Edward Wyckoff Williams facts for kids

Edward Wyckoff Williams (born February 6, 1978) is an American journalist and producer. He has worked as a TV producer, reporter, writer, and political expert. His work has been seen on many well-known channels and websites. These include NBC, MSNBC, Al Jazeera, BuzzFeed, PBS, ABC, CNN, CBS, BBC, VICE Media, and NPR.

Early Life and School

Williams was born in Newark, New Jersey. He went to a school called Newark Academy. Later, he studied at Yale University in Connecticut. At Yale, he was the president of the Freshman Class Council. He earned his degrees in Economics and History from Yale in 1998.

While at Yale, Williams had an internship at the White House. He worked in the office of Vice President Al Gore. He also worked for Senator Frank Lautenberg.

Williams then went to the University of Oxford in England. He was a student at Oriel College. He finished his Masters degree in 2003. After that, he started his career in business.

Career in Media

Williams has been a contributing editor for The Root. This is a magazine about African-American news and culture. He has also written for many other popular publications. These include The Washington Post, Slate, Salon, The Advocate, Out Magazine, VICE Media, Ebony Magazine, The Grio, and The Huffington Post.

His work often focuses on important topics about society and politics. He has interviewed many major political figures and famous people.

Williams was a regular guest on national radio shows. These included Chicago's WVON 1690AM and NPR Baltimore Affiliate WEAA 88.9FM. His work was also featured on National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation.

He was a contributor to Al Jazeera America. He also appeared on Al Jazeera, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, BBC, and CNN. He discussed many topics as a political commentator. These included rights for different groups, healthcare, education, and world events.

In 2015, Williams received two GLAAD Media Award nominations. One was for his TV journalism piece, "Gay and Muslim in America." The other was for his written piece, "Black Parents, Gay Sons and Redefining Masculinity." He was the only person that year to be honored twice. These awards recognized his work in promoting understanding and acceptance.

That same year, the United Nations featured Williams in its United Nations Free & Equal campaign. This campaign highlights journalists and activists who work for equality. A video promoting this appeared in New York's Times Square. It included then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

In 2017, Williams became a senior producer at BuzzFeed. He helped launch their daily news and entertainment shows. He produced segments with many famous people and politicians. Some of these included Dolly Parton, Angela Bassett, Priyanka Chopra, Seth Rogen, Madeleine Albright, and Senator Kamala Harris. His work received awards at the 10th Annual Shorty Awards and the 2018 Webby Awards.

In 2019, Williams joined VICE Media as a senior producer. He leads the talent team for their new TV and digital programs.