Board member and Seattle leader joins mental health conversation, bettering our community

When meeting MultiCare Behavioral Health Foundation board member and Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle president and CEO Michelle Merriweather, the words leader, advocate and changemaker come to mind.

The Southern California native first joined the Los Angeles Urban League as a volunteer, where she fell in love with the National Urban League affiliate’s mission of helping “African Americans and others in underserved communities achieve their highest true social parity, economic self-reliance, power and civil rights.”

“In the midst of this work, I noticed that not only was I spending the same amount of time volunteering as I was doing the work that paid my bills (sales and marketing for organizations such as Starbucks, Heinz and Coca-Cola), but I was also enjoying it far more,” Michelle shares. “And as a mentor of mine said, ‘You’re lucky when your occupation and your passion merge.’”

Inspired by her dedication to ensuring those most vulnerable receive the economic support they need, Michelle began applying for Urban League leadership positions. In August 2015, she landed in the Emerald City as vice president. Three years later, Michelle became the thirteenth president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle.

Now, as leader of the second-oldest civil rights organization in Washington state, Michelle focuses on ways to partner with other local mission-driven organizations to better serve her community. In this vein, Michelle met then Navos CEO, David M. Johnson, EdD, LMHC, who also serves as vice chair of the MultiCare Behavioral Health Foundation board. When David invited her to join the board of directors, Michelle embraced the chance to become an active voice in the critical conversations surrounding mental health in the Black community.

“Being on the board aligns with the things that I’m very passionate about — making sure that folks have the opportunity to not only survive but thrive,” she explains. “Making sure that their mental health has the proper support has been so important, especially for the Black community and communities of color, where these resources and conversations didn’t traditionally happen. It was important for me to be a part of the conversation advocating for behavioral health connections for our young people, women and our communities as a whole.”

Michelle has also taken lessons learned from being on the board to heart, seeking to prioritize her own mental health and well-being. For her, finding resilience includes appreciating a quiet space, learning how to decompress and meditate and being intentional about making time for the things that bring her joy like walking her dog, visiting her large, extended family and spending time outside in the sun.

For those wanting to follow in Michelle’s footsteps and empower the underserved in their communities, she has this advice: “It takes all of us to show up for our friends and neighbors that need a little extra support and to see folks that are in pain and suffering and acknowledge it. If you can’t give your treasure, give your time. If you can’t give your time, give a smile and a hug.”

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