(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…