Courage wasn’t just a virtue found in the pages of a novel for Emian Williams.
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In November, the veterans will gather for a luncheon where the Report will honor their service at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington.
For Williams, a quote from Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” foreshadowed the most important tool she needed to navigate life:
“I wanted you to see what real courage is. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.”
Courage.
It took courage to leave her family and serve her country. Determined to be a role model for her younger brothers, that drive led her to enlist in the U.S. Army, first on active duty and later in the National Guard.
Now 18 years into her education career, Williams is a leader, advocate and mentor in Fort Worth ISD. From helping students with disabilities find employment and mentoring fellow educators, she brings discipline and compassion into every classroom she visits while leading with courage.
Enlisted as a private, Williams rose to private first class and then specialist in the Army. She later earned a promotion to sergeant in the Texas Army National Guard.
Stationed in Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division, she deployed to Thailand and worked in personnel information systems. The military taught her discipline, teamwork and, “intestinal fortitude,” the ability to push forward, even in uncertainty.
“Knowing my history, and the struggles of my ancestors made me understand that failure was not an option,” Williams said.
Transitioning to civilian life was tough. Jobs did not come easy, and depression followed. Counseling helped, but it was a nonprofit job that gave her courage and purpose.
She joined Bridges from School to Work, a Marriott Foundation program that helps students with disabilities find employment.
“That job was so important, because when you motivated the child to work, sometimes it motivated other people in the house to work,” Williams said. “I was helping on different levels.”
Emian Williamson’s division sign from the U.S. Army on Monday, July 21, 2025 in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
While working with students, Williams noticed that many wanted a job, but lacked the skills to succeed. That realization nudged her toward education.
“How can I help these students get what they need and also help the community?” she said.
In 2005, Williams joined the Bridges program in Dallas to help students with disabilities find jobs. After noticing their skill gaps, she became a transition services teacher, helping students develop job and life skills.
She then served as a high school special education inclusion teacher and department chair. She is now a special education compliance coordinator for Fort Worth ISD.
Her role involves guiding campus teams and ensuring students receive the services they need. For Williams, it’s a calling.
Jacqueline London, an educational diagnostician in Fort Worth ISD, called Williams a servant leader who goes beyond her job description. London recalled a moment when around 100 students with disabilities arrived at school without schedules or placements.
“She couldn’t sleep knowing those kids were just sitting there,” London said. “She came and got them all placed. That’s who she is.”
Williams’ military background is evident, London said.
“She rolls up her sleeves and it’s boots on the ground.”
Emian Williamson’s uniform from the U.S. Army on Monday, July 21, 2025 in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
Williams credits her teachers for shaping her path. In high school, she was part of community service programs like the Spark Teen Program and Peer Assistance and Leadership.
“My teachers saved my life,” Williams said. “They believed in me when I didn’t know the potential that I had.”
One of those teachers, Lou Love, taught Williams during her freshman and sophomore years. Love’s classroom explored themes of justice and identity through literature like “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Romeo and Juliet” and “No News from Auschwitz.”
“She always tells me, ‘You opened my third eye,’” Love said. “She’s outdone anything I ever thought she would do. She’s one of my success stories.”
Emian Williams
Age: 46
Military service: U.S. Army
Occupation: Special education coordinator-compliance for Fort Worth ISD
Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Texas at Arlington. Master’s in special education from Texas Tech University.
Family: Daughter of Celestine and Ricki Johnson. Four brothers, Edward Williams, Chris Williams, Kelvin Williams and Christopher Johnson.
Most important lesson learned in the military: “Never give up. Even when it gets hard, never give up. And be open to counseling.”
Williams’ journey hasn’t been without personal trials. After years of serving others, she faced one of her toughest battles — breast cancer.
Once again, courage guided her.
From mentorship to earning two degrees as a first-generation college graduate to serving in the Army and beating cancer, Williams has lived by the principle of showing up, even when the odds are stacked against her.
She still introduces families to the Bridges program, hoping to spark the same transformation she experienced nearly 20 years ago.
“My teachers planted a seed in me,” Williams said. “Now I water it by serving others.”
For Williams, real courage isn’t about winning. It’s about doing the hard thing, and pushing forward.
“You rarely win,” she said, echoing “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “but sometimes you do.”
And when you do, she said, you change lives.
Orlando Torres is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at orlando.torres@fortworthreport.org.
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