2022 Bertha Pitts Campbell Equity Awards

YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish's second annual Bertha Pitts Campbell Equity Awards is a virtual, free community event honoring people taking action to eliminate racism and empower women; who are breaking down systemic barriers and promoting opportunities for women and girls to thrive and lead, particularly in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

Featuring emcee Tiernan Madorno and musical performance by Whitney Mongé, awards will be given to youth, longtime advocates, and companies large and small, that are actively working to promote racial and gender equity in our community.

OUR 2022 HONOREES:

COMMUNITY CHAMPION

Courtney Wooten, Founder of Suburbia Rising

Courtney Wooten has made waves in the Edmonds and larger Snohomish County community by serving as an equity consultant with a focus on educational systems, family engagement, and faith communities. Her business, Suburbia Rising, has developed programs and training events to educate businesses, citizens, and school children about racial and gender equity. Her nominator shares, “Because of Courtney Wooten’s creativity, work, and optimism, hundreds of us are ready to work for a more just world with equity for women and BIPOC communities.”

RISING CHAMPION

Rosalie Fish, Athlete & Activist

Rosalie Fish is a member of the Cowlitz Tribe and of Muckleshoot heritage and a gifted athlete. In high school, she took a stand to honor missing and murdered Indigenous women by painting a bold red handprint over her mouth for every race she ran. She chose to continue her track career at the University of Washington on the condition she could continue her tradition. Her nominator says, “She has raised awareness for women who have no voice and brought attention to the disgraceful neglect of Indigenous women who are missing or murdered.”

SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPION

Intentionalist

Over the past four years, Laura Clise has built Intentionalist into the most comprehensive directory of brick-and-mortar small businesses owned by women, people of color, veterans, Indigenous people, members of the LGBTQ community, and disabled people in the Pacific Northwest. Their nominator shares, “Thanks to Intentionalist, we are better able to put our collective thumb on the scales of economic justice. Intentionalist makes it easy to find, learn about, and spend in support of small businesses whose existence and growth are critical to a more inclusive regional economy.”

LARGE BUSINESS CHAMPION

Starbucks

Starbucks has demonstrated its commitment to equity as an employer, retailer, and community partner. “They have been a leader in diversity and inclusion with goals and data to support their success,” their nominator wrote. The Starbucks Foundation has provided grants for organizations serving BIPOC youth across the country, and the company has invested significantly in the Community Resilience Fund to support the economic growth of under-served communities. The company has also closed the race and gender wage gap for employees, advocated for eliminating barriers to employment for those with a criminal record, and focused on leadership and mentoring programs for BIPOC partners.

ABOUT BERTHA PITTS CAMPBELL

These awards honor the life and legacy of Bertha Pitts Campbell (1899 – 1990), a woman who dedicated her life to championing racial and gender equity. She made a difference from the start – while attending Howard College in 1913, she co-founded Delta Sigma Theta, a national service sorority for Black women.

She was also chair of the YWCA Phillis Wheatley Branch from 1932 to 1936, which delivered critical services for thousands of African American women and youth in the Central District.

Asked to represent the branch at YWCA board meetings, but denied a vote because of racial segregation, Pitts Campbell fought to be recognized as a full board member. Because of her actions, Seattle’s YWCA was the first nationwide to desegregate the board of directors in 1936.