Who's Who Honoree Spotlight: Lisa Williams

For Lisa Williams, a ten year old being charged, shackled and put in detention for 4 months for a crime that was being committed against her required immediate action. Saying, “How do you see that and not do anything? I rallied support because I knew it should not be tolerated.” Today, Living Water for Girls, through their grassroots efforts have increased the awareness of 365,000 individuals through training and seminars, and raised 1.4 million dollars to prevent abuse through sex trafficking, also known as modern-day slavery. This is Williams’s contribution to society. She encourages others who see injustice to stand up and do something about it, because it’s the right thing to do and there will be others who join in the process. “There’s never an ‘I’ that can make an impact that ‘we’ can make. Because of this mindset, more people are on the lookout and more vigilant to bring people into awareness and help save a child’s life. Through safe refuge, and therapeutic and education services we have helped restore children to healthy homes. Whenever you can help a family come back together, they are stronger in our community.” 

On the streets, prostitution is called ‘the game’ or ‘the life.’ How apropros for Williams, who is changing the game by “educating people about the tactics pimps use to trick and recruit children into commercial sex trafficking. We have made parents, educators, law enforcement, and those in the court system more aware. Now they understand the truth because we have given them the backstory on this heinous crime against children and young women that is ravishing our community.” Because of her work locally, Williams was invited to speak at the United Nations on “Eliminating Violence against Women and Girls” and The White House on “Eradicating Modern Day Slavery.”