From Coding Websites to Creating Wearable Tech
Alexis Williams started out studying ones and zeros. Now, she’s a social media influencer, the creator of a viral activism platform and the founder of her own clothing brand.
(Courtesy of Alexis Williams via Washington Square News)
New York City, NY — by Bruna Horvath
This story was originally published on New York University’s Washington Square News.
When Tandon alum Alexis Williams realized she had grown bored of coding, she began to feel uncertain about her path in college. However, when she discovered the Tandon School of Engineering’s Integrated Design & Media major, she found the perfect way to merge her interests in both computer science and art.
In 2020, Williams went viral for creating PB-Resources, a website that offers resources for the Black Lives Matter movement and addressing police brutality. Her work in both activism and STEM has led her to collaborations with Teen Vogue, recognition in Harper’s Bazaar and opportunities to work alongside celebrities like model Karlie Kloss.
WSN: What prompted your decision to switch your major to IDM?
Williams: I found a lot of stuff to be redundant, and I was just genuinely bored. Not having as much experience in art going into IDM really gave me the opportunity to explore something I’ve always been interested in, but had way less technical expertise in. I found it so fun and engaging, and I had a really good time transferring into that program and then continuing that out until I graduated. It was the best time ever, and I miss it.
WSN: Can you speak more about what sparked your desire to create PB-Resources?
Williams: I was just scrolling through Twitter, TikTok and Instagram and was like, ‘I’m seeing so many amazing different resources being shared by all of these different people in different places. What if I just made it a goal to centralize all of this information, take any knowledge that I have and put it on this platform to help educate others and help them get involved with this?’ A lot of people make excuses for why they don’t get involved in social justice causes, so I wanted to make it so easy that you couldn’t have any sort of excuse. I built the first iteration of PB-Resources as a place where people can find tools, action items and educational materials about the social justice movement, Black Lives Matter or anti-police brutality movements. From there, it was born and has grown into other things since.
Read the rest of the story at Washington Square News.