We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sasha Williams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sasha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
One of the greatest risks I have ever taken was choosing to believe that my circumstances did not have to define my future and leaving the community I grew up in to find a better life for myself. Growing up in Glengoffe, St. Catherine, I experienced poverty – hard days, instability and a lot of hardship from a very young age. As the eldest of nine children raised by a single mother, there were periods when I lived in different households within my community because there simply was not enough space or resources at home. I experienced hunger, emotional trauma, uncertainty, you name it. In many ways, the easier path would have been to accept those circumstances and simply focus on survival.
Instead, I took the risk of dreaming beyond my environment. I immersed myself in academics, leadership, church, and service, even while navigating personal struggles privately. Pursuing higher education at the University of the West Indies, Mona was a major risk because I did not come from financial security, but I remained determined to create a different future for myself and my family.
Another defining risk was founding the NIA Foundation Initiative in 2019 while I was still at university and facing my own financial challenges. I chose to pour into others through mentorship, educational support, and community outreach, despite still building parts of my own life.
Looking back, taking those risks transformed my life. They taught me that purpose is often found beyond fear and uncertainty, and they allowed me to turn my pain into service, leadership and impact for others.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a communications specialist, speaker, and community development advocate whose work is rooted in leadership, empowerment, and service. Originally from Glengoffe, St. Catherine, my journey has been shaped by resilience, faith, and a deep commitment to creating opportunities for others. Much of the work I do today is inspired by my own experiences growing up in a community affected by limited access to resources. Those experiences taught me the importance of mentorship, guidance, and having people who are willing to believe in you, and they continue to influence both my professional work and community involvement.
My journey into communication and leadership began long before my professional career. From serving as Head Girl at St. Mary’s College, leading school organizations, and being actively involved in church leadership, I realized early that my voice could be used to inspire, guide, and empower others. That passion continued at the University of the West Indies, Mona, where I pursued a degree in Language, Communication and Society with a minor in Culture Studies. During university, I served as a Peer Career Advisor and Senior Peer Career Advisor, helping students navigate career readiness and professional development, while also mentoring students with learning difficulties through the Hope Valley Experimental School. Those experiences reinforced my passion for communication as a tool for transformation and social impact.
Professionally, my work spans communications, leadership development, governance, youth empowerment, and community engagement. I facilitate empowerment sessions, workshops, and discussions for schools, organizations, and institutions across Jamaica, focusing on areas such as leadership, personal development, communication, governance, and nation building. I have had the opportunity to engage with institutions such as the Office of the Prime Minister, the Office of the Cabinet, the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, the National Housing Trust, and the Accountant General’s Department, the Private Sector in Jamaica as well as numerous schools and youth organizations across the island.
In 2019, I founded the NIA Foundation Initiative, which became one of the most meaningful expressions of my purpose and service. The initiative was born out of a desire to give back to communities like my own in St. Catherine and to create opportunities for persons who may feel overlooked or unsupported. Through the foundation, I lead youth mentorship programmes, school-based empowerment sessions, resume workshops, educational support initiatives, and community outreach projects. One of our most recent initiatives has been the Health, Wellness and Hurricane Relief Fair in Glengoffe, which brought together organizations such as the Jamaica Cancer Society, National Health Fund, HEART/NSTA Trust, and UWI Mona to provide health services, wellness support, and care packages to over 200 persons within the community.
What began as small acts of service grew into initiatives that have impacted communities across St. Catherine, including a Health, Wellness and Hurricane Relief Fair that served over 200 persons and we are set to have the second staging of this event on August 22, 2026, this time as a “Health, Mental Wellness and Education Fair.”
I have also recently partnered with the The Association of Chartered Certified Accounts (ACCA) and ND Communications as a Public Speaker on a high school tour across Jamaica, which has been very impactful towards guiding high school students on their career advancement and preparing them for the next phase of their journey.
What sets me apart is that my work is deeply personal and purpose-driven. I do not serve from a place of theory alone, I serve from lived experience. I understand what it means to overcome hardship, to rely on the support of a community, and to fight for opportunities despite difficult circumstances. Due to that, my approach to leadership and communication is rooted in empathy, authenticity, and connection. Whether I am speaking to students in a rural school, mentoring a young person, leading a workshop, or engaging with national institutions, my goal is always to create impact that is genuine, sustainable, and people-centered.
One of the things I am most proud of is being able to transform my experiences into something that creates hope and opportunity for others. I am proud that the same young girl who once struggled with instability and poverty is now in a position to mentor, advocate, and lead initiatives that positively impact communities across Jamaica. I am also proud of milestones such as my nomination for the 2024 Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Nation Building, my recognition by Bold Magazine in Los Angeles, California, being commissioned as a Justice of the Peace for the parish of St. Catherine amidst other notable achievements. However, beyond titles and recognition, my greatest accomplishment is knowing that my work has encouraged people to believe in themselves and see possibility beyond their circumstances.
Above all, I want people to know that my work is grounded in service, integrity, and impact. Everything I do, whether professionally or through community engagement, is driven by a desire to empower others, strengthen communities, and contribute meaningfully to Jamaica’s development.
Have you ever had to pivot?
One of the most significant pivots in my life happened in 2019 while I was attending the University of the West Indies, Mona. At the time, I had planned to return to the J1 Summer Work and Travel Programme, which had previously given me an opportunity to support myself financially and gain exposure outside of Jamaica. I believed returning on the programme would help create stability for me while pursuing my education and helping my family. However, after reapplying, I was denied the visa the second time. That moment was devastating because I had placed so much hope in that opportunity and had envisioned it as part of my path forward.
Shortly after, the COVID-19 pandemic began, and life changed drastically. I found myself without stable employment for quite some time, navigating uncertainty while trying to survive in Kingston away from my community in Glengoffe, St. Catherine. For nearly three years, I wrestled with whether I had made the wrong decision by leaving my community in search of greater opportunities. There were moments where I questioned myself deeply, wondering if the sacrifices and uncertainty were truly worth it.
That period forced me to pivot emotionally, professionally and personally. Instead of allowing disappointment to consume me, I redirected my energy toward growth, service, and purpose. I became more intentional about leadership, mentorship, and community development. I even started an YouTube channel – Sasha Speaks. During that season I further developed my initiatives focusing on helping others who were facing challenges similar to my own.
Looking back, that pivot changed my life. What initially felt like rejection became redirection. It pushed me to discover strengths I did not know I possessed and taught me how to build opportunities instead of waiting for them. Today, when I look at how far I have come academically, professionally, and personally, I am reminded that some of life’s hardest pivots often lead us toward the purpose we were truly meant for.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was the belief that my worth was tied to how much I could endure, sacrifice, or do for others. Growing up in Glengoffe, St. Catherine, survival became second nature to me from a very young age. As the eldest of nine children in a struggling household, I learned early how to carry responsibility, suppress my own needs, and “push through” difficult situations without complaint. I became accustomed to surviving on very little, emotionally, financially, and mentally and over time, I unknowingly began to equate struggle with strength.
Because of my upbringing, I also developed the mindset that I always had to be the helper, the fixer or the dependable person for everyone else, even at my own expense. Whether in family, friendships, leadership roles, or service, I often poured from an empty cup because I believed that saying “no,” resting, or prioritizing myself somehow meant I was failing others. For a long time, I thought resilience meant carrying everything alone.
The backstory behind that mindset came from years of instability and feeling like I had to constantly prove myself worthy of opportunities, love and support. When you grow up lacking basic necessities and depending on the kindness of others to survive, you can sometimes begin to feel that your value comes from how useful or strong you can be for other people.
Over time, especially through adulthood, leadership, personal setbacks, and faith, I realized that true strength is not found only in endurance, it is also found in healing, boundaries and allowing yourself to receive support too. I had to unlearn the idea that struggle had to be my permanent identity. That lesson changed how I lead, how I serve, and how I care for myself and others. It taught me that you can be compassionate and committed to service without losing yourself in the process.
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