Her cousin told her to stop complaining and start teaching. Now she’s saving lives.

Tawana Williams comes from a legacy steeped in journalism, activism, and public service.

Growing up in that environment gave her an early grasp of how power works, who holds it, and how it affects everyday lives.

Her father, Earl Morgan , was a legendary political investigative reporter and columnist for The Jersey Journal, a man so deeply respected in Jersey City that a local library now bears his name. Williams said politics wasn’t just a topic at the family dinner table; it was the main course.

“We watched PBS during dinner,” she recalls. “I thought it was normal for everyone to know who the Speaker of the House was, or to be able to name the majority whip and minority whip at any given time.”

She has channeled her upbringing and created a curriculum called Civics for the Emergin