
Executive Director

Reverend Dr. Leslie D. Braxton
Reverend Dr. Leslie D. Braxton is the Visionary and Founder of Songs of Black Folk. He is the son of a church pianist and Choir Director, from whom he inherited an eclectic musical appetite inclusive of both sacred and secular musical genres. As an historian of African American history and culture, he has understood how music has served as a weapon of political resistance and as a source of hope for people of the African Diaspora living in white supremacist and anti-black societies. His lifelong aspiration has been to bring world-class fine arts productions that feature African American talent to the Puget Sound Reverend Dr. Leslie D. Braxton is the Visionary and Founder of Songs of Black Folk. He is the son of a church pianist and Choir Director, from whom he inherited an eclectic musical appetite inclusive of both sacred and secular musical genres. As an historian of African
American history and culture, he has understood how music has served as a weapon of political resistance and as a source of hope for people of the African Diaspora living in white supremacist and anti-black societies. His lifelong aspiration has been to bring world-class fine arts productions that feature African American talent to the Puget Sound audience. Doctor Braxton is a native of Tacoma and a graduate of the University of Puget Sound. He has also earned a Master of Divinity Degree from the Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, NY and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He is the Founder and Senior Pastor of the New Beginnings Christian Fellowship in Kent.
Board of Directors 2023

Joseph Todd | President
Vice-Chair, WA State Commission on African American Affairs

Loria Yeadon | Director
President/CEO, YMCA Greater Seattle

Jesse Johnson
Former WA State Congressman & Director of Outreach & Community Engagement for the Office of the State Treasurer

Willie Stewart, SR. | Vice-President
Retired Principal & Administrator, Tacoma Public School System

T'wina Nobles | Director
Washington State Senator, 28th District & President/CEO, Tacoma Urban League

Carmen Best | Director
Former Seattle Chief of Police & Director of Global Security Risk Operations of Microsoft Corporation

Mary Reed | Treasurer
CPA, Washington State Nurses Association

Serni Solidarius | 2nd Vice-President
Dean of Special Programs, University of
Puget Sound

Trish Millines Dziko | Director
Executive Director of Technology Access Foundation

Jacqueline Yang | Director
Owner, Seattle Superhawks

Robert Carter, ESQ. | Secretary
The Carter Firm
Advisory Committee

Ricardo Frazier
Principal & Director, Zaki Rose

Dana Frank
General Managing Partner, TD Frank
Family Properties

Rev. Dr. Leslie D. Braxton |
Executive Director
Sr. Pastor, New Beginnings Fellowship (Kent)