But as much as Williams takes incredible pride in her work during her time in college, she was also woefully unprepared for the shock of feeling displaced and utterly alone as a Black, queer “girly girl” in the tech space. “That was the most challenging chapter in my career to date. In my first year, I would cry every day after my labs, and not because I wasn’t capable — I was always the first person done — but it was the culture,” says Williams, who leaned on social media and candid conversations with close friends for support. “Now, I feel like it’s my duty to encourage other young women of color to continue to create these innovations for the rest of us. So many people don’t have resources, and will be harmed in the future from lack of diversity, representation, and equity in computer science, like medicine, policing, housing, or hiring. So, if I can use my skills to be the voice in these rooms that lack voices like mine, I’m going to — but I can’t do it by myself.”
