
Meet Alaiyia
Alaiyia Nicole Williams, DSW(c), LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Psychotherapist who specializes in working with Transgender and Gender-Diverse individuals. Alaiyia is also a Black Transgender Woman, who has great understanding of the inequities, stress, and emotional health concerns that plague her community. In addition to her passion for Transgender mental health equity and access, Alaiyia is centered in working toward the advancement of disenfranchised people of color and oppressed individuals of all intersections of identity, fuels her intense aspirations and fight for social justice.
Alaiyia was born and raised in the Alexandria, Louisiana area. Her down-home upbringing is at the foundation of her strong commitment to family and those she holds dear. Her education endeavors include a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Northwestern State University (Natchitoches, Louisiana) and a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, Texas). Alaiyia is currently earning a Doctoral Social Work Degree at Tulane University's School of Social Work (New Orleans, Louisiana) and will be graduating December of 2023. She has been practicing as a Licensed Clinician for over 10 years in a variety of settings and is licensed in various states across the US! The opportunity to provide services in a variety of jurisdictions has afforded Alaiyia the opportunity to develop a vivid and extensive knowledge-base and also an immensely savvy expertise for navigating systems and resources often utilized by the individuals she serves!
In addition to her several academic and career endeavors, Alaiyia also works to stay present in community through activism; especially in regard to issues related to Trans and LGBTQIA+ equity and access issues, issues that impact the Black community, and issues surrounding Transgender and Women's rights. She is currently serving on the PFLAG of New Orleans Board of Trustees as Chair of the 2022-2023 Scholarship Committee, the Louisiana State Department of Health's RIAB Advisory Board, and on the LGBTQIA+ Task Force of The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living. Ms. Williams also partners with several other entities in the community to serve the overall fight against oppression.
Alaiyia asserts that her ultimate aspiration is to support anyone she works with to achieve peace, empowerment and an overall improvement in self-esteem; thus contributing to an improved quality of life!