![AB_Invitation_2022[s].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/281d25_ca44c6e7076d42b48064d9a9d018b7dd~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_521,h_271,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/AB_Invitation_2022%5Bs%5D.jpg)
EVENT OVERVIEW:
On Friday, December 2, 2022, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle hosted their 21st Annual Breakfast: ‘Era of Essential Service’ featuring special guest, Earvin 'Magic' Johnson!
The Annual Breakfast is a celebration of the essential programming and services ULMS provides to the community in the focus areas of health, housing, entrepreneurship, advocacy, education, and workforce development. The 2022 event included a special emphasis on highlighting the agency's efforts to ensure economic self-sufficiency post-pandemic and create pathways to generational wealth and stability amongst those they serve.
HIGHLIGHTS:
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Event Date: 12/2/2022
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Total Guest Count: 1,390 attendees
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Total Event Sponsors: 62
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Total Dollars Raised: $603.9k
MY ROLE:
For this event, I served as 1/2 of a 2-person event planning team. My direct responsibilities included the following:
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Establish the event aesthetic, including the overall look and feel of the event (color scheme, font selections, backgrounds, and other key design elements).
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Create all accompanying digital assets including the official invitation, sponsorship packet, live presentation slides, post-event survey, social media ads, & the official event landing webpage.
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Create all accompanying print materials including the donation pledge cards, program book, event signage, and black business directories.
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Draft and send all event related communication to partners, sponsors, and community members including initial press release, invitations to returning/new potential event sponsors, sponsorship follow-ups, event updates, registration reminders, table captain information, and post-event thank you correspondence.
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Solicit and track event sponsorship commitments, invoices, payments, and guest registrations.
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Organize a seating chart for over 1,300 attendees.
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Oversee the production of video assets created for the event, including storyboarding, filming coordination with honorees, final review, and approval.
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Coordinate with and manage event vendors including 2 photographers, 2 videographers, hotel event support staff, a high-level production team, honorees, & special guests.
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Create and manage the official event run of show and detailed on-stage script.
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Establish and delegate team responsibilities for over 100 Urban League employees on the day of the event.
RELATED LINKS:
Please click one of the bulleted items below to view more.
Official Invitation
Finalized invitations I created to establish the look and feel of the event. The first version of the invitation was used to promote the event before we were able to confirm who the special guest was going to be. The second version was used after our special guest was confirmed.
![AB_Invitation_2022[s].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/281d25_ca44c6e7076d42b48064d9a9d018b7dd~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_598,h_311,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/AB_Invitation_2022%5Bs%5D.jpg)
Black Business Directory
Each attendee received a printed copy of a Black Business Directory during the event. The directory began as a project that I took over, revamped, and managed when I began working at the Urban League in 2019.
It initially was a document with 15 businesses. I created a webpage to bring the directory into a digital space, then established a process for the businesses to submit their own information into a catalog. As of February 2024, the directory now holds over 100 local Black-owned or operated business in King County, Washington. It is also the most frequently viewed webpage on the Seattle Urban League's website.
The directory became so popular online, that I decided to create a printed version to accompany the event program book on each seat. We received an overwhelmingly positive response from the event attendees and decided to make the directory a permanent component of the event (moving forward) to promote local Black businesses to our audience of sponsors and funders. In 2023, I refreshed the printed design and added more businesses as the directory continued to grow.
Here is the finished version from 2022:
Sponsorship Packet
This is the document I created to solicit sponsorships for the event.
PRESENTATION SLIDES
Here are the PowerPoint presentation slides that I created to accompany the run of show.
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SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Here are a few essential documents that I drafted, updated, and managed throughout the planning process and during the live event. These documents included:
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MASTER SCRIPT: Primary reference document that included detailed presenter, video, tech, and stage queues.
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PRESS RELEASE: The initial announcement of the event to press and media.
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RUN OF SHOW: Time stamped overview of the Master Script for pre-, live-, and post-event. Also included expectations and delegated responsibilities for each team on the days before and of the event.
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SEATING CHART: Document I used to help organize the event seating chart.
EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE
Here are a few of the emails that I wrote, sent and followed up with throughout the planning process and after the conclusion of the live event. These emails included:
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SPECIAL GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT: This was the first email I sent to the general public to both announce the upcoming event and who the special guest speaker would be.
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EMAIL MARKETING PLAN: These are a series of emails I wrote and sent after the special guest announcement to communicate important event information and updates. This set included the initial invitation email, an email board members could use to send out, an award notification email to honorees, a special invite for local VIPs, special gift reminders, as well as general emails to subscribers and previous donors.
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THANK YOU: This was the final email I sent after the event to express our gratitude, share event outcomes, and encourage participation in the post-event survey.
I am also including a snapshot of how the mass emails performed once sent.
EVENT PHOTOS
Photos taken during the live event (not by me). Sharing to show the day of room and show highlights!
POST-EVENT SURVEY RESULTS
Here are the results of the post-event survey that I shared via email to all attendees. Below is a visual summary of the survey submissions. This survey was anonymous.
VIDEO RECAP
Visual recap of the event (not created by me). Sharing to provide a full scope of what the event looked like once everything was said and done :)