Meet Shante, lead support specialist
By Shante Williams, NAOMI lead support specialist
Note: When you’re going through trauma, it helps to have someone who knows what it’s like. Shante has countless hours of trauma training, but perhaps more importantly, she has been there. She can relate to what the women coming to NAOMI are going through.
I have known the weight of fear, the kind that settles into your bones. The kind that says, “You are alone,” the kind that whispers to you, “You're unlovable.” I have known what it feels like to move through the world without a place to land, without the warmth of consistency. I understand the lasting effects it has on a person, on a family, and generationally. Subsequently, I experienced what happened in me when I was given the space to heal, the knowledge to grow, and the opportunity to flourish.
Shante with her son
I discovered who I was beyond survival. I found my voice, not just in words but in how I show up, advocate for myself, and claim space. I broke the generational cycles, not just for me, but for my children. They see a mother who is present, strong, and whole. They learn that belonging is their birthright, that love doesn’t have to be earned, and that they, too, are free to dream. Having this ability is priceless. Healing doesn't stop with me, it ripples outward, shaping generations to come. This is why I do the work I do. This is why spaces like NAOMI exist.
“Healing doesn’t stop with me, it ripples outward, shaping generations to come. ”
And I have witnessed this transformation in countless others. I have seen women step into their own freedom, their voices growing stronger with each passing day. I have watched them begin to believe in their own worth, trust themselves and reclaim the parts of themselves they thought were lost. I have seen mothers break cycles so their children can grow up knowing security, love, and possibility. Healing is contagious, it spreads from one person to another, changing families, communities, and entire generations! Every day at NAOMI, I see proof that this kind of change is not just possible, it is happening!
I will continue to create spaces where others feel safe enough to be seen, so that they can have the resilience needed to grow, so that they are free enough to imagine a future they never thought possible. No one is unimportant. No story is too small. I see today and tomorrow as something worth exploring, worth cultivating. And for that I will show up, I will listen. I will invest. This is who I am. This is why I’m here. And this is the work I will never stop doing.
Fun Random Stuff
Shante with her three children
If there’s a game to be played, count me in. Catch phrase? Let’s go. Hearts? Deal me in. I turn away from no game! If it involves ridiculousness, I’m here for it! When I am not playing games, you’ll find me outside. Floating down a river? Absolutely. Jumping off things? Climbing up things! Definitely. And when I’m back on the ground, you’ll probably find me wherever I channel my inner plant whisperer or traveling somewhere I haven't been. I make time for walks, sunsets, bookstores, thrift shops, and hard conversations.
Music wise, my heart beats to the sound of country and R&B, think Dixie chicks meets Leon Bridges. One of my greatest joys? The ability to be a mom and a friend. Top spot on my bookshelf? Finding Me by Viola Davis, but if you’re looking for the book that emotionally wrecked me? The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Ouch.
At the end of the day, my Creator carries me, people inspire me, and my love for this life keeps me chasing adventure, connection, and meaning... one game, one garden, one conversation and one river float at a time.
Add your support to Shante’s. Partner with us to help women and children enduring trauma.
