SNOHOMISH COUNTY—In honor of Black History Month, the Lynnwood Times met with YMCA Snohomish County District Director JJ Frank who, along with being YMCA Snohomish County’s first ever Black District Director in its 125 years, but has been a pillar in organizing, championing for, and lifting Black voices in the region for decades.
Frank was also YMCA Snohomish County’s first Teen Director at YMCA Snohomish County, leading teen programming, in 1998, the first Associate Executive Director in 2012, and the first Black Executive in Snohomish County in 2016. He became District Executive Director in 2025.
“I wish it would’ve happened sooner but thank God for breaking that particular barrier and setting the foundation for others to build on,” said Frank. “I’m very honored, and thankful, for the YMCA of Snohomish County for really growing my career as a Teen Director to the position that I’m in now.”
Frank was born in the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania area (a small town called Aliquippa for those familiar with the area) but moved to North Everett in 1974, when he was just the age of three.
Frank and his brother were raised by their mother single-handedly, he shared, which really helped them develop a certain perspective in life.
He’s a proud graduate of the Everett School District (Hawthorne Elementary, North Middle School, and Everett High School – class of 1989) before pursuing a degree in American Ethnic Studies with an emphasis on African American studies at the University of Washington.
During Frank’s time at UW, he played as a Running Back for the college’s Husky’s football team, when the team beat Iowa University in the Rose Bowl, Michigan State in a Rose Bowl, then went on to win a national championship in 1991.
Given his success, Frank had big plans of joining the NFL after college but unfortunately that plan didn’t quite pan out.
“My whole life was gearing up to go to the NFL. To play on a national championship team, having some local players that had a chance to go to the NFL, it was a blow to me. I battled depression for a while, but I came back to my community and really had to ask God what was next for my life,” said Frank.
Frank had been attending a church on the corner of 23rd and Wetmore for over 30 years where he was mentored by a man named Pastor Lee Young who, according to Frank, made him the “man he is today.”
Through prayer, and Pastor Young’s mentorship, Frank decided his new purpose in life was to help the young people of his community. This ultimately led him to the Y.
Frank got his first job at the Marysville YMCA shortly after meeting his wife at a Tacoma church (who he married in 2000). The two share two children together, both in college…though he was hesitant to admit his son is about to graduate from Washington State University.
“I thank God for my wife Patrice helping me be the man I am today, my mother Eileen for her sacrifice for my brother and I, and my son Josiah and daughter Gianna,” Frank told the Lynnwood Times.
Like their father, both of Frank’s children were firsts for the Black community. They were both the first Black ASB Presidents while attending Marysville Pilchuck High School in 2022, and 2024, respectively, in the history of the school.
Frank’s early days of his career were coached by Ray Sievers, the husband of an old teacher of his from high school that serendipitously “popped back” into his life and Wendy Bart, CEO of the Olympic Peninsula YMCA, who first hired him. It was Sievers, Frank shared, who encouraged him to join the Everett YMCA Board.
Frank eventually left his board position when Bart hired him as YMCA Snohomish County’s first Teen Director in 1998. Right off the bat, Frank helped establish the Minority Achievers Program which helped students of color, and immigrant students, achieve higher education.
This program, Frank added, was fashioned after the conversations he had with his mentor Ray Seivers and inspired by Seattle’ Black Achievers Program.
“We felt like the Minority Achievers model worked well because in 1990 it was about 6% people of color, but by 2001 it was over 20% people of color in Snohomish County,” said Frank. “We felt like focusing on students of color, to help them go to college, which was a gap that people weren’t serving at this current time. We felt like there was an opportunity to tell our story, get mentors involved, and help students graduate who weren’t graduating at the same rate as other students.”
Frank called this achievement a “setback with a comeback.” It was a setback because he wasn’t able to actualize his dream of playing in the NFL, but it was a “comeback” because he was able to do something for his community just as, if not more, impactful.
“Before I got connected to the Y, I didn’t realize the YMCA is a cause. It’s a movement where people belong, they achieve goals, they meet friends. I just really feel like the YMCA changed my life, not only through a mentor, but it let me understand that I could have a greater calling, or purpose, in life to serve my community,” said Frank.
Frank also served as the President of the Marysville Rotary, and the Chair of the Marysville/Tulalip Chamber of Commerce, and Vice President of Snohomish County Black Heritage Committee.
“A lot of these community organizations talk about service back to the community, but I learned that first from the Y. The value of knowing you have a better quality of life when you give back,” said Frank. “You get as much as you give and that’s how we’re wired. We’re wired to be connected, and surrounded, by people.”
One of Frank’s favorite things about the Y is that it holds true to its “access for all,” motto and strives to remove financial barriers so that everyone can participate.
This year the YMCA Snohomish County is celebrating 125 years of operation. To celebrate it will kickoff a community campaign on Thursday, February 12, to “raise dollars to remove barriers.” Last year’s community campaign raised $1.7 million, and Frank hopes to raise more than $2 million this year. These dollars go towards allowing those who can’t afford YMCA services access to everything YMCA has to offer.
Also this month, The Snohomish County Black Heritage Committee is hosting its second annual “Black Men in Action” event at the Carl Gibson Center on February 21, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. which will be hosted by Frank.
The purpose of the event is to bring men together to explore ways how Black men can mentor Black youth, while recognizing Black men who have spent decades giving back to others in Snohomish County.
“I’m so thankful that my organization allows me to advocate for issues that affect communities of color, specifically Black people. I’m excited to celebrate Black History Month and empowering Black men to create spaces to support each other,” said Frank.
Frank’s number one advice for people who want to get involved in the community is to “get up and start the process of getting involved.”
“If you can’t run – walk. If you can’t walk, crawl. Just make sure you do something to get connected to community,” said Frank. “I encourage others to get involved by volunteering.”
Author: Kienan Briscoe
