Rev. Cecil Williams, longtime leader of Glide Memorial Church, dies at 94

“Growing up, there were members of the African-American community who inspired us to dream and to serve, and Cecil Williams was at the top of that list,” says Mayor London Breed. – Photo: Glide Memorial Church by Robbie Jackson On Monday, April 22, San Francisco lost one of its strongest soldiers. Rev. Cecil Williams was known for many things. He was a champion of the people and the pastor who ushered Glide Memorial Church into the place of worship we know it as today. Three years after the passing of his wife, Williams at 94 years old leaves a legacy of inclusiveness and love as the city mourns the passing of the social justice giant. Last year, Williams announced he was formally stepping down. Rev. Williams retired several years ago, but remained an active member with Glide until the very end. The Rev. Jim Mitulski, former senior pastor at the old Metropolitan Community Church-San Francisco, recalled working with Williams, saying: “I worked with both Rev. Cecil Williams and with his wife and partner in ministry, the poet Jan Mirikitani, for many years, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s … These were important years in LGBT and in HIV/AIDS liberation. Through...