Michael K. Williams

Acclaimed actor and activist Michael K. Williams joins Lily for a special episode on honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Michael discusses the mental health repercussions of systemic racism and oppression, advocating for police and prison reform. Michael also shares his initiative, Crew Count, which takes a multi-layered approach to undo the harm of the NYPD’s Operation Crew Cut by engaging the most marginalized and disenfranchised community members in the voting process while also addressing gun violence and food insecurity.

For more information, guest bios, and resources, go to www.mindwideopenproject.com

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Originally aired JANUARY 18, 2021

Michael Kenneth Williams is one of this generation’s most respected and acclaimed actors. By bringing complicated and charismatic characters to life—often with surprising tenderness—Williams has established himself as a gifted and versatile performer with a unique ability to mesmerize audiences with his stunning character portrayals.

Williams is best known for his remarkable work on THE WIRE. The wit and humor that Williams brought to Omar, the whistle-happy, profanity-averse, drug dealer-robbing stickup man, earned him high praise and made Omar one of television’s most memorable characters.

Williams also co-starred in HBO’s critically acclaimed series BOARDWALK EMPIRE in which he played Chalky White, a 1920's bootlegger; and the impeccably suited, veritable mayor of Atlantic City’s African-American community. In 2012, BOARDWALK EMPIRE won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

Williams received his first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor for HBO’s BESSIE and subsequently received his second Emmy nomination his work in HBO’s highly acclaimed limited series THE NIGHT OF.

His recent projects include Ava DuVernay’s Netflix miniseries WHEN THEY SEE US, which tells the heartbreaking story of the Central Park Five and which garnered Michael his third Emmy nomination as an actor. Williams recently wrapped the highly anticipated HBO series LOVECRAFT COUNTRY from producers JJ Abrams and Jordan Peele. Previous TV credits include Sundance Channel’s HAP & LEONARD, the ABC limited series WHEN WE RISE from Dustin Lance Black and Gus Van Sant and the IFC comedy mini-series THE SPOILS OF DYING.

Williams made his feature film debut in the urban drama BULLET after being discovered by the late Tupac Shakur. Previous feature film credits include Ghostbusters, Assassin’s Creed, Bringing Out the Dead, 12 Years A Slave, The Road, Gone Baby Gone, Life During Wartime, Brooklyn’s Finest, The Purge: Anarchy, Kill The Messenger, Inherent Vice, THE GAMBLER, MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN, and the John Leguizamo directed independent film CRITICAL THINKING, which will premiere later this year at SXSW.

Giving back to the community plays an important role in Williams’ off-camera life. He recently launched MAKING KIDS WIN (MKW), a charitable organization whose primary objective is to build community centers in urban neighborhoods that are in need of safe spaces for children to learn and play. Williams currently serves as the ACLUs ambassador of Smart Justice, and as an ambassador for the INNOCENCE PROJECT, while serving on the board for NY based organization URBAN ARTS PARTNERSHIP.

Williams served as the investigative journalist and executive producer for Viceland’s BLACK MARKET, a documentary program that exposes and comments on illegal markets throughout the world with a focus on the people involved and connecting with them on a human level.

In 2018, VICE returned for its sixth season with an extended special season premiere featuring Williams as he embarked on a personal journey to expose the root of the American mass incarceration crisis: the juvenile justice system. RASIED IN THE SYSTEM offered a frank and unflinching look at those caught up the system, exploring why the country’s mass incarceration problem cannot be fixed without first addressing the juvenile justice problem. Williams investigates the solutions local communities are employing that are resulting in drastic drops in both crime and incarceration. Michael’s work on the spectacular documentary earned Michael is first Emmy nomination as a producer.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Williams began his career as a performer by dancing professionally at age 22. After numerous appearances in music videos and as a background dancer on concert tours for Madonna and George Michael, Williams decided to seriously pursue acting. He participated in several productions of the La MaMA Experimental Theatre, the prestigious National Black Theatre Company and the Theater for a New Generation directed by Mel Williams.

Michael Kenneth Williams resides in Brooklyn, New York.

CREW COUNT

ALL donations will be used to pay young people most impacted by gun violence, over-policing and Covid19.

https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/crew-count

LINKS TO MIKE'S ACTIVISM

#WeBuildTheBlock Social Justice Dinners

Crew Count Launch Event

Mental Health Retreat with Young Women

Summer Youth Employment

In conversation with law enforcement