Identity: Being denied access to my diagnosis has taken its toll
GenesizC
February 17, 2023
Courtlon "Champ" Turner
Courtlon "Champ" Turner
Father · Barber · Volunteer · Wrongfully Convicted
Champ is a loving father and a Black barber who was a staple and integral member of his community. He is known by everyone as gentle, selfless, humble, wise, and intuitive.
Champ served as the best man at his friend’s wedding. They were extremely close, but one day his best friend was experiencing extreme paranoia. Champ tried to support his friend through this mental health crisis, but when he took a call from his girlfriend, his friend believed that Champ was on the phone with the FBI to “snitch” on him for selling knock-off purses and shoes. He attacked Champ with a butcher knife, they struggled for several minutes, Champ finally was able to break away, then he dialed 911.
When police arrived, they arrested Champ instead of the white man who attacked him. Champ was charged with aggravated malicious wounding, a class 2 felony equivalent to first degree murder. He’s serving ten years for being attacked by a white man.
Champ has congestive heart failure and is an undiagnosed autistic man with undiagnosed PTSD in a prison. His case has striking parallels to Matthew Rushin’s: they are Black autistic men from Virginia Beach who were criminalized by the Commonwealth Attorney and Virginia Beach Police for having a disability.
We are calling on Governor Ralph Northam for a pardon for Champ Turner. Self defense is not a crime. Being disabled is not a crime. Being autistic is not a crime.
“Subnormal”: How a British Postwar Education Scandal Gives a Human Context for ‘Neurodivergence while Black’
Tré Ventour-Griffiths
September 26, 2022
LONG-READ – Autistic While Black in the UK: Masking, Codeswitching, and Other (Non)fictions
Tré Ventour-Griffiths
April 28, 2022
The Performance of April and Autism Awareness Month
Emmanuel
April 27, 2022
Note to your younger self: Invisible magic
Aishah Nyeta
March 27, 2022
“Little Black Autistic Girl, what will the world do with you? Will they forget you? Will you go down in history as an overlooked and unsung hero that deserved more recognition while they were around?”
Dear Fellow Black Autistic, Your Autistic Experience Looks Different,
speer32
February 28, 2022
“From picking your afro because the motion is soothing, to twerking and playing with your braids, to repeating that one itch-scratching line in the rap song you love over and over again… It’s the way that you put on lipgloss even though you just put it on three minutes ago because the motion is soothing.”
Dear Caribbean Autistic Teen,
Marlyn Suárez
February 15, 2022
“Our desire to stim? We use Soca, Bachata, Dancehall, and Salsa as a cover, allowing the rhythm to put out the fire we have in our brains. And thanks to our Caribbean cousins and siblings, we learn how to be style icons.”
On the Impossibility of Getting Medical and Mental Health Care as an Autistic, Deaf, Black Woman with Chronic Illness
GenesizC
February 1, 2022
Genesiz has been diagnosed and reevaluated for autism several times since age three— every time she comes across a provider who doesn’t believe her.
Disney’s Encanto: They Don’t talk about Bruno, but We Autistics DO
AFeralWolfChild
February 1, 2022
Wolfheart Sanchez explores the character Bruno from Disney’s Encanto as being relatable to autistic people for many reasons.
An Open Letter to Multiracial Autistic Teens
Lauren Melissa Ellzey
January 26, 2022
Lauren Melissa Ellzey is multiracial and autistic. She always felt that the world divided her into what was Black or white, autistic or not. She encourages mixed race autistic teens to see and embrace their whole authentic selves.
Identity: Being denied access to my diagnosis has taken its toll
GenesizC
February 17, 2023
Genesiz was diagnosed as autistic at age 3, before she was adopted, but that was hidden from her. Those years of disconnection were an erasure of her identity.
“Subnormal”: How a British Postwar Education Scandal Gives a Human Context for ‘Neurodivergence while Black’
Tré Ventour-Griffiths
September 26, 2022
In this article, public historian and artist-academic Tré Ventour considers a 1970s UK school scandal as an entry point into a nuanced conversation on neurodivergence while Black. Part-history, part-sociological inquiry. This is a must-read!
LONG-READ – Autistic While Black in the UK: Masking, Codeswitching, and Other (Non)fictions
Tré Ventour-Griffiths
April 28, 2022
Academic journalist Tré Ventour chronicles the experience of masking and code switching through the framework of intersectionality. This must-read
perspective needs to become a living staple of collective consciousness.
The Performance of April and Autism Awareness Month
Emmanuel
April 27, 2022
April is essentially a cash grab. April is a soapbox for well-meaning organizations and corporations to bank on us. We’re the inspiration porn, the example to strive for, the burden to be eased that’s big money to them.
Note to your younger self: Invisible magic
Aishah Nyeta
March 27, 2022
“Little Black Autistic Girl, what will the world do with you? Will they forget you? Will you go down in history as an overlooked and unsung hero that deserved more recognition while they were around?”
Dear Fellow Black Autistic, Your Autistic Experience Looks Different,
speer32
February 28, 2022
“From picking your afro because the motion is soothing, to twerking and playing with your braids, to repeating that one itch-scratching line in the rap song you love over and over again… It’s the way that you put on lipgloss even though you just put it on three minutes ago because the motion is soothing.”
Identity: Being denied access to my diagnosis has taken its toll
GenesizC
February 17, 2023
Genesiz was diagnosed as autistic at age 3, before she was adopted, but that was hidden from her. Those years of disconnection were an erasure of her identity.
“Subnormal”: How a British Postwar Education Scandal Gives a Human Context for ‘Neurodivergence while Black’
Tré Ventour-Griffiths
September 26, 2022
In this article, public historian and artist-academic Tré Ventour considers a 1970s UK school scandal as an entry point into a nuanced conversation on neurodivergence while Black. Part-history, part-sociological inquiry. This is a must-read!
LONG-READ – Autistic While Black in the UK: Masking, Codeswitching, and Other (Non)fictions
Tré Ventour-Griffiths
April 28, 2022
Academic journalist Tré Ventour chronicles the experience of masking and code switching through the framework of intersectionality. This must-read
perspective needs to become a living staple of collective consciousness.
The Performance of April and Autism Awareness Month
Emmanuel
April 27, 2022
April is essentially a cash grab. April is a soapbox for well-meaning organizations and corporations to bank on us. We’re the inspiration porn, the example to strive for, the burden to be eased that’s big money to them.
Note to your younger self: Invisible magic
Aishah Nyeta
March 27, 2022
“Little Black Autistic Girl, what will the world do with you? Will they forget you? Will you go down in history as an overlooked and unsung hero that deserved more recognition while they were around?”
Dear Fellow Black Autistic, Your Autistic Experience Looks Different,
speer32
February 28, 2022
“From picking your afro because the motion is soothing, to twerking and playing with your braids, to repeating that one itch-scratching line in the rap song you love over and over again… It’s the way that you put on lipgloss even though you just put it on three minutes ago because the motion is soothing.”
