Cynthia Stokes-Murray
Speaker Bio
Cynthia Bowling Stokes-Murray, serves as the President of the National Council of Urban League Guilds. The guild is the” Heart and Soul” of the Urban League serving as the oldest volunteer group of the Urban League. This auxiliary of the Urban League is celebrating 75 years of distinguished and dedicated service to the Urban League movement.
Cynthia’s tenure with the Urban League spans over 17 years, serving as the secretary and president of the Milwaukee Urban League Guild, as well as a board member of the Milwaukee Urban League. Nationally, she has served as National Treasurer, Central Regional Coordinator, and Eighteen National President of National Council of Urban League Guilds along with serving as a trustee on the National Urban League Board.
Cynthia is a dedicated and passionate volunteer. Cynthia’s volunteer spirit was inspired by her mother Mrs. Willie Mae Bowling who is a strong advocate for her Westside North Lawndale Community in Chicago. Mrs. Bowling taught her and her siblings “each one should teach one, each should lead one.” Cynthia has served on the following boards Milwaukee Area Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Club, Community Brainstorming, YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee YMCA Urban Campus, and Advisory Committee of the Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin. Cynthia served as the Board Chair for Parklawn YMCA in Milwaukee. While serving as the Board Chair of the Parklawn YMCA, Cynthia was a Girl Scout Leader for multi-level troop.
Cynthia was honor with The Twenty-Ninth Black Excellent Award in February 2014 for volunteerism. In 2009 the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, named Cynthia as the Volunteer of the Year for Distinguished Leadership. In May 1996, Cynthia was among 75 former Girl Scouts honored by Girl Scouts of the Milwaukee Area as the organization celebrated their 75th year. Cynthia is also a member of the Milwaukee NAACP Chapter.
Cynthia is currently employed as a supervisor with Brooks Brothers. Cynthia worked with Jos. A. Bank for five years as a store manager. Prior to Jos. A. Bank, she worked for Carson Pirie Scott & Company, PA Berger and Company, Proffit Inc., Saks Inc. and Bon Ton Stores, Inc. holding positions in store management and merchandise procurement for thirty-one and half years.
A Chicago native, Cynthia attended Chicago Pubic Schools, Proviso East High School in Maywood, IL, Illinois State University, and Northeastern Illinois University perusing a degree in Elementary Education. She is the eldest of five children.
Cynthia’s pride and joy are her three sons, Richard II, Rev. Kenneth Robert-Daniel and Vincent Stokes and her eight grandchildren.
Cynthia attends the Christ The King Baptist church in Milwaukee under the leadership of Pastor John W. McVicker. Cynthia’s passion coming from this statement from Dr. Martin Luther King: “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be”
But her tagline will always be “When the Urban League calls…the Guild will answer.”