Rep. Quentin “Q” Williams, a rising lawmaker in the state of Connecticut, has passed away, reports NPR. He was 39.
Williams’ tragic passing was the result of a wrong-way crash involving two vehicles late Wednesday night. He was traveling home from an inaugural ball celebrating his reelection.
“I am in shock,” House Speaker Matt Ritter said in a statement Thursday. “Q was my dear friend and I am scarred by his sudden loss.”
House Majority Leader Jason Rojas called Williams “an amazing human being.”
“His infectious smile could instantly make a difficult day better,” Rojas said in a statement. “He was an amazing husband, friend, and colleague. He loved the community and serving others. Truly – a friend to all who knew him.”
In a statement, Gov. Ned Lamont ordered the state’s flag to be lowered to half-staff in Williams’ honor describing him as an “infectiously optimistic personality.”
“Public service was his passion, and he was always advocating on behalf of the people of his hometown,” Lamont said. “He was a genuine person with a genuine soul, and he will be missed.”
A lifelong resident of Middletown, CT, Williams was a graduate of Bryant University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and of Villanova University with a Master’s in Public Administration, according to his biography He earned a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University and was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. At the time of his passing, he was studying at Harvard Kennedy School of Government
He was the first African American to serve in Connecticut’s General Assembly in 2019 and was elected for his third term in the last election cycle.
Before launching his political career, Williams worked in community banking in Hartford and then went into nonprofit management, becoming executive director of the Middletown Downtown Business District and then director of advocacy and policy for Excellence Community Schools, a charter school network.
A community advocate, he was co-founder of EquityCT, an educational nonprofit, taught a leadership course at the University of Hartford, and served on the boards of many local organizations.
Williams is survived by his wife Carrissa and his mother.
We at EBONY extend our prayers and deepest condolences to the family and friends of Rep. Quentin Williams
