Help support Puget Sound’s young people.
Each fall, History Makers celebrates MOHAI’s accomplishments of that year, while raising support for upcoming education and programming activities. The proceeds from this special event directly support MOHAI’s vision to be a vibrant resource where history inspires everyone to be their best.
Join us for the MOHAI History Makers Gala on Friday, November 4, 2022.
Honorary Chair and MOHAI Trustee Rachel Shrewsbury invites you to celebrate the museum’s 10th anniversary at Lake Union Park, our mission, and future. This special evening also honors local everyday heroes and the educator of the year, along with private access to our upcoming exhibit Artificial Intelligence: Your Mind & The Machine, opening on October 15, 2022.
On November 5, MOHAI was thrilled to welcome back more than 230 guests who attended the 36th annual History Makers event. As we gathered to connect and celebrate our Everyday Heroes and the Educator of the Year, more than $490,000 critical funds were raised, benefitting MOHAI’s engaging and innovative educational programming.
MOHAI celebrated and honored Everyday Heroes that have demonstrated all acts of kindness, heroism, and change-big and small. The 2021 honorees included: Katherine Kehrli and Community Loaves, a thriving organization that supports home based bread bakers who bake loaves for their local food banks; and Rita Zawaideh and Caravan~Serai, a unique, award-winning tour company, specializing in the Middle and Near East, and North Africa.
MOHAI also recognized and celebrated our 2021 Educator of the Year Delbert Richardson an educator, curator, storyteller, and truth teller. His award-winning museum, The Unspoken Truths, has enriched classrooms across the region and has impacted learners of all ages.
Chair Katie D’Amato, and all of us at MOHAI, offer our deepest gratitude for the dedication of donors, trustees, volunteers, staff, and History Makers committee members who made this event possible. Their enthusiastic, in-person presence and participation in the evening’s auctions and paddle-raise, ensures that MOHAI will continue making content-rich, interactive exhibits and programs that are accessible to all.
Thank you for your support – being together is an occasion to celebrate!
Thank you 2021 History Makers Gala Sponsors
Gold Sponsor: Careage Home Health
Silver Sponsors: B2Launch, The Boeing Company, BroadPoint Group, Maureen Frisch, Nordstrom, Seneca Group, Vulcan Real Estate, and Washington Trust Bank.
Thank you to our History Makers Gala Planning Committee:
Chair, Katie D’Amato, Mark Ando*, John Hogan, Maria Denny, Maren Higbee, Rebecca MacLeod, Rachel Shrewsbury, Kathy Stanley, Ben Straley and Jeffrey Wolford
* In Memoriam
Everyday Hero Nominees
Manuel Abrego, Brian Canlis, Mark Canlis, Harry Chan, Jill Gallagher, Wyking Garrett, Emilie Given, Gary Hammon, Jeff Kaas, Katherine Kehrli, Marie Kidhe, Michael Verchot, and Rita Zawaideh.
With more than 300 registrants, the 35th Annual History Makers at home event, held on November 6, was an overwhelming success! Held in homes across the region, guests practiced social distancing as they participated in silent and live auctions and raised their paddles in support of MOHAI. Co-chaired by Chad and Tara Richardson, this year’s online event raised over $350,000 to benefit MOHAI’s engaging and innovative educational programming.
Watch 2020 History Makers at Home
The event celebrated and honored Everyday Heroes that have demonstrated all acts of kindness, heroism, and change – big and small over the last eight months. The honorees included: Omari Salisbury and Converge Media; UW COVID-19 equity champions Dr. Lisa Chew, Martine Pierre-Louis, and Paula Houston from Harborview Medical Center; and the Seattle Kitchen Collective consisting of Damon Bomar and Chef Kristi Brown of That Brown Girl Cooks and Communion, Chef Tarik Abdullah founder Feed the People, Melissa Miranda of Musang, Chera Amlag of Hood Famous Bakeshop, Cam Hanin of Guerrilla Pizza Kitchen, and Guitar Srisuthiamorn of Sugar Hill.
THANK YOU History Makers at Home sponsors:
Gold Sponsors: B2Launch, Seneca Group, and The Boeing Company.
Silver Sponsors: GM Nameplate, Lasher, Holzapfel, Sperry & Ebberson, Leonard Garfield, and Rachel Shrewsbury.
Special Thanks to Kaspars Catering & Events, Fred Northup Jr., and Punch Drunk.
Everyday Hero Nominees
Carmen Best • Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County • Stella Caldwell and John Small • Lisa Calvert • Helen Chu • Nyema Clark • Ryan Dwyer • Rahwa Habte • Walter C. Howe Jr. • Katrina Johnson • Angela Kempsey • Jayashree Krishnan • Latasia Lanier • Esther Lucero • Jennifer Lutz • Nikkita Oliver • John Pehrson • Rick Reynolds • Junius Rochester • Pran Wahi • Tahmina Watson • Claire Wilson
With more than 300 guests, the 34th Annual History Makers Gala on November 13 was a huge success! Set against the stunning backdrop of MOHAI’s home in Lake Union Park, guests were inspired by the museum’s rich and iconic collection of Seattle’s heritage. The evening included a Rengeela performance of Bollywood dancers, silent and live auctions, a formal dinner, and more.
Chaired by Maureen Frisch and John Hogan, this year’s event raised more than $500,000 to benefit MOHAI’s engaging and innovative educational programming. Gerald Donaldson, family support worker at Leschi Elementary, was recognized as MOHAI’s Educator of the Year.
THANK YOU 2019 History Makers sponsors:
With more than 350 guests, the 33rd Annual History Makers Gala on November 2 was a huge success! Set against the stunning backdrop of MOHAI’s home in Lake Union Park, guests were inspired by the museum’s rich and iconic collection of Seattle’s heritage. The evening included silent and live auctions, a formal dinner, and more. Chaired by Maria C. Mackey and Carol Munro, this year’s event raised $432,000 to benefit MOHAI’s engaging and innovative educational programming. Anna Howell was recognized as MOHAI’s Educator of the Year.
Thanks to the 2018 History Makers sponsors:
Generous in-kind even support from Chateau Ste. Michelle and Kaspars Catering & Events.
With more than 300 guests, the 32nd Annual History Makers Gala on November 3 was a huge success! Set against the stunning backdrop of MOHAI’s home in Lake Union Park, guests were inspired by the museum’s rich and iconic collection of Seattle’s heritage. The evening included silent and live auctions, a formal dinner, photo booth, and more. Chaired by Mike and Kathy Stanley, this year’s event raised $459,000 to benefit MOHAI’s engaging and innovative educational programming. Clarence Acox, Director of the Garfield High School Jazz program was recognized as MOHAI’s Educator of the Year.
Thanks to the 2017 History Makers sponsors:
Generous in-kind support from Chateau Ste. Michelle, Kaspars Catering & Events, and CORT.
Supporters’ generosity at the 2016 History Makers raised $416,000 to bring MOHAI’s mission to life!
Honorary Co-Chairs and MOHAI Board of Trustees Maria Denny and Ben Straley
By supporting award-winning exhibits, education and public programs, and robust scholarship opportunities, 2016 History Makers supporters have empowered youth to explore the past and think boldly about the future of their community.
Erin Chen was honored as the 2016 Educator of the Year. Erin is a Washington State history teacher at the Seattle World School, which serves close to 300 students and has a newcomer program for students who have recently moved to the country—Erin’s students alone speak almost 40 different languages. She exemplifies MOHAI’s mission to help make personal connections between students and history. Erin elaborated at the Gala, “The young people I teach are delighted by this museum. How amazing to land here and receive a clear invitation to be part of the story, to be presented with such a rich, multi-layered portrait of history and then be encouraged to make personal connections! In the galleries, I see them connecting the dots between past and present. They gain confidence in their abilities as emergent historians.”
Thanks to the 2016 History Makers sponsors:
Generous inkind support from Chateau Ste. Michelle, Kaspar’s Special Events and Catering, Cort, and Starbucks
MOHAI’s 30th Annual History Makers Gala was a night to remember! With the generosity from tremendous supporters, a new record was set raising more than $470,000!
The proceeds from this special event supported MOHAI’s educational programming and scholarships, which empower young people of all ages and backgrounds to explore the past and connect with the future of our community. Mike Oliveira from Interlake High School, the 2015 Educator of the Year, stated at the Gala, “MOHAI is the catalyst for students to connect in an authentic way to experience the past.”
Thanks to the 2015 History Makers sponsors:
The 29th Annual History Makers Gala was a memorable and historic evening. Thanks to those who celebrated and supported MOHAI’s innovative education programs and generosly raised $359,000.
In 2014, Jamie Ewing of the Mount View Elementary School was honored as MOHAI’s Teacher of the Year
MOHAI’s education programs reached over 37,000 students and teachers and provided scholarships and free transportation to over 6,500 students in 2014! Additionally, MOHAI’s Portable Museum program reached over 8,500 students in their classrooms.
Thanks to the 2014 History Makers sponsors:
The 28th Annual History Makers Gala was filled with incredible stories from Seattle’s past, present, and inspirations for the future. The generosity of attendees raised more than $215,000.
Laura Blackburn from Cleveland High School was honored as the 2013 Educator of the Year.
In 2013, over 10,000 students visited MOHAI for on-site programs, and an additional 9,000 students were reached outside museum walls through the Teacher and Trunk, and other rental programs. Crucially, 6,500 of these students would not otherwise have access to the museum, but were able to participate because of MOHAI scholarships, which receive funding through the generous donations received at History Makers.
Thanks to the 2013 History Makers sponsors:
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