Ed-Dee G. Williams teaches a class in Gasson Hall. Photo by Caitlin Cunningham for 香蕉秀 Photography.
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� has drawn attention from diverse institutions. The National Institutes of Health awarded him $280,000 to evaluate the efficacy of the program, while the Boston 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 Boston鈥檚 鈥淭en Outstanding Young Leaders鈥� by City Awake, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Foundation鈥檚 flagship network for emerging professionals.
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 Boston 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 as I continue to receive praise.鈥�
鈥淎sking for Help,鈥� developed in collaboration with the software company SIMmersion, addresses a thorny problem facing Black teens today: Although they 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 app 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.
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.聽
鈥淚 really want to help people just get to a point of thriving. I want to really create connections,鈥� says Williams, who directs the Black Mental Wellness Research Lab at 香蕉秀SSW. 鈥淚 want to be able to help programs, interventions, and resources become sustainable in Black communities long term.鈥�
Williams hopes to finalize the app for public release by 2027, making it commercially available to schools, therapists, and parents.
He acknowledges that awards motivate his work, while partnerships with community organizations keep his research grounded, accountable, and centered on the people it serves.
鈥淜eeping people who are open to criticize me but in a way that is supportive helps a lot,鈥� he says, noting that he relies on a community advisory board to provide timely feedback. 鈥淩ecognition like this award from City Awake brings that research and awareness to a larger audience and motivates me to keep moving forward.鈥�
