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Meet the Commissioners
Wilberforce Ageykum
Wilberforce Agyekum is a first generation immigrant from the West African nation of Ghana. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia Union College,
majoring in Psychology, with minors in History Behavioral Science. Thereafter, Wilberforce
attended Seattle University School of Law. While in law school, he served as chairman of the
Judicial Review Board (JRB) in only his first year. Subsequently, he was elected president of
the Student Bar Association (SBA) at the end of his first year. In his second year, he was
re-elected to an unprecedented second term. Under his administration, Wilberforce was instrumental
in the law school's transition from Tacoma to the main Seattle campus.
Wilberforce has always had a passion for uplifting his community, with particular focus on BLACK YOUTH.
While in law school he mentored to at-risk youth for the Tacoma Urban League academy; he lead a book drive
to donate used law books to the academy. He was also a graduation speaker for the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education ((DARE) program; whereby he encouraged the youth to focus on their dreams and believe in themselves.
For these and other community service activities, he was awarded the Outstanding Commitment to Community Service
award by the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association.
Presently, Wilberforce is an attorney in private practice. He is active in the Washington State
Bar Association through serving as member of the Committee For Diversity (CFD) in the legal Profession,
and, as a member of the Civil Rights Committee (CRC). He is also a board member for the King County
Chapter of the Washington Conservation Voters. In addition, he was appointed by Mayor Greg Nickels to
the Seattle Human Rights Commission and was unanimously confirmed by the Seattle City Counsel.
Marissa Chavez
Marissa Chávez recently completed her Master’s degree at the Evans School of Public Affairs. She has over five years experience
working in the nonprofit sector with a focus on social justice work.
Some of her jobs have included working with nonprofit organizations along the U.S./Mexico border to address issues of violence
against women, working to increase access for students of color to higher education at the University of Washington, and working
with at-risk youth and immigrant communities in South Seattle. She currently works at Casey Family Programs and serves on the
board for the Center for Social Justice.
Michael Fitch
Michael Fitch graduated from the Marquette University with a Bachelor of
Arts Degree (History). He then graduated from DePaul University College
of Law with a Juris Doctorate Degree. He served as a Peace Corps
Volunteer in Colombia and was a legal service attorney for the poor in
Chicago. He then was the office director for Northwest Washington Legal
Services in Bellingham Washington. He is presently Chair and the senior
law faculty member of the Paralegal Program at Edmonds Community
College. He is also the chair of the Faculty Diversity Committee at the
college. He is a member of the American Bar Association, where he
served as an Educational Consultant, the Washington State and Illinois
State Bar Associations, the King County Bar Association and the American
Civil Liberties Union. A long time resident of the University District,
he has worked for the Democratic Party in the 43rd District in a variety
of positions.
Charles Hodges
Bio to follow
Amanda Licorish
Bio to follow
Lubna Mahadeen
Lubna was born and raised in Amman-Jordan. She grew up in a male-dominated Arabic culture where women work very hard to be liberated.
During her residency in Jordan, she received a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Jordan. Just before
the beginning of the Gulf war in 1990, Lubna moved to the United States where she worked at Seattle Community College District in various positions.
Currently, she works as a Program Coordinator at Seattle Central Community College and serves as a Council member at the College Council.
She is a certified Mediator and actively working with the Dispute Resolution Center in King County. She is multi-lingual with proficiency in English, Arabic and French.
She is also qualified in American Sign Language. Recently, she obtained her Master's degree in Public Affairs (M.P.A.) from the Daniel J. Evans School at the University of Washington.
Lubna hopes to contribute to the commission in a meaningful way while making a difference in her community and addressing issues of awareness about her culture.
Merri Ann Osborne
Bio to follow
Brahmy Poologasingham
Bio to follow
Roslyn Solomon
Bio to follow
Marvin Stern
Marvin Stern is a native of Seattle and a graduate of the Seattle Public Schools. After receiving his BA in New York and graduate work in Holocaust Studies in Jerusalem, Israel, Marvin returned to Seattle in 1982, where he served as Pacific Northwest Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for nearly 13 years. During that time he also served as a founding Board Member and Secretary of the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment.
From 1998 to 2006 Marvin served as project manager of the Holocaust Survivors Assistance Office at the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. He has also worked on behalf of the Democratic National Committee and as an Employment and Training Counselor. In 2008 Marvin was appointed to the Seattle Human Rights Commission by Mayor Nichols and now serves as the Commission's Vice Chair. He has also served on the board and as Vice President of the Washington State Holocaust Education Resource Center.
Marvin is the Executive Director of Washington Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest.
Julian Wheeler
Julian Fountain Saucedo Wheeler is a newly admitted member of the Washington State Bar
Association (2005). He graduated from the University Of Washington School Of Law (2004)
where he served as Latina/o Law Students Association President, Law School Admissions
Committee Member, Student Bar Association Secretary, extern with the Seattle Vehicle Impound
Clinic, and recipient of the King County Bar Foundation/Geisness Minority and Sussman
Scholarships. Julian received his Bachelor of Arts Degree (Political Science) as a Senator
Henry Jackson Scholar (UW, 1992). He worked as Campaign Manager for Representative Cal
Anderson, 43rd Legislative District (1992), legislative assistant for Councilman Jim Compton
(1999-2001), and chair of the Disabilities Issues Caucus of the Young Democrats of America
(2005). Julian founded the Human Equality Club at Coeur d’Alene High School (1986) to combat
bigotry in Idaho, and was later named honorary valedictorian. His bachelor name was Julian
F. Saucedo. Hobbies: chess; exercise at University Family YMCA.
How To Get Involved
The Commission welcomes your interests and ideas. Individuals or organizations who want to introduce your ideas can contact the Commission Chair by calling the Commission Staff Person at 206-684-4540 or the Seattle Office for Civil Rights at 206-684-4500.
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