AFRAM Caucus: Remembering Ibrahim Coulibaly

Dear union family,

With our grieving hearts, we SEIU 503 write to inform everyone that our brother and union leader, Ibrahim Coulibaly, passed away suddenly on Monday, July 6th, 2026. He leaves behind his beloved son, and daughter Aria Coulibaly. Aria attended union events with him for years, and whom we have no doubts will carry her father’s legacy forward while finding her own voice and power in the limitless future in front of her. We will be sharing information soon about a fundraiser to support her.

Ibrahim considered his union siblings’ family and, as a long-time union leader, made many personal and professional sacrifices for this extended family. He was a champion who fought for a better future for all workers, for equity and anti-racism, for union democracy, and for worker-friendly candidates. Among his many titles in the union over the last 10 years Ibrahim has served as 

• Co-chair of the Civil and Human Rights Committee (CHRC) 
• SEIU 503 AFRAM Emeritus President 
• President of Western Region AFRAM and serving on AFRAM’s International Board 
• CAPE President 
• Steward, Sub-local leader 
• State Bargaining Co-Chair and Chair of the State Bargaining Equity Committee 
• State Agency Council 
• Founding member of the Immigration Committee 

However, it will be in these roles as mentor, brother, community leader, and father that his absence will be the most felt and the most missed.

Ibrahim’s leadership was extraordinary in many respects. He led with grace and extended it as much as possible for the sake of his community, for the sake of Civil and Human Rights, and for the common goal of creating a strong, anti-racist union led by members. His pride and hope for his community gave him the patience to suffer unjust, unfair experiences that other union leaders would neither be made to suffer nor could endure for the sake of the union. Yet he shouldered that immense personal weight at a great cost to try to make this union better than what it was for all his union family. His resilience and strength of character were constantly tested, and they ultimately enabled him to never stop showing up and engaging with every worker’s struggle at SEIU 503 on principle–regardless of whether it was for members or for 503 staff.

He gave as much as he could for his family, his community, and his union. To him, we were all his family. It is now our turn and our honored duty to support him. As previously noted, we will be reaching out with a fundraiser to help support his daughter and to cover the cost of sending him home to be laid to rest in Burkina Faso in accordance with his wishes. We will be paying tribute and creating space in the coming days and weeks to honor his memory. AFRAM will be celebrating our brother’s life at General Council along with the 30th anniversary of his dear AFRAM Caucus – to whom he dedicated so much time and energy to build up and sustain.

In solidarity,
SEIU Local 503