to do,” said Merriweather. “There are still young professionals who walk into an Urban League building for the very first time just looking to serve. Let’s make sure that they find more than a volunteer opportunity. They find their purpose, they find their family. They find this movement powerful enough to change their lives as it did mine.”
