City of Puyallup announcement.
At our February 7, 2023, City Council Meeting, the City Council celebrates a Proclamation declaring February 2023 as Black History Month in Puyallup. In honor of the Proclamation and the month, the City has partnered with local community advocates to highlight another set of African American leaders. The theme for this year is “Empowerment” and the trailblazers who are positively empowering others in their respective industries. The following individuals are local leaders, empowering others to be their absolute best.
Civic Empowerment – Judge Clarence Henderson, Jr.
Judge Henderson was appointed to the Pierce County Superior Court by Governor Jay Inslee in 2020, after serving as a court commissioner. Judge Henderson began his legal career at the Pierce County Department of Assigned Counsel as a public defender in 2005. He also served on the advisory board of the Western Juvenile Defender Center. Judge Henderson served on the board of the Tacoma Urban League Young Professionals from 2011 to 2013. In 2012, then-Governor Christine Gregoire appointed him to the Washington State Human Rights Commission. He served in the quasi-judicial role of commissioner for seven years, adjudicating civil rights cases and advocating statewide for access to justice, community engagement, and education. He also served on the board of directors for the International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies in 2018. Judge Henderson regularly speaks to students about the importance of civic duty, mentors youth, and participates in various state and local committees designed to advance the goals of diversity, inclusion, and access to justice.
Through his work, Judge Henderson has demonstrated leadership and empowerment by inspiring African Americans, and people of color, to pursue a career in law. His journey serves as an example of what is possible through hard work, dedication, and the pursuit of justice.
Community Empowerment – Tamar Jackson
Tamar Jackson, Senior Director of Community Engagement for WorkForce Central, is the leader and founder of the Pierce County Community Engagement Task Force, an initiative powered by WorkForce Central. Made up of nearly 200 members across 100 different organizations, the Task Force coordinates efforts to support major systems and providers using a joint assessment to compare policies and best practices, as well as resource allocation for racial equity.
Born and raised in Tacoma and a resident of Puyallup, Tamar builds partnerships and engages with communities without prior bias or a predetermined plan, meeting them where they are and asking them what they need. With a focus on the corners that keep our community together, he highlights community voices and lived experiences, empowering the Black community, and working collectively to effect greater change. His concentrated efforts to direct transformation through community engagement, empowerment, activism, and advocacy help create pathways for economic mobility for individuals and families throughout Pierce County.
Economic Empowerment – Jeff Dade
Jeff “J.D.” Dade is a dreamer, community real estate developer, Accredited Financial Counselor®, and a regional leader in the movement for racial economic equity who serves as Director of Community Development nonprofit Forterra NW. He holds two degrees from the University of Washington-Tacoma: A Bachelor’s in Urban Studies, and a Master’s degree in Community Planning. For decades, Jeff has worked to create innovative bridges for economic stability in the private, government, and nonprofit sectors, including positions at Fortune 500 firms, with Federal entities, and in academia. In his career, Jeff has held over 300 million in assets under management, instructed military battalions as a subject matter expert, taught at UWT as an Affiliate Instructor, and established direct service financial programs across the region. Over the years, he has collected many titles, including Afro‐Prince, Business Banking Assistant Vice President, Investment Adviser Representative, Mortgage Broker, Certified DEI Consultant, and leadership positions at four nonprofits.
Passionately advocating for anti‐displacement via community‐driven design, Jeff has devoted himself to building ecosystems that produce conditions for Black financial well‐being, generational wealth, and quadruple bottom‐line sustainability. To date, he is most proud of overseeing the co‐creative partnership for mixed‐use, attainable co‐op homeownership in the Hilltop neighborhood. His top priority is reinforcing generationally resilient solutions to the Racial Wealth Gap. Jeff is a Sr. Fellow with the Environmental Leadership Program and an American Leadership Forum Fellow. Outside work he loves to make R&B playlists, enjoys fantasy and sci‐fi movies, and finds almost everything interesting. He has four daughters, and three grandchildren who call him O.G. and just celebrated his 24th wedding anniversary.
Educational Empowerment – Puyallup High School Black Student Union
The Puyallup High School Black Student Union (PHS BSU) is bringing student voices and the impact of positive student change to our school and the greater community. Founded in 2020 by then-PHS Seniors Lauryn Wright and Kya Brady, the PHS BSU gave students an important space during the pandemic and the online school year to deal with the important change that was being pushed forward at the time. That beginning has grown, and dozens of proud Puyallup Viking students now meet weekly to create school art and displays, build inclusive and challenging lessons for their classmates, and organize events and assemblies. Under the guidance of faculty members Yesica Pak, BSU President, and Co-Advisor Mychal Limeric, the PHS BSU is giving a voice to young, diverse leaders of tomorrow.
These students know they are having an impact. You can hear it in their diverse voices. “Student-led unity groups give opportunities to do something we feel can make a difference,” says one student. “BSU is vital to the unanimity of the entire school, and without it, I believe the school would not be as great as it is right now,” says another student. The club has demonstrated individual students’ power to form a group and make positive changes. And, the group serves to educate others, says another student, “I get to be part of a club that makes our school environment more inclusive and educates people on important topics.” The BSU is here, growing, and giving back to build a stronger, more inclusive community.
Political Empowerment – Lyle Quasim
Lyle Quasim is the Board Chair for the Black Education Strategy Roundtable (BESR), a nonprofit serving Pierce County that advocates and champions education for African Americans in the region. As the Board Chair, Lyle oversees the policy direction and governance of the organization’s mission, which is to advocate change in public education that closes the achievement and opportunity gaps for black students at all levels, from grade school through high school. Through his leadership, and by working with policymakers at the local, county, and state levels, Lyle has communicated this important issue to decision-makers and in turn, pushed for changes to correct these disparities.
Lyle has lived in Puyallup for 42 years. During that time he has been the Secretary Of the Department of Social and Health Service for Washington State, serve as a cabinet officer for two governors, the chief of staff for the Pierce County Executive, President of Bates Technical College, and the Director for the Mental Health Division of Washington State. He also served as the Director of the Safe Streets Campaign in Tacoma. His many civic engagements include Chair of the Tacoma Pierce County Black Collective, First Vice President of the NAACP, Trustee for the University Of Puget Sound, Board Member of the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, and National Board Member of the American Leadership Forum.
These experiences have given Lyle Quasim, 79, a foundation to advise, mentor and serve as a resource to the growing Black population of Puyallup in several areas including politics in the areas of social and legal justice, education, health, and economic development.
Lyle has been married to Shelagh for over 50 years. Both are proud to call Puyallup home.
Spiritual Empowerment – Pastor Ronelle McGraw Jr.
Pastor Ronelle McGraw Jr. was elevated as the pastor of Puyallup’s Praise Chapel Ministries COGIC in 2005 – after the passing of his father, Pastor Ronelle McGraw Sr. Pastor McGraw is a native of Seattle, and has been married for 33 years to his wife Lady Mary McGraw. Together, they have two adult children, Jeanene and Ronelle III.
Pastor McGraw was educated in the Seattle Public Schools – he graduated from Cleveland High School class of 1986. Pastor McGraw completed his AA degree from the University of Phoenix in 2005, a Bachelor of Biblical Studies from Midwest College of Theology in 2020, and his Master of Theology from Midwest Theological University in 2021.
Pastor McGraw Jr. believes in empowering others through the word of God. Their mission at Praise Chapel Ministries is to bring people of all nationalities to Christ, so that they may grow to Christ-like maturity. Their purpose is centered on five things: Soul winning, Discipleship, Glorifying God, Integrity, and Loyalty. Pastor McGraw Jr. says that to empower others, first one must have a sincere heart, a heart that is intentional and forthright. A heart that empowers should also be loyal and have a firm commitment to the word of God and all his doctrines. Only then can you lead others to be their absolute best in their life, career, and spiritual journey.
