During the Martin Luther King Jr. Support Group of Southeast Texas’s 40th Annual ‘I Have A Dream’ brunch, held on January 19, 2026, at the Bob Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur, Marjuana Bush Williams was honored as “Woman of the Year.” In her acceptance speech, Williams emphasized that the accolade was not just a personal achievement but a message for every young girl who has ever faced limitations. “If God is for you, no one can be against you — that truth carried me here,” she stated.
Williams’s journey began at Abraham Lincoln High School, where she graduated at the top of her class. Her passion for law ignited early, inspired by watching reruns of *Law & Order* with her grandmother. This childhood fascination blossomed into a successful career, leading her to earn a full academic scholarship to Texas Southern University. She later attended South Texas College of Law in Houston.
Life progressed rapidly for Williams. While still in law school, she married and welcomed her first child just a week before her final year commenced. Despite the challenges of balancing motherhood and education, she graduated on time. In 2008, she joined a small law firm in Beaumont during a national recession, viewing the experience as essential preparation for her future.
Her career took a significant turn when she became the first Black attorney at Bell and Tucker, a century-old firm in Oregon. “It wasn’t always comfortable,” she reflected, “but it was necessary.” Alongside her legal career, Williams and her husband ventured into real estate, building their first home and expanding to nearly 40 rental properties in the area, with plans for more.
In 2018, she founded her own law firm, MarJuana Bush Williams, PLLC, focusing on real estate law. Williams is now double board certified in both residential and commercial real estate and serves on various state and national boards. Recently, she expanded her entrepreneurial efforts by becoming a franchisee of Toasted Yolk Cafe and Jeremiah’s Italian Ice in Mont Belvieu.
Although her achievements are remarkable, Williams prioritizes purpose over titles. “When people ask me why I do what I do, the answer is simple,” she stated. “I’m going to live a life that makes people want to know my God.” Her Woman of the Year acceptance speech underscored themes of faith, resilience, and responsibility, steering clear of a mere enumeration of accomplishments.
Williams’s community engagement focuses on education. She often speaks to students in Port Arthur and Nederland, aiming to inspire them to reject narrow definitions of success. “Don’t let other people decide who you are,” she advises. “If God is for you, no one can be against you.” She hopes her message resonates with local youth, encouraging them to recognize that their dreams are valid and attainable.
Utilizing vision boards as a teaching tool, Williams encourages students to visualize their futures. This practice stems from her own experiences, where she would collect images representing her aspirations. Many of those dreams have since materialized.
At home, Williams raises five children, instilling in them the same values of discipline, identity, and accountability. She reminds them, “People are always watching, even when you think they aren’t.”
Williams acknowledges the challenges of racism and underestimation throughout her life, even within familiar environments. Yet, she refuses to let these experiences define her. “Even when people decided what I couldn’t be, God had already decided what I was,” she declared. Her story emphasizes alignment with one’s purpose rather than mere achievement.
As she inspires others to reconsider the limits they accept, Williams leaves a powerful question for reflection: If the boundaries we believe are real are, in fact, illusions, who might we become if we choose to break free?
