Lesley Williams is a prominent American Jewish librarian, educator, and human rights activist. She is a former member of the National Board of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and a leading figure in the progressive Jewish movement in the Chicago area.
Williams holds a distinguished reputation in library science and information management. She spent many years as the Head of Adult Services at the Evanston Public Library in Illinois. In 2017, she drew national attention after facing systemic pushback for her insistence on hosting lectures regarding Palestinian human rights at the library. She views libraries as bastions of democracy and free speech, advocating that public information spaces must include marginalized Palestinian narratives. Her struggle is not only for Palestine but for the professional integrity and intellectual freedom of public institutions.
As a Black Jewish activist, she stands at the intersection of multiple justice movements. She works to expose how pro-Zionist groups pressure public institutions to erase Palestinian existence. Between 2023 and 2026, she was actively involved in mobilization efforts regarding the situation in Gaza, contributing numerous articles to media outlets like Truthout, where she analyzed the generational shift within the American Jewish community. She is a staunch supporter of the BDS movement, viewing it as a conscience-based, non-violent educational tool against occupation. Furthermore, through organizing workshops like “Judaism and Liberation,” she helps people rediscover Jewish traditions that prioritize justice over expansionism.
She recounted an experience of her own: “For Tisha Ba-av 2014 I participated in a “Mourning Service for Israel”, one of the most moving services I’ve ever attended. I heard close friends weep as they grieved their youthful love for Israel, and the friendships and family ties they have lost due to their renunciation of an unquestioning Zionism.”