Chatting Stem, content creation and more with Alexis Williams

By Ella Edwards, photo by Ashley Thompson

In today’s heavily digitized world, where technology actually is currency, Alexis Williams, an NYU student, and content creator, is changing the way we see activism. After the re-emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement following George Floyd’s death, Williams decided to code a resource for individuals wanting to get involved and help. She created PB resources, a Black lives Matter toolkit that gives users access to multiple outlets to get educated and take action. She has since gained a massive social media platform where she inspires her viewers to take an interest in the STEM industry, fashion, and various social and political issues. 

Ella: What sparked your interest in computer science and coding?

Alexis: I never really thought about computer science or coding until we did the “Hour of Code” one day during science class in middle school, I believe. It was an initiative to get young kids into coding by teaching them to program avatars based on game characters like “Angry Birds.” I was bizarrely good at it but didn’t think much else of it until I coincidentally took a computer science course at the summer engineering camp I had been attending since fifth grade. Once again, I was bizarrely good at it, and not because I knew all the terms and the technical elements of data structures and algorithms and all that, but because I was creative. That summer, I learned languages like python and Java and built projects like prosthetic fingers. Ever since then, I’ve been completely obsessed. 

Ella: What made you decide that you wanted to be in the tech field professionally?

Alexis: I never decided that I wanted to go into the tech field professionally, and I’m still not sure that I do. I study it in school because it’s my passion, and I love it, but the tech field in the professional world has many issues that it still has to reckon with before it can become a safe and equitable place for all. I’ve operated in spaces that were breeding grounds for hate and vitriol all of my life, and I think my post-degree self deserves a bit of a break from that world. Besides, I love what I can do with code to just help people; I don’t think you have to work in Big Tech to change the world. 

Ella: What do you think is a common misconception about the world of technology and computer science as a whole?

Alexis: I think the common misconception about the world of technology and computer science is that it’s hard. I think sometimes people believe that just because someone fully understands something that they don’t, they must be smarter than them or something. I don’t think that’s necessarily true. I think computer science is way more about practice, practice, practice than it is about given intelligence. It’s just like a sport or learning piano. You’ll keep getting better if you keep working at it. 

Ella: What has it been like being a woman in a predominantly male-dominated field?

Alexis: I think it’s really hard. I experience the same phenomena women around the world are constantly experiencing. Facing extreme misogyny and sexism, and no one believing you when you speak out about it except for the women who experience it too. I think that’s what makes it especially tough, having to go through sexism and misogyny, and then having people tell you “that’s not true,” or “that didn’t happen,” after speaking out about it. It makes you really internalize what you’re going through, and forces you to consider that maybe you’re the problem. But you aren’t, which takes some time to learn, but having a support group of young women going through something similar can really help you navigate that feeling.  

Ella: Can you talk a little bit about PB resources? What pushed you to create the site?

Alexis: Pb-resources is a website I created during the wake of the death of George Floyd during May 2020. I made it because I was watching the news every day and felt extremely restless. I was angry and upset, and I wanted to be a part of the fight. Due to many circumstances, including the time period being at the height of quarantine, I knew the fight was going to have to start at home. Pb-resources was just one small way I felt like I could bring resources and understanding to people right where they were at: on their phones and computers. It allowed me to bring information to those who didn’t understand what BLM supporters were fighting for, and action items to those who supported the BLM movement, but didn’t know where to start. Ever since then it has been my little baby growing to touch topics beyond police brutality to highlight other underrepresented, under-served Black topics like Juneteenth, Black History Month, Pride and more. I couldn’t be more proud of what I have built. 

Ella: How did you react to the massive attention the site got on social media?

Alexis: More than anything, I’ve just been overjoyed to reach so many people with information that I am so passionate about. I think there was a time where I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to make even the smallest difference in the world with my life. Knowing that I’ve served over a million people, to understand an issue like police brutality and Black lives, feels so gratifying. 

Ella: How has your opinion of the world of technology changed since the massive popularity of your website?

Alexis: I think I used to believe that in order to be taken seriously as a computer programmer, or even a web developer, I had to have the shiniest internship at a FAANG company with a job lined up in the future and all of these prestigious awards and accolades. Through forging my own path, I’ve learned that those things may mean a lot to other people, but don’t mean all that much to me. What makes me a serious web developer is the fact that I was able to build a useful tool that really filled a need people had, while also serving a greater issue I really believe in. 

Ella: What has been your favorite part about gaming a platform and being able to reach so many young women?

Alexis: I think my favorite thing about building this platform that has reached so many young women, is that I’m showing them not only through Tik Toks and other social media sites but through tangible action, that they can do this too. 

Ella: What is an issue you wish people would pay more attention to?

Alexis: I think an issue I’d like to see more people paying attention to, myself included, is making sure sexualities are fully represented and discussed in areas like tech. I talk a lot about being a Black and Latina woman in tech, but I think being gay is a huge part of my identity that is underrepresented in my field as well. It still feels quite taboo to talk about. I hope that in the future sexuality becomes just as much a part of the conversation as gender and race representation in tech is. 

Ella: What are you hoping to do more of this year?

Alexis: I hope to spend more time this year enjoying life. Spending lots of time with friends, family, and my favorite hobbies and activities. I get the most inspiration from the people and things around me that fill me with joy. After a couple of years of really hard work, I hope to return to them, and with that, return to all of the reasons I do this work in the first place. 

As we embark on a new age of technology, Williams stands on the precipices. She is a clear example of what the STEM industry should look like. Individuals who are passionate, creative, and who don’t let the limits of what others think they are capable of stop them from proving how impactful they can really be. By following in the shoes of the great women who have come before her, Williams continues to walk in them, paving the way so that the young people who look up to her can run.