WELCOME TO ECDC'S 2026 ANNUAL GALA PAGE
Celebrating
Welcome
Celebrating
Welcome
ECDC'S 2026 ANNUAL GALA
- Tuesday, June 9 | 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Mason Square, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201
- George Mason University (Arlington Campus)
- 00Days
- 00Hours
- 00Mins
- 00Seconds
Welcome to ECDC's 2026 Annual Gala
- 00Days
- 00Hours
- 00Mins
- 00Seconds
- Tuesday, June 9 | 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Mason Square, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201
- George Mason University (Arlington Campus)
Help close this funding gap and ensure that refugee families can access the resources they need to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope.
- 00Days
- 00Hours
- 00Mins
- 00Seconds
Our Sponsors
Diamond Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Friends of ECDC
Our Annual Gala provides an opportunity for us to raise funds to support our operation and acknowledge the commitment of those who advocate on behalf of refugees and immigrants. Every year, ECDC also proudly confers its annual awards — including the Humanitarian Award, Community Service Award, and others — in recognition of those whose dedication has made a lasting difference.
Join Us
ECDC’s Annual Gala is a signature event that brings together leaders, partners, and friends to honor the courage, resilience, and contributions of refugees and immigrants who continue to strengthen our communities and enrich our nation.
As part of the broader observance of the upcoming World Refugee Day, this evening highlights the spirit of welcome as a defining part of our nation’s identity.
This year’s theme, Celebrating Welcome, reflects America’s hopeful and enduring promise—a nation rooted in fairness, compassion, and opportunity for all.
About ECDC
The Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc. (ECDC), headquartered in Arlington, VA, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 to support a growing Ethiopian community in the U.S. Over the past 42 years, ECDC has evolved into a multicultural, multiservice organization with local, national, and international reach, helping refugees and immigrants rebuild their lives and become self-sufficient members of their communities.
For over 44 years, ECDC has been one of only ten agencies authorized by the U.S. Department of State to resettle refugees. Across 7 branch offices and 14 affiliate sites, our staff and volunteers have welcomed and served more than 250,000 newcomers — legally admitted refugees and immigrants who have gone on to become neighbors, business owners, and fully contributing members of their communities.
Our Impact
Our Impact
Become a Sponsor
Support of ECDC's 2026 Gala Program
Program Highlight
We are honored to welcome Bofta Yimam as the emcee for this year’s gala. An Emmy® and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, international speaker, and founder of StoryLede™, Bofta brings an inspiring blend of professionalism, energy, and authenticity to every stage she graces. Her remarkable journey, from overcoming personal adversity to becoming a nationally recognized broadcaster and entrepreneur, reflects the resilience and hope at the heart of ECDC’s mission and the resilience embodied in the stories of the newcomers and communities we serve. We are delighted to have her guide us through this special evening.
About Bofta Yimam
Bofta Yimam is the Founder of StoryLede™, an Emmy® and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, international speaker, executive coach, and corporate trainer. She is the first Ethiopian-American newscaster to receive an Emmy Award and is among a select group of speakers to earn the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speakers Association.
For more than a decade, Bofta reported live for leading television networks and news outlets, including CBS News and Euronews, delivering stories to audiences across the globe. From London to Washington, D.C., she has captivated audiences with her dynamic presence, compelling storytelling, and empowering message.
Today, through StoryLede™, Bofta helps leaders, entrepreneurs, and organizations amplify their voice, elevate their visibility, and communicate with greater impact. As a seasoned speaker, executive coach and corporate trainer, she combines high-energy storytelling with practical insight to inspire audiences into action.
From overcoming teenage depression to building an award-winning broadcasting career and launching a successful business from the ground up, Bofta’s journey is a powerful testament to resilience, purpose, and transformation. She believes deeply in the power of owning your story, amplifying your voice, and becoming the highest version of yourself.
Meet The Family Band
Feleke and Daughter Musician — Rediet Feleke
Feleke Hailu is a outstanding Ethiopian musician and saxophonist, known for his work in Ethio-jazz and traditional Ethiopian music. He began formal training at the Yared School of Music in Addis Ababa in 1980, later studying in Bulgaria for eight years (1982–1990) in clarinet, piano, and conducting, including conducting the Yambol Symphony Orchestra as part of his dissertation. As a professor at Yared Music School, he has mentored and produced many prominent Ethiopian musicians.
Rediet Feleke Hailu is an emerging creative whose work blends storytelling, culture, and global identity through film, media, and music. Born to an Ethiopian family and raised in the U.S., her work reflects diaspora experiences and cultural heritage. A Howard University graduate in film and media production, Rediet is also a saxophonist and vocalist whose performances fuse Ethio-jazz, soul, and contemporary sounds.
Joined by other talented members of their musical family, The Family Band promises a vibrant and soulful performance you won’t want to miss!
Every year, at our Annual Gala, ECDC recognizes outstanding individuals whose dedication and advocacy have made a meaningful impact in the lives of refugees and immigrants. Stay tuned to find out who this year’s honorees will be.
ECDC Announces 2026 Honorees
Humanitarian Service Award
Professor Senait Fisseha, MD, JD, ECDC 2026
Professor Senait Fisseha, MD, JD, is an internationally recognized physician, lawyer, academic, and leader in public health, reproductive health, and gender equality. A distinguished academic and physician, she served as Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at the University of Michigan and as founding Executive Director of the Center for International Reproductive Health Training, where she expanded training programs across multiple African countries to strengthen maternal and reproductive healthcare and build the next generation of health leaders.
Refugees International ECDC’s 2026
Refugees International (RI), founded in 1979, is an independent humanitarian advocacy organization dedicated to promoting lifesaving assistance, human rights, and protection for displaced people worldwide while advancing solutions to displacement crises.
ECDC is proud to present Refugees International with the Global Refugee Awareness Award in recognition of more than four decades of steadfast advocacy on behalf of refugees, asylum seekers, and forcibly displaced communities. Through its thoughtful leadership and unwavering commitment to human dignity, Refugees International has consistently elevated humanitarian concerns, advanced compassionate responses to displacement, and helped shape policies that strengthen protection for vulnerable populations.
Global Refugee Awareness Award
Mary Wagley Copp, ECDC’s 2026
Mary Wagley Copp is a children’s book author, writer, and documentary film producer whose work is rooted in storytelling, community, and refugee resettlement. She holds an MPH in Health Policy and Administration, has led nonprofit health organizations, taught ESL to newcomers, and turned to writing for children after working in social-justice-focused nonprofit management and teaching abroad. Mary uses her storytelling to build empathy and understanding, drawing on her long involvement with refugee resettlement.
Mary Wagley Copp is receiving ECDC’s Refugee Advocacy Award for her long-standing commitment to refugee resettlement, newcomer support, and public education through storytelling.
Refugee Advocacy Award
Choose a sponsorship plan
Join us in making a difference! As a sponsor, you’ll gain visibility and recognition while supporting our mission to bring positive change. Your contribution will help us reach our goals and create a lasting impact in the community.
Diamond $10,000
💎 10 seats
💎Table named after your company
💎Logo on all materials
💎 Verbal recognition
💎Social media post
💎Double-page ad in program booklet
Gold $7,000
🥇4 Seats
🥇Company banner
🥇 Logo on digital screens,
🥇print and event web page
🥇Social media post
🥇Full-page ad in program booklet
Silver $5,000
🥈 3 Seats
🥈 Company banner
🥈 Logo on digital screens,
🥈print, and event webpage
🥈 Social media mention
🥈 Half-page ad in program booklet
Bronze $2,500
🥉2 Seats
🥉Logo on digital screens, print and event webpage
🥉Social media mention
🥉Quarter-page ad in program booklet
Friends of ECDC
$1,000
🥉1 Seat
🥉Logo on digital screens
🥉Print and event webpage
🥉Social media mention
🥉“Business card” insert in program booklet
Sponsor the event
Your sponsorship directly supports programs that empower refugees and immigrants to rebuild their lives, contribute to the economy, and strengthen communities across the country.
Sponsoring ECDC’s Annual Gala helps empower immigrants and refugees to achieve financial independence and contribute meaningfully to the American economy. In doing so, your organization supports.
Programs that empower refugees and immigrants to rebuild their lives and contribute to the economy, through immediate, practical services like housing, school enrollment, and connections to jobs, healthcare, and language support, helping most clients achieve self-sufficiency within months.
Investing in newcomers is investing in America’s future.
Why Sponsor?
Economic growth and workforce development
Inclusive and thriving communities
Innovation, resilience, and leadership
Human dignity and opportunity
Why Sponsor?
Sponsoring ECDC’s Annual Gala helps empower immigrants and refugees to achieve financial independence and contribute meaningfully to the American economy. In doing so, your organization supports:
Economic growth and workforce development
Inclusive and thriving communities
Innovation, resilience, and leadership
Human dignity and opportunity
For additional information about the Gala
Aklilu Tesema at: 7036850510 Ext 320
Kidist Ebenezer at: kebenezer@ecdcus.org 703 685 0510 Ext 229 or 245
Email: fundraiser@ecdcus.org
