L. Joy Williams shares future of NY's civil rights movement as new NAACP New York president

L. Joy Williams just stepped into the role of president - a position that was once held by the legendary Dr. Hazel Dukes, who died earlier this year at 92.

Tara Rosenblum and Lee Danuff

Jun 19, 2025, 9:32 PM

Updated 11 hr ago

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This Juneteenth, a new chapter begins for one of the nation's most storied civil rights organizations - specifically, the NAACP New York State Conference. L. Joy Williams just stepped into the role of president - a position that was once held by the legendary Dr. Hazel Dukes, who died earlier this year at 92. In an exclusive and wide-ranging sit-down interview with News 12's Senior Reporter Tara Rosenblum, Williams opened up about legacy, leadership and the battles that lie ahead. Williams spoke with Rosenblum inside the Brooklyn church that shaped her, as she discusses her vision for a more modern, more inclusive NAACP - without abandoning the values that built it. For more on Rosenblum's interview tune into Power & Politics later this month.