Columbia’s “Justice Through Code” Program Brings Tech Pathways to the Formerly Incarcerated

Rita Williams, Michigan, is a justice system strategist and writer who centers lived experience, structural analysis, and human dignity in every piece she creates. She has spent years studying how courts, policies, and public systems shape people’s lives and families. Rita writes to illuminate harm that is often invisible, explain law and systems with ease, and advocate for reforms grounded in both evidence and empathy. Her work bridges legal analysis, institutional critique, and public education, with a consistent focus on accountability without losing sight of the humans whom the justice system most affects.