艾可直播

For the past few years, Ed-Dee G. Williams has been working to develop a virtual training program that makes it easier for Black youth with autism to talk about depression.

His intervention, called 鈥淎sking for Help鈥� and developed in collaboration with a software company called SIMmersion, has drawn attention from diverse institutions. The National Institutes of Health awarded him $280,000 to evaluate the efficacy of the program, while the 艾可直播 Celtics named him a 鈥淗ero Among Us鈥� for his commitment to improving the mental health of Black youth.聽

Now, Williams has been named one of 艾可直播鈥檚 鈥淭en Outstanding Young Leaders鈥� by City Awake, the Greater 艾可直播 Chamber of Commerce Foundation鈥檚 flagship network for early-career professionals.聽

The awards, given out since 1952, recognize leaders whose work strengthens their communities, organizations, and the broader region through professional achievement, personal initiative, cultural impact, and civic commitment. Past winners include President John F. Kennedy, underscoring the magnitude of the honor.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if I鈥檝e truly earned this award or not, but I do know that I now feel more committed to making sure that the work I do going forward is representative of this type of recognition,鈥� says Williams, an assistant professor at the 艾可直播 College School of Social Work whose research examines the interplay between race and mental illness. 鈥淚 hope the city and the people in the community hold me accountable for as long as I continue to receive praise.鈥�

鈥淎sking for Help鈥� addresses a gap in mental health support along racial lines: Although Black teens are at higher risk for depression than their white counterparts, they are less likely to receive treatment for the condition. On top of that, nearly 25 percent of Black autistic youth have significant issues with conversation, language, and social skills鈥�14 percent higher than white autistic youth.

Here鈥檚 how the application works: After logging in, users choose a symptom related to depression and describe it to a video of an actor portraying a teacher. The app analyzes their response and then plays a follow-up video in which the 鈥渢eacher鈥� offers feedback on how to communicate their feelings more effectively.

Every exchange is unique, giving users repeated opportunities to practice their conversational skills until they feel ready to share their experiences with supportive adults.

Williams designed the app with input from the community, ensuring that Black youth and families have a say in its development. He鈥檚 currently testing it with community partners, including the Black Autism Coalition, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, and the Color of Autism Foundation, focusing on whether it improves users鈥� understanding of depression, reduces stigma, and encourages help-seeking behaviors. And he鈥檚 developing a new partnership with three-time world boxing champion Devon Alexander to expand culturally responsive resources for Black families navigating autism.

鈥淜eeping people who are open to criticize me but in a way that is supportive helps a lot,鈥� says Williams, who directs the Black Mental Wellness Research Lab at BCSSW. 鈥淲e try to make sure that we鈥檙e not just involving the community, but we鈥檙e actually beginning and ending our work with the community always in mind.鈥�

His NIH grant will allow him and his team to revamp the app with users in mind. They plan to replace text with videos featuring characters explaining material in more culturally relevant language; redesign the on-screen coach, who guides participants through the program, as a younger Black woman who feels more like a peer; and reformat the app for tablets and phones to better match how many neurodivergent youth use technology.

Williams argues that most existing interventions aren鈥檛 culturally relevant or accessible, making it necessary to create new, community-driven resources that target the specific needs of Black families. He hopes to finalize his app for public release by 2027, making it commercially available to schools, therapists, and parents.

鈥淚 really want to help people just get to a point of thriving. I want to really create connections,鈥� says Williams. 鈥淚 want to be able to help programs, interventions, and resources become sustainable in Black communities long term.鈥�