Angela F. Williams: A Champion for Community and Equity, Named USA TODAY’s Woman of the Year

Angela F. Williams, a name synonymous with dedication, service, and unwavering commitment to social justice, has been recognized as one of USA TODAY’s Women of the Year. This prestigious honor celebrates women who have made a profound and lasting impact on their communities and across the nation. Williams’ journey is one of constant striving to uplift others, redefine the meaning of helping hands, and lead with a strong moral compass.

Her life’s philosophy is deeply rooted in a powerful message penned by her father more than half a century ago: "Now is the time to be brave and stand up for your neighbors." These words, etched in her memory, have served as a guiding principle throughout her remarkable career as a lawyer and a leader in the nonprofit sector.

A trailblazer in every sense of the word, Williams holds the distinction of being the first Black woman to lead United Way Worldwide as its President and CEO. In this role, she is spearheading efforts to amplify community-driven solutions and dismantle systemic barriers that hinder equity, economic mobility, and social justice for all. Since assuming the helm in 2021, she has been at the forefront of the organization’s response and recovery efforts to numerous devastating disasters, including the Los Angeles wildfires and the hurricanes that swept through the South in 2024.

Williams credits her father, a Baptist preacher who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as the head of the NAACP for South Carolina during the civil rights movement, with instilling in her an unwavering dedication to serving others. This profound lesson from 1961 remains relevant and compelling today. "We as human beings have an obligation to stand up and fight for our neighbors," Williams emphasizes, echoing her father’s enduring message.

Her initial foray into the world of nonprofit work occurred in 2006, when former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton invited her to serve as the inter-faith liaison for their Hurricane Katrina relief and recovery effort. This fund, which amassed over $130 million for victims of the devastating storm, awarded more than 1,200 grants to those in need. Williams played a pivotal role in directing tens of millions of dollars to rebuild houses of worship in communities decimated along the Gulf Coast.

Prior to this, Williams had already dedicated her life to service, first as a U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate and then as an Assistant U.S. Attorney on the Department of Justice’s National Church Arson Task Force, where she authored a training guide for FBI agents investigating hate crimes.

However, it was her work with the Katrina fund that truly resonated with her, bringing together her faith, legal expertise, and deep-seated passion for advocating for people in her community. "I literally would take phone calls from people that had been affected by the hurricane, and the amount of grief on the other end of the phone was palpable," she recounts.

One particular call stands out in her memory. It was from a woman whose husband, a pastor, had died in his sleep. Their family had lost their New Orleans church in the catastrophic flooding that occurred just days before. The woman was overwhelmed with despair, unsure of how to care for her children, rebuild their lives, or find the help they desperately needed. She was desperately searching for a lifeline.

This profound experience taught Williams invaluable lessons in empathy and resourcefulness in the face of unimaginable despair. It deeply influenced her approach to supporting United Way’s 2024 disaster response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and again when wildfires engulfed communities across Los Angeles in January.

As the October storms ravaged regions in the southeastern United States, Williams recalls how local United Way staff bravely navigated downed power lines and dangerous floodwaters to deliver essential supplies, such as clothing and food, to people in dire need.

The organization also orchestrated a television benefit show featuring prominent Hollywood actors and musicians. Through the concert and other fundraising initiatives, they raised approximately $11.2 million to support communities rebuilding from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Furthermore, United Way’s 211 call center in North Carolina, which typically connects individuals with health and social services, was transformed into a missing person reporting network at the request of the state’s government. Despite experiencing their own personal losses and devastation, dedicated workers tirelessly answered calls around the clock from people desperately searching for their loved ones. In total, they received approximately 16,000 missing persons calls.

Southern California’s 211 network later replicated this crucial role, assisting thousands of evacuees from the Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and Pasadena neighborhoods of Los Angeles in finding emergency housing, financial aid, and vital community resources as their communities burned to the ground. United Way Worldwide was among the countless organizations providing disaster relief funding to victims of the devastating wildfires.

"To see that we were able to do it, and to still keep smiles on our faces, to still care about each other’s wellbeing as we care for the community… that’s what I’m proud of," Williams affirms. "That’s how we demonstrate being a good neighbor."

Throughout her life, Williams has consistently focused on taking small, community-focused actions that, when combined, help tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges. Her unwavering dedication to creating a more equitable world permeates both her personal and professional endeavors. For years, Williams mentored youth from the South Side of Chicago who attended her Sunday school classes and lived in unstable environments. She organized birthday parties for them, took them on sightseeing trips, and provided them with much-needed support and encouragement. It was her way of standing up for her neighbor.

"That was my moment to say, what can I do to change the lives of young people that don’t stand a chance if I don’t intervene?" Williams explains.

Later, when an opportunity arose to work as executive vice president and general counsel of the YMCA, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of young children like those she had mentored, Williams seized it without hesitation.

Today, in her leadership role at United Way, Williams empowers small, dedicated teams of people across the globe to provide similar support to their communities.

When wildfires ravaged the coastal community of Lāhainā on the Hawaiian island of Maui in 2023, the area’s local four-person United Way team immediately sprang into action, Williams recounts. They distributed money and supplies and acted as a trusted source of aid for people who were deeply skeptical of the government and private companies.

This experience reinforced her belief that it "doesn’t take hundreds of people" to make a meaningful difference.

As CEO of the nonprofit, Williams is leading the charge in reimagining how small-scale community programs can drive systemic change, including by finding innovative ways to bring broadband to rural communities and working to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables in food deserts.

"When I talk about disrupting systems, I’m talking about making them better so that more people can access them [and] more people can live lives that allow them to thrive," Williams clarifies, outlining her core mission.

The tasks ahead are undoubtedly daunting, but Williams remains as undeterred as ever.

"Mobilizing the caring power of people and serving communities – that is an awesome responsibility," Williams concludes with conviction. Her unwavering commitment to building a more just and equitable world makes her a truly deserving recipient of the USA TODAY’s Woman of the Year award.