It takes a village, the old adage says. When the Women of Color Expo honored Joyce Smith-Williams in March as “Mother of the Year,” she stood in representation of all mothers and guardians who protect and help raise children.
Smith-Williams, who has five children, belongs to a much larger community of mothers, grandmas and caregivers who spend their lives advocating for others.
She is known across north Tulsa as Mama Joyce, but she was still surprised by the honor at the annual expo.
“I’m just a representative of the women that are feminine energy that’s playing this role, because there are so many people that take on the responsibility of guarding the children — not just minor children or babies but all the way up,” she said.
At 76, Smith-Williams is a visible and vocal presence in Tulsa. A former Black Panther, longtime social worker and lifelong activist, she has spent decades advocating for people across generations.
It came from the women in her life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., her mother and aunts would take her to civic meetings where she learned to speak up for the rights of others.
She moved to Langston in 1968 to attend Oklahoma’s only Historically Black College and University. While there, she helped form a student organization working with children, became a leader in the Black Student Union and connected with the Black Panther Party.
“I’ve never been considered one who takes tea for the fever,” she said. “I’ve always been someone who said what needed to be said and didn’t necessarily temper it down.”
And if she didn’t speak her mind, “folks always said …they could see it in my eyes anyway.”
Tiffany Crutcher, co-founder of the Terence Crutcher Foundation, has worked with her for several years in different capacities. After the death of Crutcher’s mother in 2021, Williams showed up for her whenever she needed.
“That kind of consistent, unconditional presence is rare,” Crutcher said. “Whether she’s offering wisdom, encouragement or simply listening, she shows up with a mother’s love every single time.”
She said the award fits Smith-Williams because she extends “care, guidance or love” to anyone who needs it.
Those qualities even impacted her career choice. She worked with Planned Parenthood and later as a social worker with Oklahoma’s Adult Protective Services investigating abuse, neglect and exploitation of elderly and disabled people.
Today, she’s still working to address disparities in north Tulsa but doing it in the way that only she can.
“When Mama Joyce is in a room, there is an immediate shift, a sense of calm, grounding and care that settles in,” Crutcher said. “She carries both strength and warmth, and that combination creates trust.”
