Aaron Wright, evening anchor and reporter at KIRO7 News, will emcee this year’s Beyond the Build luncheon on Thursday, June 2 at the Washington State Convention Center.  No stranger to Habitat for Humanity, Aaron volunteered with the Rockford, Illinois chapter during his first TV news position upon graduating from Hampton University.

Since then, Aaron’s journalism credentials include an Emmy he earned for best evening newscast in San Antonio, Texas, where his news coverage included the deadly Gatlinburg Wildfires of 2016.  His reporting consistently leans toward service to the people in his stories. Aaron’s takeaway from covering those fires is, “People lost a lot, but we were able to get out and show the reality of what they were going through and help the community by making sure they weren’t forgotten when the fires were over.”

Aaron’s attitude toward service as the foundation of his work makes him a perfect emcee for Beyond the Build 2022. Aaron believes journalism is service and, at its best, it uplifts the community, exposes corruption, and helps people in need. It’s that attention to people in need that inspired Aaron to jump at the chance to emcee Habitat’s biggest fundraiser of the year.  Aaron has worked at two TV stations that sent volunteer teams to Habitat builds, and he was impressed by the outcomes. “When I think about Habitat, I think about seeing families walk through their new homes for the first time. The joy they show is like no other.”

Newly arrived in Seattle, Aaron’s journalism career has taken him from his home in Spartanburg, South Carolina to Rockford, Illinois, San Antonio, Texas and Knoxville, Tennessee. He’s happy to be here in Seattle working with “…a team that takes news seriously.” He enjoys sharing the city’s great parks and the region’s hiking trails with his wife and two daughters.  Of course, there is the seafood, “Between oysters, clams, crab, and salmon I am in heaven here.”

In keeping with his joy of service, Aaron is passionate about children of color learning to swim, “Black kids drown at a really high rate compared to others.” His first job as a YMCA lifeguard showed him the value of water skills in saving lives. He also supports animal adoption because he’s seen “… how much they (rescued pets) can help an owner live a really full life, while saving theirs.”

The bottom line for Aaron Wright is community connection and storytelling.  He’s sure to bring that spirit to his emcee duties on June 2 and his partnership at the head table with keynote speaker Nomadland: Surviving America in the 21^st Century author Jessica Bruder. If you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time – please do so here: Beyond the Build Luncheon Habitat SKC. We hope to see you there!