Title
Recognizing the work and contributions of attorney and grassroots community activist Leon A. Williams Esq., whose political involvement as an independent candidate inspired a reimagining of the criminal justice system and laid the groundwork for future generations of innovative public servants in the City of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, Leon Aristotle Williams, Esq. was born on August 7, 1948 and grew up in North Philadelphia, sharing a home with his parents, Louise and Eugene Williams, and his five siblings. Mr.Williams attended Reynolds Elementary School, Strawberry Mansion and Thomas Fitz-Simons Junior High School; and
WHEREAS, As a middle school student, Mr. Williams was discouraged from testing into a specialized high school by his school principal because of his perceived academic ability. Mr. Williams became determined to attend Dobbins, a specialized high school, and eventually passed the entrance exam. Passing the entrance exam helped him realize at a young age that he would need to rely on his confidence in his abilities rather than the perceptions of others. He graduated from Murrell Dobbins High School in 1966; and
WHEREAS, Upon graduating from Dobbins, Mr. Williams worked at a foundry, making $1.25 an hour melting metals and making castings until 1968, when he was drafted to serve in the military during the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, He served in the military for two years, and his deployment to Vietnam was his first time traveling outside of the Philadelphia region. Mr. Williams was greeted into the war zone with bullets flying past his window; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Williams returned from his military service in 1970 and enrolled in Community College of Philadelphia the next year, where he earned his first "A," inspiring confidence that he could be as successful as his caucasian peers in a college classroom; and
WHEREAS, While attending CCP, multiple professors became invested in his academic growth, including Dr. Frederick Burton. Dr. Bur...
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