As a Black feminist cultural anthropologist, Williams’ research interests include Black women & happiness; race, gender, and emotional labor in higher education institutions; and Black feminist leadership and activist organizing. The investigative thread that binds Williams’ research, teaching, and service together is the question “How do Black people develop strategies for enduring and resisting the effects of racism and sexism, while attempting to maintain emotional wellness?” In her book, titled The Pursuit of Happiness: Black Women and the Politics of Emotional Transnationalism, Williams examines how African American women use international travel and the Internet as tools for pursuing leisure, creating intimate relationships and friendships, and critiquing American racism and sexism. This book is forthcoming from Duke University Press.