Hero Story

Dr. Darienne Hudson, President and CEO of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, has been a relentless leader and advocate for southeastern Michigan, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond rallying her own organization as it navigated the pandemic and its impacts on the UWSEM organization, services and staff, Dr. Hudson was a leader in the broader fight against the pandemic. Dr. Hudson mobilized national and local resources to provide essential support to many of the organizations on the front lines of this battle in the Detroit region. Dr. Hudson immediately understood the catastrophic impact the pandemic could have on non-profits directly and indirectly, and steered the financial and non-financial resources of her organization to aid hundreds of non-profits as they navigated the financial and operational impacts on their organizations.

Finally, given the attention to social justice and the need for greater urgency in the fight against racial inequality, Dr. Hudson used her leadership platform and power of her personal stories to inform her organization and the broader community on these challenges and has been a powerful advocate for the important changes needed on these topics. Across the range of these critical topics, Dr. Hudson has demonstrated true leadership, while doing so with understanding, empathy, and the power of personal conviction.