Alexis L. Williams brings a passion for business, a love for the Mississippi Gulf Coast along with a strong faith as her rock. Her success as CEO with Aloha Glamour, an innovative online company providing apparel for women, just tells part of the story. Alexis is a fashion trendsetter, role model for people of all ages, mentor and much more.

  Year-round, the retired Air Force veteran designs bold, radiant and one-size fits all, Afrowaiian (African + Hawaiian) clothing for women. Or as Alexis puts it – her customers are “forward-thinking, fearless women who aren’t afraid to step outside the box to rock fierce, vibrant African-print fashions with pride.’’
     The mom, woman of God and entrepreneur lives her life in bright, bold colors. She encourages her customers to do the same. Her company was birthed, Alexis said, during a time of personal tragedy.
     Stationed with the Air Force in Hawaii, she lost her child, Lauren Taylor, in November 2015. “For many months, all I saw was gray and black and white,’’ Williams said. Finally seeing a glimmer of hope and color, Williams chose to honor her daughter by “bringing some color to peoples’ lives and helping them feel beautiful, no matter their size or circumstance.’’
     The highly decorated Air Force sergeant found success during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. She certainly soared to new heights with her business, discovering a tremendous uptick during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alexis has been nominated as one of the 2020 Top 50 Black Owned Business Women in Mississippi. She’s been showered with numerous awards.     

Born and raised in Gulfport (the Forest Heights community), the Harrison Central High graduate has a big heart for people on the Gulf Coast as well as families thousands of miles from USA shores. Her legions of admirers is surging for good reason.
     “Alexis is a kind-hearted individual who genuinely cares about the well-being of those in need, whether they are along the Gulf Coast or in Accra, Ghana,’’ says Pamela Berry-Johnson, a Mississippi businesswoman and award-winning writer.
     “She is also a natural leader who has a near pied piper ability to rally others in the Black business community along the Mississippi Gulf Coast,’’ Berry-Johnson says. Alexis does it with humor, wit and determination as she built an online community of Black business owners. Her Facebook group expanded to more than 6,000 African American business leaders and supporters.
     What really stands out, Pamela said, is that Williams positioned her unique online clothing boutique into a nationally recognized business during the COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus claimed more than 400,000 American lives and put millions of people out of work. The pandemic triggered more than two million deaths worldwide.
     Helping her thrive during the global health crisis was Alexis “using dynamic storytelling to attract the right attention at the right time. I can’t wait to see what is next for Alexis and the impact she will continue to have,’’ says Berry-Johnson. Pamela is making waves herself with her Yellow Rabbit marketing firm.
     Alexis Williams saw her business skyrocket when the pandemic began in March by creating Afrowaiian masks to keep people safe.
     In five words, Alexis Williams sums up her clothing company and her philosophy. “Live Your Life in Color.’’ People can learn more about the company by following Aloha Glamour on Instagram or joining its Facebook group. It’s also a way for folks to connect and find out about making donations to poor families in Ghana.
     As the new administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris went to work on January 20, the 2002 Harrison Central High grad is upbeat about a revival for the USA’s troubled economy. It will take “some strategic planning on the government’s part to get us back on track.’’
     A positive note for Mississippi and its economic fortunes is the new Magnolia State flag. It replaced a 1894 flag that celebrated Confederate era battle symbols, a painful reminder of racial oppression.
     “It’s about time Mississippi had a new Magnolia Flag,’’ Williams said. “It is my hope that this new flag will create a greater sense of community among all residents of Mississippi. It will also show our growth as a state and a people.’’
     For well over a century, the 1894 state flag made African Americans and other minorities feel disenfranchised. “Let all things be new.’’
     With the words “In God We Trust,’’ the Magnolia Flag was among thousands of flags displayed near the Washington Monument during inauguration ceremonies. A former California senator, Harris made history as America’s first female, first Black and first South Asian to be vice president in the nation’s 244-year history.
     Alexis L. Williams is making history, too, as a prominent Black businesswoman in Mississippi.
     Faith is a big part of her DNA. “When a person has been to the places I’ve been, seen the things I’ve seen, and overcome the obstacles which I have overcome, faith becomes part of who you are,’’ Williams said.
     “Nothing can tear my determination from me because I believe firmly that all things are possible, and I am willing to do the work required to make it happen.’’
     Her honors include being selected as the 2019 Young Careerist by the Light House Business and Professional Women’s Organization. Alexis was saluted as the Top Influencer at the 2019 Success Women’s Conference. She’s been featured in Forbes, GQ, CNN, Allure.com as well as 30 other national and international publications in 2020 as her company’s revenues climbed.
     The sky’s the limit for the outstanding Harrison County native in the new year and beyond.

Andy Kanengiser

Mississippi College’s university news coordinator, Andy Kanengiser, spent three decades as a newspaper reporter. For much of his career, the New Jersey native worked at “The Clarion-Ledger.” Andy also serves as the advisor to the “Mississippi Collegian,” MC’s student newspaper. Pearl residents, he and his wife, Sunuia, stay busy with their five adult children and 10 grandkids! An avid table tennis player, Andy captured gold and silver medals at the Mississippi Senior Olympics, (and State Games). He’s in his 13th season sponsoring the MC team, national collegiate champs in 2015 and No. 2 in 2019.