Etasha Donthi Is a Seventeen Voice of ChangeLors Pictures / Design by Yoora Kim

Even throughout probably the most difficult occasions in historical past, it is vital to spotlight those that are persevering with to observe their goals and are taking strides to make the world a greater place. Every month, Seventeen is honoring younger individuals as Voices of Change, those that are making a distinction of their group and the world at giant.

On Might 23, United States Surgeon Common Vivek Murthy labeled youth psychological well being “the defining public well being difficulty of our time.” It’s a disaster that has worsened over the previous decade, as charges of melancholy and nervousness heighten amongst kids aged 3 to 17, in keeping with analysis by JAMA Pediatrics. Etasha Donthi, 18, is conscious about this. A few years in the past, her shut pal tragically handed away from suicide and Etasha was confronted with a strong, albeit tough, query she knew she needed to discover a solution to: “How can I construct one thing that may make a constructive affect throughout the psychological well being house, and probably save lives?”

Like most who grew up within the digital age, Etasha couldn’t ignore social media and its affect, particularly on psychological well being. “I’ve come to understand that many individuals use it as a platform to precise their psychological well being struggles and feelings,” Etasha tells Seventeen. “Nevertheless, amid the huge sea of posts, these expressions usually go unnoticed.” So in between promenade prep, midterm exams, and school functions, Etasha taught herself the right way to code through on-line analysis, YouTube, and female-led STEM organizations such because the Karlie Kloss-founded Kode With Klossy program.

Now a highschool senior, Etasha has developed Livity, a patent-pending novel algorithm that has the flexibility to determine suicidal ideation and psychological well being struggles inside posts uploaded to apps like Twitter and Reddit, after which, join these people with free psychological well being assets. In 2021, she based She The Change, a podcast and non-profit group that highlights feminine leaders and changemakers who’re difficult and altering the established order in male-dominated fields. “Connecting with one another and understanding we’re not alone is a big step in direction of making change and realizing, hey in the event that they had been capable of do it, possibly I can too,” Etasha shares.

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After commencement, she’s set to start out lessons on the College of California, Berkeley, as an engineering scholar, and as she continues to steadiness the obligations of being a full-time scholar and entrepreneur, Etasha’s mission to amplify gender fairness and be a drive of change solely grows stronger. Right here, Etasha Donthi, Seventeen’s newest Voice of Change, discusses the intricacies behind Livity, her journey to discovering a supportive group in STEM, and why it’s so important to observe your ardour.

17: How does your novel algorithm, Livity, work?

Etasha Donthi: Livity makes use of pure language processing (NLP), an space of synthetic intelligence, and sentiment evaluation to determine suicidal ideation inside social media posts. The algorithm works by analyzing textual content information, resembling Twitter threads and Reddit posts, utilizing AI methods. Particularly, the algorithm employs sentiment evaluation, which includes figuring out the emotional tone and sentiment expressed within the textual content. By making use of this sentiment evaluation method, the algorithm can acknowledge language indicative of suicidal ideation and psychological well being considerations inside social media posts. Livity is a novel algorithm, so I’m within the means of patenting the algorithm.

17: After the algorithm acknowledges this language, what occurs subsequent?

ED: Though the algorithm just isn’t at present publicly accessible, our prototype operates by recognizing language indicative of suicidal ideation after which connecting these people with free psychological well being assets. The purpose is to attach these people with psychological well being assets that they may not have already got entry to or won’t know can be found inside their space.

Proper now, we’re engaged on integrating this algorithm into an app and extension, the place it will probably determine suicidal ideation throughout the current social media apps we use each day, like Twitter and Reddit, and supply further assets on to people.

17: How do you steadiness being a full-time scholar and founding father of a tech start-up?

ED: It is definitely been a studying expertise. I dove into the tech start-up world headfirst, and am nonetheless within the early phases. Time administration has been an enormous a part of constructing this start-up alongside my schoolwork. But it surely’s such an vital enterprise and so close to and expensive to my coronary heart, I can’t not find time for it. Typically I take calls or enterprise conferences within the college cafeteria.

17: What impressed you to pursue a profession in tech and entrepreneurship?

ED: I by no means anticipated going into the tech subject after I first entered highschool, nevertheless it’s one thing I fell in love with. A few of my first STEM lessons in class had only a few women, if any. It was an extremely tough interval — in these childhood, I wanted to see illustration as a lady and individual of coloration and be surrounded by individuals who understood my perspective inside these school rooms. Not seeing that was an enormous problem. I skilled microaggressions and extremely aggressive, cliquey environments that made it tough to discover this untapped ardour of mine authentically. It wasn’t till I participated in numerous Girls in STEM organizations that I discovered a way of group, which was an enormous assist, particularly through the COVID years. I discovered like-minded individuals, and though they weren’t in my city or space, I used to be capable of forge a connection and understand that I used to be not alone in my pursuits. There are different individuals like me who’re simply as passionate, excited, and considering STEM and are going through the identical difficulties within the classroom as I’m.

17: What’s your largest piece of recommendation to younger individuals in STEM?

ED: Your voice issues. You matter. Place confidence in your self. Imposter syndrome is an extremely actual feeling, however understand that you’re not alone. Discovering a way of group and realizing that there are different individuals identical to you, who’re experiencing inequity inside these male-dominated areas, helps you understand that you simply belong and your voice issues.

17: What does being a Voice of Change honoree imply to you?

ED: Being a Voice of Change means serving as a supply of inspiration and illustration that many might not have. It’s an enormous, big step in direction of making progress for ladies, particularly ladies of coloration. It’s probably the most gratifying feeling to be acknowledged for making an affect.

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