In Loving Memory of Yodassa Williams we aim to keep her vision alive! She was focused on creating spaces for Black femme and nonbinary writers to thrive. At the time of her death she was partnering with Gender Illumination to launch Writers Emerging 2.0 - a virtual and wilderness writing retreat series. The goal of this program is to bring Black queer women and nonbinary people in the Bay Area spiritual and career elevating opportunities. We want to make sure this program can be a reality. To do so we are actively fundraising and seeking continued leadership for this project. Please consider donating today and signing up to be part of this vision.

Yodassa Williams: Aug 12, 1985-Dec 10, 2023

A queer Jamaican American writer, speaker, and award-winning performing storyteller, alumna of the VONA/Voices Travel Writing program, and creator of the podcast The Black Girl Magic Files, Yodassa (Yoda) launched Writers Emerging, a wilderness writing retreat for women of color and non-binary people of color at Fly Ranch, NV, in the Fall of 2019. The Goddess Twins, her debut YA fantasy novel about black twins discovering they are goddesses, was published in May 2020. Through Gender Illumination she wrote our Black Lives Matter Trans Grant Program, was a core Gender Blender community member, and was working on a new creative liberation project called Writers Emerging 2.0. This virtual & wilderness writing retreat series has a goal of brining Black queer women and non-binary people in the Bay Area spiritual and career elevating opportunities. We at Gender Illumination are determined to continue Yodassa’s amazing work.