The former president of the Eugene-Springfield NAACP, Ibrahim Coulibaly died this week. All across the region, his memory is being celebrated by many of his colleagues.
Coulibaly was born on November 18, 1973 in Burkina Faso, and traveled to many parts of the world before settling into Eugene. He died Monday at the age of 52.
His death was mourned by several organizations, including SEIU Local 503, the Oregon Labor Federation, and the local chapter of the NAACP.
Eric Richardson is another former president of the organization, who worked with Coulibaly for roughly four years. He told KLCC that he was blessed to have known Coulibaly.
“He was an ambassador for his culture, his continent, for Burkina Faso,” said Richardson. “As a Black man from the African diaspora myself, I really admired that, really talking about the aftermath of colonialism and slavery, and then being able to work together at the NAACP was very impactful.”
Richardson says Coulibaly did extensive work with the organization’s legal redress committee, and later helped support the historic Mims House including getting solar panels installed on its roof in 2022. He also helped establish a community garden on Maxwell Road to promote healthy diets and sustainability.
Coulibaly also served on the City of Eugene's Human Rights Commission as its chair. He was also a board member for the City of Eugene Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
“He cared about human beings,” added Richardson. “And he was a brother who brought the true beauty and qualitative beauty of Africa to his work. And I think we should not forget that.”
In a statement shared on a memorial page, SEIU Local 503 wrote, “Ibrahim was more than a great union leader. He was a charismatic, personable human being who could engage just about anyone in conversation. He was passionate about his family and his friendships. He was always willing to lend a hand wherever he could and understood the importance of building one-on-one relationships.”
The union is gathering tributes and stories about Coulibaly, and raising funds to cover expenses for his family.
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