Amy L. Williams

Amy L. Williams is an American youth leader known for her work with youth involved in gangs and the criminal justice system. With more than three decades of experience, Williams has dedicated her life to mentoring high-risk youth through life-on-life engagement.

She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and National Louis University as a certified gang intervention specialist.

Amy Williams felt a divine calling to serve as a "Hope Dealer" in Chicago's Humboldt Park, a Latino gang neighbourhood, where she immersed herself in street outreach and one-on-one mentoring. "I wanted to go through life with the young people on my block," she explains. As project coordinator for New Life Centers Chicagoland, Williams coordinates restorative justice programs at the Illinois Youth Center, bringing peace circles and other initiatives to youth prisons in St. Charles, Warrenville and Chicago.

Her latest book, Worth Seeing: Viewing Others Through God's Eyes (2024), offers a profound exploration of her experiences and the transformative power of seeing people as God sees them. Through candid storytelling, Williams shares the successes, failures and valuable lessons she has learned from her work.

"While most of society views at-risk youth through a lens of fear or disregard, I have come to see them through God's eyes as having tremendous value and potential," Williams writes. Her stories challenge readers to rethink their perspectives and approach others with compassion and understanding.

Amy Williams lives in Chicago, loves salsa dancing and is a true beach baby.

Photo credit: www.ahopedealer.org