Stanley Williams is a teacher, husband, and father. He is the holder of two degrees in special-education. In addition to being a Marine Corps veteran, Stanley was a correctional officer in the Illinois prison system for over six years. This confluence of personal experiences led him to write the emotionally charged children's book Willies Dad, so that it is never forgotten that the school-to-prison pipeline exists, and that we all owe a debt to these children to help them break that horrific cycle. As a native of Joliet Illinois, Stanley asked the illustrator, Najima Abdul Haqq, to draw a stark, black and white picture of "The Place" that Willie visited in the story. The model for "The Place" is the infamous Joliet Correctional Center. Stanley remains haunted by the faces of the women and children who faithfully and fearfully came to visit their incarcerated menfolk in prison, and the desire to personally help break the cycle led to his interest in becoming an educator and author.