Caught in the Act of Generosity: Carla Williams

Carla Williams says she’s not political. She simply wants a just world and likes showing her kids that helping others can be a way of life. She definitely “walks the talk.” Carla has been in the fire department for 24 years and is a Lieutenant in the Fire Marshal’s Office. She’s also a member of First Unitarian’s Board of Directors, where she serves as the Board representative for the Healthy Community Committee and is on the Covid-19 Task Force. She also volunteers on the New Mexico Public Education Department Secretary’s Community Advisory Committee; the Albuquerque Fire Rescue Peer Support Team; and is a new member of the City of Albuquerque Strategy Team led by the Office of Black Community Engagement. She knows Albuquerque’s mayor, and has met our representatives, senators, and governor.
She says our church also “walks the talk.” Our ministers “give a darn” about things like Black Lives Matter and don’t judge based on religion or beliefs. She and her wife have been members of First Unitarian for five years. She hopes to help people, especially people of color, feel welcome in our congregation. She’s also found that her involvement with the church has helped her be more patient and “really see what a democratic process looks like.”
Like many of us, Carla attended services through Zoom when our campus was closed. Thanks to Zoom she can still attend committee meetings while working, stepping out to serve the community in other ways when an emergency call comes in. She was also, through her involvement with the Covid-19 Task Force, part of the decision to reopen the church campus. Her perspective helped other members to feel comfortable with the decision, knowing their concerns were represented.
Carla says that despite speaking her mind and joking around, she’s shy. Her favorite ways to recharge are camping and listening and dancing to country music. Mental health is also her passion. She has PTSD due to experiences from being a firefighter, and wants people to know life is worth living. Most of all, she says if “we all lived by the Golden Rule, and fought for true justice for all, this world would be a lot better.” She fights by showing up, and letting people know that they matter.