William Muriel Colon, III is a native of Bronx, New York. After graduating from Cardinal Hayes High School, he attended Hofstra University in Long Island, NY on a football scholarship. He received numerous offers but he wanted to stay close to home because his mother was sick with lupus. He performed very well at Hofstra where he was the captain of his team and made the Walter Camp All-American team among other honors. He graduated from Hofstra with a B. S. in Interdisciplinary Studies. For Willie, playing in the NFL was never a thought. He only entered the draft from the push of his coach. Colon was drafted to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2006. During his 7 seasons with Pittsburgh, he made two Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl XLIII. He returned home in 2013 to play with the New York Jets and retired from the National Football League in 2017. Willie Colon is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Aikisha Holly Colon is a native of Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating R. M. Callaway High School, she attended Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. During her matriculation at CAU, Aikisha was involved in numerous campus organizations. Student Government Association, Orientation Guide Corps, Pre-Alumni Council and NAACP to name a few holding offices in all. Aikisha graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media Arts with a concentration in Radio/TV/Film. After graduating college, she worked at WSB-TV Atlanta’s ABC affiliate. She also was on Atlanta’s first internet radio network Beehive FM where she was a host on The MidDay Show. Aikisha is the Vice President of her family’s nonprofit organization The Holly Foundation. She is also the founder of Sisters With Dreams, an organization dedicated to young girls ages 11-17. Aikisha Colon is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Willie and Aikisha both made their way to New York in 2013. They were married in June 2017. They are the founders of The Willie and Aikisha Colon Foundation.
Willie and Aikisha Colon found a common goal outside of their faith, their love and sports. It was their dedication to their community and being a voice for the underserved and underprivileged. WACF was established in 2013.
Since its founding, the organization holds an annual turkey giveaway during the Thanksgiving season distributing over 900 turkeys to families in the South Bronx area. Each year WACF distributes over 1000 book bags with school supplies to the Melrose Housing Projects in the South Bronx. The organization has an annual toy giveaway, collecting and distributing toys to over 500 children each holiday season. The foundation collaborates with the Lupus Research Alliance for the annual “Willie Colon Golf Outing for Lupus,” to raise funds for the Jean Davis Research Grant. The Willie and Aikisha Colon Foundation offers tuition assistance to families at Immaculate Conception Catholic School in the Bronx and also provides school supplies for children in Jackson, Mississippi.