Elect Donna K. Williams for Mayor City of Orange TWP

illiams and the late Clarence S. Williams, both residents of Orange. Donna was first elected to the Orange Town Council in 2008, and subsequently maintained the confidence of voters in 2012 and 2016. In the last two elections, Donna received the most votes among candidates. Donna’s success is the result of her being a staunch advocate for her community and the city of Orange. In the past she has served on the Orange Citizens Budget Advisory Council and as a Commissioner on the Orange Housing Authority. While on the Orange Housing Authority, Donna helped restore the self-sufficiency program and the reintroduction of ‘National Night Out.’ During her tenure on the Essex County Council Municipal Exchange, Donna worked to increase shared revenue opportunities for municipalities. Her work in the community includes serving as a member of the Oakwood Avenue PTA, a Board member and President of the YWCA of Essex and West Hudson, and the founder of the Thomas Colson Woody Orange Community Foundation. Donna’s leadership of the foundation has resulted in annual Job Readiness Workshops, neighborhood cleanups, Stop the Violence rallies and Town Hall meetings on a variety of subjects of concern to the community. Donna currently serves as the Chair of the Finance Committee for the Orange Township City Council. During her service on the City Council, she has supported the creation of the Public Works Committee and legislation to establish the protocols for the position of Legislative Research Officer. In addition, Donna has been instrumental in the amending of standing committees of the City Council. Her work in the community has been recognized by the Sisters of Power Women of Substance Award, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Community Service Award and the Shirley Chisholm Award for Civic & Community Service. Donna’s work has been inspired by several influences. She counts as her inspirations her parents, and brother Keith D. Wright, and childhood principal Suzanne Benevento. She found inspiration in the lives of Shirley Chisholm and Marcus Garvey, and in the music of artists such as Yolanda Adams, Anita Baker, Tamela Mann and Kirk Franklin. Her favorite books include ‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X’ and ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ while finding special significance in the movies ‘Rosewood,’ ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ and ‘Imitation of Life.’

It is the totality of her life’s experiences that has led Donna K. Williams to present herself to the people of Orange as a candidate for Mayor of the township.