(The Center Square) – A few weeks ago, the Tacoma Urban League, a nonprofit civil-rights and community advocacy organization, placed CEO Desireé Wilkins-Finch on paid administrative leave and launched an investigation into complaints of alleged questionable spending of taxpayer dollars. Meanwhile, TUL has been nominated to receive the Black Owned Business Excellence Ecosystem Championship Award.
Wilkins-Finch also founded the Tacoma Black Fund under the TUL umbrella. The organizations have a close, collaborative relationship, with TUL hosting and supporting TBF’s mission to fund Black-led businesses and nonprofits in Tacoma.
“The Black Fund was a standalone organization. Then, at some point, it was moved underneath the umbrella of the Tacoma Urban League,” said Corey Orvold, who was a longtime volunteer with the TUL, until learning of potential fraud within the organization and becoming a whistleblower.
As reported by The Center Square, Orvold spent months trying to get someone from the Department of Commerce and the Washington Attorney General’s Office to investigate what she had uncovered within the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, and ultimately the TUL.
The AGO won’t confirm or deny the investigation, but TCS has received emails provided by Orvold that indicate the AGO is probing both organizations. Orvold has provided documentation that shows board members from both organizations provided race-based loans and grants to family members or board insiders, and also narrowed the circle of those who were even considered for potential grants.
A post on social media from the TUL detailed the recipients of the more than $1.6 million in taxpayer grants provided to mostly Black-owned businesses and organizations over the last year.
“One that really is disturbing is the Super Funny Comedy Club LLC, which is Nate Jackson’s organization. And that’s the same Nate Jackson [who] just had a Netflix special that was released,” Orvold said. “And so, there [are] so many other organizations that are so much more deserving that don’t have a hundred thousand dollars handed to them and a Netflix special handed to them.
“You would think that the allocation of the funds and determination of who is a worthy recipient would be based on needy people [who] are trying to start a business and need just a little hand up.”
Orvold said she has received personal threats and threats to her business endeavors since speaking out publicly against the alleged fraudulent use of taxpayer dollars.
The Center Square reached out via email and phone call to Jackson LLC, the owner of the Super Funny Comedy Club in Tacoma, for comment on the $100,000 grant, but did not receive a response.
ULMS has announced that former first lady Michele Obama has canceled her appearance at this Friday’s ULMS fundraiser.
“We’ve learned Michelle Obama has cancelled her appearance at the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle’s annual fundraiser. While we are devastated by this news, we are actively working to identify a new date as soon as possible,” ULMS said in a Facebook post.
It’s unclear whether Obama canceled over the accusations and investigation into the Seattle Urban League, but The Center Square was made aware of Obama’s cancellation on Friday.
Meanwhile, Orvold says it has been well over a week since she reached back out to the office of Attorney General Nick Brown, and the investigator on the case has not returned repeated phone messages since Orvold says she called with additional discovery for the case.
“I strongly believe criminal fraud is taking place and I am being ignored,” she said.
Orvold said the Department of Commerce, which is responsible for distributing race-based taxpayer funds, also refused to respond to months of emails, only responding after The Center Square and independent journalist Brandi Kruse went public with the accusations.
“Like you didn’t know? You did because I personally told you. There were so many people I told. I was not quiet about saying this is fraud. And at this point, I think that this is bigger than the actual people [who] allocated the money,” she said. “I think that some of the people in the government should also be held accountable criminally. Because they knew; they knew because I told them, and I have the receipts upon the receipts upon the receipts to show that I did that.”
Orvold said what bothers her the most is that other worthwile organizations miss out on funding assistance, while others that may not need the hand out are getting it.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with an organization called the Toy Rescue Mission. And what they do is they ensure that every child has a toy under the tree, has a puzzle, a book, and then also gifts throughout the year for birthdays. And that is a black led organization. A hundred thousand dollars could have been life-changing in the lives of those families, and far more deserving than a comedy club with a Netflix special,” she said.
The Black Owned Business Enterprise, which is an organization “focused on supporting, educating, and celebrating Black-owned businesses,” according to its website, has nominated TUL to receive its Black Owned Business Excellence Ecosystem Championship Award.
The nomination document posted to social media indicates Wilkins-Finch as CEO, despite her being placed on paid leave.
BOBE staff members initially agreed to give The Center Square an interview about the TUL award nomination, but then said they would only respond to emailed questions. They did respond to some questions, but did not address questions about TUL being under investigation and its CEO being placed on paid leave.
“This year, BOBE received over 200 public nominations, representing a wide range of individuals, youth leaders, elders, entrepreneurs, start-ups, long-standing businesses, advocates, and allies. The depth and diversity of these nominations reflect the strength, talent, and commitment present throughout our community. Every nomination was submitted voluntarily by members of the public, and each nominee was considered deserving within their respective category,” BOBE said in an email to The Center Square.
The award will be presented Feb. 1, 2026.
