Kezia M. Williams is a young philanthropist, revolutionary, Black entrepreneur advocate and business coach.  

Currently, Ms. Williams manages a $25 million funded national entrepreneurship initiative for the United Negro College Fund.  In this capacity, she develops and administers curricula, leads an online educational community and designs business creation and development programs for 375 African-American undergraduate scholars attending over 70 colleges and universities across the nation. 

Ms. Williams is also serves a Chief Executive Officer of The Black upstart – a national training initiative serving African-American innovators interested in starting successful and profitable businesses.  Through the administration of an accelerator program, the Black upstart has administered a culturally-sensitive, innovative curriculum that integrates experiential learning methods and lean startup methodology to 122 African-American entrepreneurs in the District of Columbia, Brooklyn and Baltimore.  All Black upstart graduates have launched ventures in 12 cities. 

Ms. Williams also Chairs Capital Cause, a 501c3 nonprofit that trains young philanthropists to collectively volunteer their skills and fund grants to support startup nonprofits that serve minority communities.  Under Ms. Williams’ leadership, Capital Cause has engaged 5,000 millennials in philanthropic acts.

Ms. Williams’ has been recognized by Black Enterprise, the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Good Morning Washington and Madame Noir as a thought leader in entrepreneurship and philanthropy.  

Ms. Williams is a proud alum of Christopher Newport University, daughter of Gail Elaine Davis and a native of Richmond, Virginia.  

Instagram: @keziamw  | Email: kwilliams@theblackupstart.com