Marianne Williamson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marianne Williamson
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Williamson in 2019
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Marianne Deborah Williamson
July 8, 1952 Houston, Texas, U.S.
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| Education | Pomona College |
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| Political party | Democratic |
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Marianne Deborah Williamson (born July 8, 1952) is an American author, speaker, and political activist. She started her career as a spiritual leader. Williamson has written several self-help books. One of her most famous books is A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles from 1992. This book became a top seller on The New York Times. She became well-known through her many appearances on Oprah Winfrey's show. She was even called Oprah's "spiritual advisor".
Williamson has run for political office several times. In 2014, she ran as an independent for the United States House of Representatives in California. She did not win, finishing fourth. She also ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. She later stopped her campaign and supported Bernie Sanders. She ran again in the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries, challenging President Joe Biden. Her ideas for president included ending the war on drugs, increasing the federal minimum wage, and addressing climate change. She also wanted to create a U.S. Department of Peace. Williamson stopped her 2024 campaign on June 11, 2024. She re-entered the race on July 2, 2024, but then dropped out again on July 29, 2024. On December 26, 2024, she announced she would run for the leader of the Democratic National Committee.
Williamson has also done a lot of charity work. She started organizations like Center for Living in 1987 and Project Angel Food in 1989. She also co-founded the Peace Alliance in 1998. She is on the board of RESULTS. This group works to find solutions to poverty.
Early Life and Education
Marianne Deborah Williamson was born in Houston, Texas, on July 8, 1952. She is the youngest of three children. Her father, Samuel "Sam" Williamson, was a World War II veteran and an immigration lawyer. Her mother, Sophie Ann Kaplan, was a homemaker and community volunteer.
Williamson grew up in a family that practiced Conservative Judaism. Her family attended Congregation Beth Yeshurun. She learned about different religions and social justice at home. She became interested in public speaking when she heard her rabbi speak against the Vietnam War.
In 1965, when Williamson was in seventh grade, her father took the family to Vietnam. He wanted to show her why he believed the war was wrong. She has said that this trip helped her understand that "people are the same everywhere."
Williamson went to Bellaire High School in Houston. After high school, she studied theater and philosophy at Pomona College in California for two years. In 1973, Williamson left college. She spent some years traveling and exploring.
She moved to New Mexico and then to Austin, Texas, taking classes at universities there. Later, she moved to New York City. She wanted to become a singer. During this time, she faced some personal challenges and felt very sad. This experience made her want to help other people.
A Course in Miracles
In 1976, Williamson became interested in Helen Schucman's book A Course in Miracles. She started reading the Course with great interest. She explored spirituality, metaphysics, and meditation. She found that the book helped her through difficult times.
Williamson has said the book was her "path out of hell." She described it as a "spiritual psychotherapy" rather than a religion.
Career Journey
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In 1979, Williamson returned to Houston. She ran a spiritual bookstore and coffee shop. She also sang in a nightclub. In 1983, Williamson moved to Los Angeles. She lived with 17-year-old Laura Dern, who later became a famous film producer. Dern said that Williamson "held prayer groups in our living room."
Williamson's teachings focused on a message of "Divine love." She believed this love is at the heart of every person. She saw this as a way to heal misunderstandings of the Bible. She believed some interpretations could lead to harm or sadness.
As more people heard about her message, she started lecturing in larger spaces. By 1987, she was speaking monthly in New York. Soon, she was invited to speak across the U.S. and Europe. She did not charge for her talks but suggested a donation. Her style blended ideas from Christianity, Buddhism, and pop psychology.
Spiritual Leader
Williamson became a spiritual leader for the Church of Today in Warren, Michigan. She had 2,300 people attending her services and 50,000 watching on television. She helped the Church grow quickly. She resigned from this role in 2003.
Author and Bestselling Books
Williamson has written 15 books. Seven of her books have been on The New York Times bestseller list. Four of them reached number one. She has sold over three million books.
Her most popular book is A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles (1992). This book stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for 39 weeks. It teaches that practicing love daily can bring more peace and happiness. A famous quote from the book is:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Oprah Winfrey praised the book, saying she was deeply moved by it. Winfrey bought 1,000 copies and told her audience to read it. Williamson was a frequent guest on Oprah's show and became her spiritual advisor.
Political Campaigns
2014 U.S. House of Representatives Campaign
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In 2014, Williamson ran as an Independent for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in California.
Several well-known people supported her campaign. These included former governors and representatives. Singer Alanis Morissette even wrote a campaign song for her called "Today".
Williamson focused on progressive issues. These included making changes to how political campaigns are funded. She also supported women's reproductive rights and LGBTQ equality. She raised $2.4 million for her campaign.
She finished fourth out of 18 candidates. She received 13.2 percent of the votes.
2020 Presidential Campaign
On November 15, 2018, Williamson announced she was thinking about running for president. On January 28, 2019, she officially started her presidential campaign in Los Angeles. She gathered a campaign team and raised $1.5 million in the first few months.
By May 2019, she had enough donations to join the official primary debates. She also met the polling requirements. In June, Williamson moved to Des Moines, Iowa, to prepare for the 2020 caucuses.
She participated in the first primary debate in June. She gained attention for saying her first act as president would be to call New Zealand's Prime Minister. She also spoke about using "love for political purposes."
In the second primary debate in July, she was the most searched candidate online. She talked about the Flint water crisis. She also spoke about President Trump using "dark psychic force" which she later explained as racism and bigotry.
On January 10, 2020, Williamson announced she was ending her campaign. She pledged to support the Democratic nominee. Some people saw her campaign as unusual. However, others found her message powerful. A New York Times columnist said she debated well. He noted her strong answers on reparations and her focus on beating Trump.
2024 Presidential Campaign
Williamson began preparing to run for president again in 2024. She visited South Carolina and New Hampshire in early 2023. On March 4, 2023, she officially started her 2024 campaign.
Some of her campaign staff left her team in 2023. Some former staff members from her 2020 campaign described working for her as "difficult." Williamson has denied some accusations. She has also admitted to some incidents and said she is open to personal growth.
In July 2023, Politico reported that Williamson had given $220,000 to her own campaign. Her campaign also had $270,000 in unpaid debts.
She received 4% of the votes in the New Hampshire primary. She later dropped out after receiving low percentages in other primaries. However, after the Michigan primary, she decided to re-enter the race. She received 3% of the vote there.
Williamson ended her campaign on June 11, 2024. She re-entered the race on July 2, 2024. She then ended her campaign for the final time on July 29, 2024.
2025 Democratic National Committee Leadership Campaign
On December 26, 2024, Williamson announced she was running to be the leader of the Democratic National Committee. On January 10, 2025, she said she was excluded from a DNC candidate forum. She wrote a letter saying this went against democratic principles.
On February 1, 2025, Williamson supported Ken Martin for the position.
Political Ideas
Animal Rights
In her 2020 and 2024 campaigns, Williamson shared detailed plans to protect animal welfare. She supports stopping the building of new concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), also known as factory farms. She believes treating animals badly is "damaging to the American soul."
Reparations for Black Americans
Williamson supports giving $200-$500 billion in reparations for slavery. This money would be used over 20 years for "economic and education projects." A group of Black leaders would decide how the money is given out.
Climate Change and Energy
Williamson calls climate change "the greatest moral challenge of our generation." She supports the Green New Deal. She also wants the U.S. to rejoin the Paris Climate Accords right away.
She supports moving money from fossil fuels, like coal. This money would then be invested in developing renewable energy. This would happen in the U.S. and in other countries.
Gun Control
Williamson supports gun control. She has said this issue is very personal to her. In 2018, she spoke at a conference for Muslim and Jewish women. She argued against using fear in politics.
Health Care and Vaccinations
Williamson supports universal health care through a "Medicare for All type of plan." She also supports independent rules for the pharmaceutical industry. She wants to prevent what she calls "harmful practices" by drug companies.
Williamson believes in a "both-and" approach to health. This means using both prayer and medicine. She has said that people who are prayed for might recover faster. She also noted that people with serious illnesses who join spiritual support groups might live longer.
Williamson supports the importance of vaccinations and antidepressants. However, she has questioned the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on how these are used. She believes their focus on profit could sometimes harm patients.
She has also criticized giving too many antidepressants. She believes the difference between sadness and clinical depression can be "artificial." She has called the way clinical depression is diagnosed "a scam."
During her campaigns, some of her past comments were misunderstood. People thought her doubts about the pharmaceutical industry meant she was against vaccines. She has denied these accusations. She says she is "skeptical about Big Pharma in general," but not about vaccines.
Immigration
Williamson does not support completely open borders. However, she wants a more humane approach to border policy. In June 2019, she criticized then-President Donald Trump's immigration policies. This was after reports of children being separated from their families. She called these actions "state-sponsored crimes."
Williamson also supports Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). She wants to expand protections for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.
Other Domestic Issues
Williamson supports The Equality Act. She also wants to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. She has said that religion is like a map where "the route isn't important. It's the destination that matters."
International Relations and National Security
Williamson supports creating a United States Department of Peace. This department would help redesign how the U.S. approaches peace. She also wants to create a Peace Academy, similar to military academies.
Williamson supports military action when a NATO ally is threatened. She also supports it when the United States is under attack. She believes in intervention "when the humanitarian order of the world is at risk."
Williamson supported safely removing all U.S. troops from Afghanistan. She would consider using a peace-keeping force, like the United Nations, to help with the change. She supports the U.S. using its power to prevent China from buying important companies. She believes this helps protect U.S. economic interests and human rights. Williamson supports rejoining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). She criticized the Trump administration for increasing tensions with Iran. Williamson supports a two-state solution for the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Personal Life and Family
Williamson's older brother, Peter, became an immigration attorney. Her late sister, Elizabeth "Jane," was a teacher. Her father and her mother's parents were Russian Jewish immigrants. Her grandfather changed his last name to Williamson. Williamson has described herself as a "Jewish woman."
She was briefly married in 1979. In 1990, she had a daughter.
In 2006, a Newsweek poll named her one of the 50 most influential baby boomers.
As of 2023, Williamson lives in Washington, D.C.
Charity Work
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Since the 1980s, Williamson has run charities based on the ideas from A Course in Miracles.
Centers for Living
In 1987, Williamson started the Center for Living. She was inspired by a friend who was struggling with breast cancer. The Center received a $50,000 donation from David Geffen.
The Center mainly helped people with HIV/AIDS, especially gay men. At the time, many other organizations did not welcome them. The Center provided services like housework, meditation, massage, and emotional support.
In 1989, Williamson opened a second Center for Living in New York City. This location faced some challenges with staff and management. Williamson stepped down from her role at the Centers in 1992. The New York Center stayed open with a donation from Cher.
Project Angel Food
In 1989, Williamson launched Project Angel Food. This program was part of The Centers for Living. It aimed to support HIV/AIDS patients. By 1992, it had raised over $1.5 million. It was delivering nearly 400 hot meals a day to people with AIDS in Los Angeles who could not leave their homes.
Williamson resigned from Project Angel Food in March 1992. The organization faced difficulties after she left because she was the main fundraiser. However, it continued to operate. By 1998, it had over 1,500 volunteers. As of 2018, it delivered 12,000 meals weekly. As of 2019, Williamson is still a trustee of the organization.
AIDS Support
Williamson helped gay men who felt abandoned by their families, friends, and hospitals. She led funerals, drove men to their doctors, and helped pay for their AIDS medication.
During her 2020 presidential campaign, Williamson faced some accusations. People claimed she told gay men not to take AIDS medication. She was also accused of saying they "deserved" the disease or to "pray the AIDS away." She has repeatedly denied these claims. Most of these accusations came from misunderstandings of her 1992 book A Return to Love.
The Peace Alliance
In 1998, Williamson co-founded the Global Renaissance Alliance (GSA). This non-profit organization aimed to create "citizen salons." These groups would pray for national growth, peace, and liberal causes. The GSA groups met in small "Peace Circles" to pray together.
In 2004, the GSA changed its name to The Peace Alliance. Its new goal was to educate and advocate for peace. The Peace Alliance encouraged people to contact their political representatives. It worked to increase U.S. government support for peace-building.
"Sister Giant" Conferences
In 2010, Williamson started "Sister Giant." This was a series of conferences. They aimed to "start a new conversation about transformational politics." They also encouraged more women to run for political office.
In 2012, Yale University's Women's Campaign School partnered with the series. The conferences focused on how to better address social issues. These included child poverty, campaign finance reform, and high incarceration rates.
RESULTS Organization
For several years until 2017, Williamson was on the board of Results Educational Fund (RESULTS). This is a non-profit charity that works to find long-term solutions to poverty. It focuses on the root causes of poverty. Its sister organization, Results Inc., encourages people to contact their elected officials. It also works directly with Congress to advance anti-poverty policies. The organization has 100 local chapters in the U.S. and is active in six other countries.
Books by Marianne Williamson
- A Return to Love (1992)
- A Woman's Worth (1992)
- Illuminata: A Return to Prayer (1994)
- The Healing of America (1994)
- Emma & Mommy Talk to God (1996)
- Enchanted Love: The Mystical Power of Intimate Relationships (1999)
- Imagine What America Could Be in the 21st Century: Visions of a Better Future from Leading American Thinkers (2000)
- Healing the Soul of America: Reclaiming Our Voices as Spiritual Citizens (2000)
- Everyday Grace: Having Hope, Finding Forgiveness, And Making Miracles (2002)
- The Gift of Change: Spiritual Guidance for Living Your Best Life (2004)
- A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever (2010)
- The Law of Divine Compensation: On Work, Money and Miracles (2014)
- Tears to Triumph: The Spiritual Journey from Suffering to Enlightenment (2016)
- A Politics of Love: A Handbook for a New American Revolution (2019)
- The Mystic Jesus: The Mind of Love (2023)
See also
In Spanish: Marianne Williamson para niños
