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Navigating Autism as a Black Parent: Our Story, Our Struggle, Our Strength
When my son Joshua was first diagnosed with developmental delays—and later with autism—our lives changed in profound ways. The impact wasn’t just emotional; it was deeply systemic. We entered a world not designed for families like ours. Our story began with quiet questions. Why...
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The Impact of Autism and Co-Occurring Gastrointestinal Issues on Child Flourishing
Author’s note: Recent trends in language use within the autism community show a divide between professionals who often prefer person-first language (e.g., “person with autism”) and autistic advocates who often favor identity-first language (e.g., “autistic person”), for reasons of...
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Navigating Autistic Shutdown and Burnout Through a Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach
(Note: This article is written in neurodiversity-affirming language, including identity-first language) Autistic shutdown is a widely recognized but poorly understood neurological response to overwhelming stress. Despite its significance, research on shutdown remains scarce, with most scholarly...
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The Power of Accountability in Autism and Wellness
The right course of action in life is usually a mean between two extremes. For example, if I am a student who wants to do well in school, my path runs between the opposing extremes of not studying on the one hand and consistently pulling all-nighters with the books on the other. And if this...
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Trauma-Informed Care in the Criminal Justice System: Supporting the Emotional and Physical Wellness of Autistic Individuals
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face unique and complex challenges within the criminal justice system, largely due to environments and interactions that are often not suited to their sensory, communication, and emotional needs. A critical yet underexplored issue is the intersection...
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Embracing Disability as Key to Autistic Well-Being
Accepting ourselves as disabled people is key to autistic well-being. Far from defeatist, identifying as disabled is empowering. When we understand ourselves as disabled, anxiety goes down, and self-esteem goes up. For a long time, I compared myself to non-autistic people, and they seemed to...
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Preventing the Hidden Burnout Crisis in Autistic Women and Girls
One of the most heart-wrenching things I realized as a late-identified Autistic woman was just how disconnected I was from my true self. Decades of masking, of becoming a professional-level chameleon, left me feeling like I didn't even know who "me" was anymore. It was this constant, buzzing,...
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When the Caregiver Role Reverses: Navigating Caregiving as an Autistic Person
Throughout my career, I have heard many times that people with Autism require structure and routine. I have had countless conversations about caring or providing services for people with Autism. What happens when life takes unexpected turns? What happens when someone becomes dependent on them? How...
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Enhancing Communication: The Case for Teaching Public Speaking Skills to Autistic Individuals
“My stomach feels kind of weird,” an autistic middle school student once said to me when I asked him how he was feeling before he went on stage to co-host a talent show with me. I told him that he was experiencing anxiety, and people describe this as having “butterflies in your stomach.” As...
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Finding Independence and Advocacy: A Journey Through Autism and Self-Direction (2021-2025)
As a young, happy baby about to become a toddler, my family noticed I was not progressing as a normal toddler would, so they took me for a psychological evaluation at 20 months. At that evaluation, I was officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Ever since then, life has been an...
