Meet Shelby Williams-González of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Williams-González.

Hi Shelby, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve spent my entire professional life working in service of others—specifically young people in Los Angeles who deserve access to creativity, safety, and possibility. My career started, quite literally, in the classroom and on the dance floor. I was a teaching artist and professional dancer long before I became a CEO, and those early experiences taught me everything I know about leadership: how to listen, how to build trust, and how to turn vision into action.

Over the years, I moved from teaching into directing programs, then into executive leadership roles, leading organizations like artworxLA and now Inner-City Arts. For more than 25 years, I’ve built and led teams that use the arts as a tool for learning, healing, and connection. I’ve learned that creativity is not just about making art—it’s about reimagining systems, creating opportunity where there wasn’t any, and holding space for others to see their own potential.

I didn’t get here by following a traditional path or collecting degrees—I got here by showing up, building community, and doing the work. I’ve made my way through Los Angeles’ nonprofit landscape as both a strategist and a doer, someone who believes in the long game of impact and in leading with empathy and discipline.

Today, as President & CEO of Inner-City Arts, I get to merge all of that—arts, education, leadership, and equity—into one mission: making sure every child in this city has a creative and safe place to belong.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road—nor was it ever predetermined. I never set out to become a CEO; I just have an insatiable drive and an appetite for challenge. Every time a new opportunity came my way, I said yes. Yes to the next project, the next stretch assignment, the next “let’s see if she can handle this.” And over time, those yeses added up to a career built on persistence, adaptability, and a lot of learning by doing.

But to be clear, it hasn’t been smooth because, like so many people of color—especially Black women—I’ve had to prove myself in every room I’ve entered. Early in my leadership journey, I carried the weight of needing to be twice as prepared and three times as composed just to be taken seriously. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard, “Oh, but you’re a dancer,” as if being multi-talented or leading from a creative foundation somehow made me less qualified to sit at the table.

That constant pressure to perform, to be “on” at all times, was exhausting. But it also sharpened me. And as I’ve grown—both in experience and in age—I’ve learned to own my power and worry a lot less about external validation. These days, I lead with confidence rooted not in approval but in impact. I know who I am, I know what I bring, and I no longer waste energy proving my worth to anyone.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I serve as the President and CEO of Inner-City Arts, a nationally recognized creative youth development organization in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Our mission is simple yet profound: to engage young people in the transformative power of the arts. I lead a team of extraordinary educators, artists, and administrators who create safe, imaginative spaces for thousands of children, teens, and families each year — spaces where creativity becomes both a tool for self-expression and a path toward confidence, resilience, and belonging.

As CEO, I specialize in building systems that sustain creativity. That means bridging artistry and infrastructure — strengthening an organization’s financial health, culture, and vision while keeping artists and students at the center of every decision. I’m most proud of leading Inner-City Arts through a period of renewal: expanding our public programs, deepening our partnerships with LAUSD, and securing multi-year philanthropic investments that ensure access for future generations.

Outside the office, I carry another title — dancer and choreographer. I spent over 18 years performing and touring with Viver Brasil Dance Company, rooted in the African and Afro-Brazilian traditions that shaped me. That work still fuels everything I do as a leader. It’s the dancer in me that understands rhythm, timing, and presence — how to read a room, improvise when needed, and move with both intention and grace.

What sets me apart is that I’ve lived on both sides of the creative equation — as an artist and as an executive. I know what it means to build from the ground up, to balance vision with pragmatism, and to lead with both empathy and edge. My work is driven by the belief that creativity is not a luxury — it’s a lifeline. And every day, I get to help others access it.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
As a nonprofit arts organization, we’re not going anywhere. The industry has proven again and again that even in the face of uncertainty, we endure. In my time in the field, we’ve weathered the 2008 economic crash, major labor legislation that reshaped how we hire artists, a global pandemic, and the political and cultural volatility of recent years. Each of those moments forced us to adapt — to reimagine how we serve, how we fund our work, and how we care for our communities.

The truth is, this next chapter will be no different. It feels harder now, because it is. Public funding is shrinking, philanthropic priorities are shifting, and families are still recovering from economic instability. But I also know this: the arts sector has survival in its DNA. We know how to pivot. We know how to build something from almost nothing.

Over the next 5–10 years, I believe our field will continue to move toward collaboration over competition, shared infrastructure, and values-driven partnerships that sustain both people and purpose. Growth may not always look like expansion — it may look like deeper impact, stronger ecosystems, and more authentic alignment with the communities we serve. That’s where I see the future of this work: less about scale, more about substance.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://inner-cityarts.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innercityarts/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@InnerCityArtsVideo/videos
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9cM6-1vrnM&t=5s