Excellence wasn’t handed to Kiara Imani Williams—she built it brick by brick, steady and intentional, and made sure the door stayed open behind her.
As a lawyer by training, she earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Kiara has long understood the intersection of policy, media, and culture. Her undergraduate focus on politics in the media laid the foundation for her incredible journey. As a board member of Women in Toys, she continues to advocate for more women, and more Black women, to have a seat—and a say—at the table—plus, she writes like she’s setting spirits free; check outTherapy Isn’t Just For White People.
She hosts Her Hats because she wears all of them: podcaster, author, attorney, advocate. She’s on the Board for Women in Toys, kicking down doors in an industry that barely lets her in. And still, she builds.
Williams is also the founder of LikeU, a card game crafted for authentic connection—not the curated kind you post for likes, but the soul-stretching kind that makes you remember you’re human. Her Black brilliance made its way onto Target shelves, illustrating what happens when heart meets hustle. But just as quickly as that spotlight came, so did the shade—when Target hit reverse on its DEI promises, forgetting who built the blueprint in the first place.
Since the rollback, the retail giant has lost more than $12.4 billion in revenue and seen its stock plunge by $27.27 per share, but unsurprisingly, there is very little sympathy for Target amongst the Black and Brown community.
This week, Kiara Williams’ LikeU is TheHub.news’ Black business spotlight of the week.
When did you start LikeUCards and why?
Myself and two colleagues started LikeU in 2020, in the months following the murder of George Floyd. That moment was a collective breaking point. So many people were finally starting to acknowledge the deep pain and systemic injustice that Black communities had been experiencing for generations. We created LikeU to be a safe, intentional space for honest conversations—about race, identity, mental health and healing. We wanted people to feel seen, valued and empowered to show up as their full selves.
How does your business feed the community?
LikeU creates tools and content that spark meaningful dialogue—in homes, classrooms, workplaces, and community spaces. Whether through conversation cards, workshops, or storytelling initiatives, we help people connect more deeply with themselves and with each other. We believe healing happens in community and everything we do is about fostering spaces where people feel safe to be vulnerable and real.
What have been your biggest challenges in business?
One of the biggest challenges has been securing consistent funding and long-term support. While there was a wave of interest in supporting Black-owned businesses after George Floyd’s murder, much of that energy has faded. Banks and venture capital firms have historically underinvested in small Black-owned businesses, and that disparity is something we’ve felt firsthand. It’s been difficult to access the capital we need to scale, even with a proven product and a clear mission. We’ve had to be resourceful and resilient, constantly finding new ways to move forward without the traditional financial backing many other businesses receive.
Where do you see your business in five years?
In five years, we see LikeU embedded in schools across the country—helping to build a generation of young people who know how to think critically, listen actively, empathize with others and engage in healthy, respectful debate. We believe social-emotional learning should be just as prioritized as math and reading, because kids are going out into the world without the tools they need to navigate real conversations, process emotions, or handle disagreement in a constructive way. Our goal is to create accessible, engaging resources—conversation cards, curriculum, workshops and trainings—that educators can use to build more emotionally intelligent, inclusive classrooms. We want LikeU to be a trusted partner in shaping not just what students know but who they become.
What has been your proudest moment in business?
Honestly, some of my proudest moments have been quieter—the messages from people who have played the game, parents, or community members saying, “This helped me start a conversation I didn’t know how to have.” That’s the real impact.
