Antwan “Banks” Williams works at San Marin, Novato, and Marin Oaks High School as a community specialist, a position proposed to the district by Williams and the principal of Marin Oaks, Kessa Early. He took this position in 2022 and worked with Caley Keene and Audrey Whitten to found San Marin’s Wellness Hub. William works at the Wellness Hub on Mondays through Wednesdays, helping kids one-on-one through issues at home or school.
“I understand the value of this time period, from 16-18, and how we choose to develop those pieces and those competencies become the basis for who we are as adults,” Williams said.
Williams began working with students at San Marin every Friday after school to help students work through issues they face at home, in school, or in social situations in 2021. Williams had a troubled high school experience and went through the justice system right out of high school, ending up in San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. At San Quentin, he co-created “Ear Hustle” with Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, a podcast discussing life in and out of the prison system. After being released, he found San Marin and started his work with young students. These meetings were highly successful, and combined with his passion for helping the community, led him to create and take the position of a community specialist at Novato Unified School District (NUSD). This position expanded his ability to work with students and widened his work to San Marin, Novato, and Marin Oaks High School. It was through this job that he became a trusted community member, helping moderate conversations between adults, students, and parents, working on making the community safer, and improving teens’ lives.
“I see value in these high school years, and I just want to help people push toward their better selves,” Williams said.
Williams also co-facilitates the Black Student Union (BSU) on Mondays during lunch, while working one-on-one with students. Keene and Williams plan to create a mini-documentary about the inner workings of the Wellness Hub and its impact on the community.
“What he is doing is really important for these students. At San Marin, a lot of African-American kids may not feel very connected with either their own students, their community, or their culture,” senior Malakhi Lindsey said.
In early 2025, Williams’ community studio was broken into, and over $35,000 worth of equipment was stolen, along with severe damage to the studio. He had put copious amounts of time and money into this studio. Williams opened a GoFundMe along with other resources to help raise money. Ultimately, he raised over $43,000 that went towards rebuilding the studio, buying new and better equipment, and improving all aspects of the studio. After all he gave to the community, the community gave back when he needed it most.
Throughout the past seven years since his release, Williams has helped countless individuals move through various issues in their lives, ranging from personal to school work to home life, ultimately leading to profound positive change throughout the entire community. His contributions have undoubtedly led to a stronger San Marin community and have helped many African-Americans on campus connect with their culture.
