The Urban League of Rochester was founded in 1965 in the wake of racial unrest and riots that crippled the Rochester community. It was formed to address the material needs of poor and minority citizens in areas such as housing, employment, education, health and economic parity.

Dr. Seanelle Hawkins was named the Urban League of Rochester's new President and CEO, in June of 2019. Dr. Hawkins is the first woman to ever serve as President and CEO of Urban League of Rochester.

Dr. Hawkins joins the Urban League from her position as Executive Director of Sojourner Home, a local nonprofit empowering women, children, and their families through transitional support services as they recover from traumas associated with homelessness, domestic violence, mental health, and substance use disorders. As leader of Urban League, she will continue to serve the mission of building self-sufficiency through education, skill development, employment, and homeownership in Rochester on a larger scale.

Mubarak Bashir is the divisional director of workforce development at the Urban League of Rochester. In his 11 years at the urban league, he has also served as a program counselor, coordinator, then director of multiple youth programs. He is a recent graduate of the United Way’s AALDP program and was elected as class representative to serve on the board of the United Way.