Young Kwak photo
The editor and publisher of the Black Lens, Sandy Williams, left, died in a plane crash over Labor Day weekend 2022, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Sandy Williams, founder of Eastern Washington's only newspaper focused on the Black community and a longtime activist who worked on suicide prevention, LGBTQ issues, supporting at-risk youth and more, died this weekend in a plane crash in Western Washington.
The crash on Sunday, Sept. 4, is presumed to have killed all 10 passengers, including Williams, her partner, Patricia Hicks, several other adults and one child, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Williams was a longtime advocate in the Spokane community, running the Pride Center at Eastern Washington University, founding the Black Lens newspaper in 2015, and more recently founding East Central's Carl Maxey Center "to change lives and improve the well-being of Spokane’s African American/Black community by expanding the educational, economic and cultural opportunities that are currently available, and by addressing the racial disparities and racial inequities that currently exist and have persisted in this area."
When speaking to the Inlander in 2019 about starting the Black Lens, Williams spoke about the challenges of getting people to address systemic racism and individual instances of discrimination. In part, she said that agencies such as police departments or school districts often think that they've changed in so many ways that they can't still be part of the problem. But she encouraged them to keep asking whether they'd truly done enough to change the system.
"Spokane is so invested in the perception that it’s good and that it’s not racist, you know, there’s just so much investment in that. And people get so wounded at the concept that there’s actually racism here," Williams said in 2019.
"One of the benefits of living in Spokane as a White person is you don’t have to deal with this issue if you don’t want to. You can spend a good chunk of your life, if not your whole life, only engaging with people who look like you and think like you.
"And so I think that’s why we’re not at a place yet where we’re really ready to address this issue at a bigger level," Williams continued, noting that people might ultimately get there. "At some point the scale’s going to tip and you’re not going to stay insulated."
The other passengers on the seaplane included pilot Jason Winters, spouses Lauren Hilty and Ross Mickel and their child Remy Mickel, Luke Ludwig and Rebecca Ludwig, Joanne Mera and Gabrielle Hanna, the Coast Guard announced Tuesday. The plane crashed into Mutiny Bay near Whidbey Island on its way to Renton.
“The Coast Guard offers its deepest sympathies to those who lost a loved one in this tragedy,” said Cmdr. Xochitl Castañeda, the Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator for the incident, in the announcement.
After news of Williams' death was reported, many Inland Northwest agencies voiced an outpouring of grief, sharing their condolences and stories of how much she will be missed.
The YWCA posted: "Sandy has been an integral force in Spokane. She has led change through her work at The Pride Center, Odyssey Youth Center, the Youth Suicide Prevention Program, and as an HIV/AIDS Prevention Educator who focused on communities of color. With raw honesty, integrity, and unwavering clarity towards a true path to justice, she has led countless trainings, presentations, and courageous conversations that invite the Spokane community to do better."
In that post, past YWCA CEO Regina Malveaux shared that, "this is absolutely devastating. Sandy was a quiet, egoless, but tenacious advocate for truth, justice, and community. Her leadership was singular and Spokane will absolutely not be the same without her."
"Sandy was a voice for the voiceless, a tireless advocate for marginalized people in Spokane, a journalist unafraid to speak truth to power, a builder of hope in her vision for the Carl Maxey Center, and a beloved friend to countless members of our community," the Spokane County Human Rights Task Force posted. "Our hearts go out to Sandy’s family. While she may be gone, her legacy is assured."
Peace & Justice Action League of Spokane shared their grief for the loss of "a visionary leader, organizer, and creative builder who demanded racial justice and nurtured Black power, space, and community in Spokane."
The Inlander hopes to share more about Williams' legacy soon. If you'd like to share a story that speaks to her legacy and passion for advocacy, please reach out to [email protected].
