Guest speakers for the Paul Robeson: A man of many talents
Speaker
Ron Sims, King County Executive
King County Executive Ron Sims has built his career in public service around the progressive principles of social justice, good government and environmental stewardship. He has a national reputation for boldness and vision, and is a champion of reforming government processes to better serve the people of the dynamic, forward-thinking Puget Sound region. Sims has shown innovation and leadership on such initiatives as health care reform, pandemic flu, transportation, global warming, financial strength, environment protection, and open space and trails.
In 2006, Sims was honored for his leadership and accomplishments with Governing Magazine’s Public Official of the Year Award; the Master Builders Association’s Built Green Hammer Award for Public Advocacy; the Sierra Club’s Edgar Wayburn Award for vision and leadership on global warming; the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle’s Edwin T. Pratt Award; and Seattle Magazine’s Husband of the Year Award.
For the past 20 years Sims has sponsored the Paul Robeson Scholar-Athlete Awards, a program that was born out of a desire to impart on local youth that “you can be both an excellent athlete and also make other contributions to your community because you are a distinguished scholar.”
Born in Spokane, Sims is a graduate of Spokane’s Lewis and Clark High School and earned a B.A. in Psychology from Central Washington University, where he was student body president.
Guest Speaker
Bobby Engram, Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks
Bobby Engram is a wide receiver with the Seattle Seahawks, a team he joined in 2001. Recognized for his achievements on the field and his on-going work in the community, Engram was named the 2007 Seahawks Man of the Year.
In the 2007 regular season, Engram set a club record with a career-high 94 receptions, and a career high with 1,147 yards. Engram ranked 4th in the NFC (11th NFL), just four off the NFC lead with 94 receptions and 6th in the NFC (13th NFL) with 1,147 yards, the most for Seahawks since Darrell Jackson’s 1,199 in 2004.
Off the field Engram takes a leadership role in his own community work. He has dedicated himself to Sickle Cell Anemia research, a hereditary form of anemia in which the red blood cells become sickle-shaped and less able to carry oxygen. For the past two years he has held a walk for the disease at Seward Park and has spoken with state legislators about the importance of funding for Sickle Cell Research. Showing his love and passion for children, Engram also teamed-up with the NFL’s “What Moves U” program, which addresses childhood obesity by encouraging children to be active.
Originally from Camden South Carolina, Engram attended Pennsylvania State University and made his NFL debut in 1996 with the Chicago Bears.