Long-time NAACP leader, L. Joy Williams, to be honored at Medgar Evers College

By David Gil de Rubio | dgilderubio@mec.cuny.edu

When L. Joy Williams gets honored with the Trailblazer Award at the Annual Jazz Dinner at Medgar Evers College on March 21, it’ll be the latest of many memories she’s created at the school.

As President of both the Brooklyn NAACP and New York State NAACP Conference of Branches, Williams has had plenty of informal moments on the Crown Heights campus that’s helped shape her lifelong journey of advancing civil rights, advocating for social justice and creating lasting change in her community. 

Most recently, she moderated a sit-down Lurie Daniels Favors had with Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, when the latter was promoting his children’s book. But for the Queens native, it’s the more informal interactions at Medgar Evers College that carry the most weight for her.

“When I was first doing political work in Brooklyn, it was Esmeralda Simmons and now Justice [Paul] Wooten who I would just follow around to learn the tactical way of campaign engagement,” she recalled. “Another Esmeralda moment was when I started my podcast, she was one of the first interviews I did on my show, #SundayCivics and we got to do it at her office. I have this great shot of her in her office with the Center for Law & Social Justice in the background window. Anytime I think of talking to her, I always envision that image.” 

Williams added, “There was a lot of hanging out at Medgar Evers College. I’d be told to meet so-and-so by the parking lot and we’d just have these random conversations with electeds and other folks just planning things. A lot of that would be with the late Al Vann and other district leaders. I also remember meeting with John Flateau, and learning all that I know about census stuff and redistricting.”

Williams grew up in Rosedale, Queens, surrounded by a family steeped in a faith tradition that served community and people. Numerous relatives were pastors, ministers and others that worked in the nonprofit space. 

She has distinct memories of fairness, equality and equity starting out with “Jesus being a social justice advocate from my great-uncle’s sermons.” 

Williams went to school in California with her mom and “bonus dad,” who was in the military serving at Fort Irwin. A return East found her matriculating at Hofstra University (Class of 2000), where the social justice advocate earned a degree in political science and Africana studies. 

Williams landed at the NAACP in 2005 as a general member just as the Brooklyn branch was being reorganized. She quickly moved up the ranks and went from Second Vice-President to First Vice-President under then-president Karen Boykin Towns. When the latter became Vice Chair of the National Board of the NAACP, Williams became president via a succession plan that was in place. This year marks Williams’ 20-year anniversary working at the storied civil rights organization. Given the current climate, she is well aware of the need for people to rally and roll up their sleeves in the fight for social justice.

“The reality is that a lot of the things we are up against are not new,” she said. “However, the opposition is stronger and we’re dealing with multiple generations that have not been trained to fight back. How do you train, engage, educate and fight at the same time? You now have depleted institutions like the NAACP that [some people have said] don’t need to exist. Now we have to build things up to be back in the space of defense.”

When asked about the role Medgar Evers College plays in this battle, Williams readily acknowledges the school’s importance for these kinds of fights. 

“[Many] folks view it as the HBCU of the North, which I love,” she said. “I also know the history of how Medgar Evers College as an institution came to be. And how elected officials, community organizers and folks came to establish the college. I’m a big believer in knowing the context and history of things, in particular institutions that exist in our community. 

“I view it as this anchor institution in our community that we have to continue to uplift, uphold and support to ensure that we have an entry point for people in our community to get higher education. And not only for Black Brooklyn, but for Black people in New York State, we need those institutions in our community that support and further education.”

As for the message Williams wants to get across to young folks, it’s one of not allowing fear to drive the ship. And to also be ready to pick up where civil rights forefathers left off when fighting for social justice principles that are getting chipped away with each passing day. 

“Every generation has to fight to ensure its freedom,” Williams said. “We’ve been doing the fight for you. There is something to be said about our generation and our parents’ generation making certain of us comfortable with where we are and not fully appreciating our understanding — the context of how we got there.”

She finished by pointing out, “You can’t make enough money. You can’t TikTok your way out of it. There is not enough money nor enough degrees to inoculate you. The only thing that will prepare you, protect you and engage you is building community, organizing and being in the actual struggle for freedom and progress.”