We purposely didn’t post about World Autism Day this year. There are merits to mark a day where organisations (private, public & 3rd sectors) all speak about this, however, a lot of times, they initiate conversations by omitting actually autistic voices. 👇🧵

Scottish Ethnic Minority Autistics (SEMA) is partnering with RISE Forth Valley to deliver a series of community sessions on Understanding and Supporting Autistic People. These sessions are designed to build awareness, challenge misconceptions, and support communities to better understand Autism. 👇🧵

Today marks the end of Holy Week. A well deserved day of celebration for those who observed Lent, reflecting on the sacrifices made by Jesus (peace be upon him) to maintain humanity in us humans.

So for Autism Acceptance Month we would like to take the reflections from our community training project and try to educate folks about the basic principles of supporting Autistics in our communities. @thendeducator.bsky.social

Today is about recognising and celebrating transgender people and their contributions, while also acknowledging the challenges many still face in living safely and authentically.

We are offering free community training on Autism Fully funded through the Ethnic Minority Development Fund (EMDF) Available until July 2026 Delivered by SEMA, this training is led by lived experience and shaped by the realities of racialised Autistic communities. 👇🧵

For too long, autistic people have been unheard, unsupported, and excluded from decisions about our own lives. SEMA, along with @amase.org.uk , @arghscotland.bsky.social @auroraconsulting.bsky.social & AVATAR have come together to set out a shared vision for change. 👇🧵

Neurodiversity & colonialism are linked in various ways, primarily through the historical and ongoing impact of colonialism on diverse populations, including neurodivergent individuals. There are some ways in which they are connected. Learn more here: www.instagram.com/p/DWMXsnZNIev/

21st March marks the #InternationalDayfortheElimination of Racial Discrimination. This day reminds us that racism is not just something that exists in history. It continues to shape the experiences, opportunities, and safety of many people around the world.

Different community groups can become neuro-affirming in their practice by implementing the following strategies: 1. Education & Training 2. Accessibility & Accommodation 3. Inclusive Language & Communication

There are several reasons why there may be a lack of vocabulary regarding neurodiversity in many cultures: 1.Cultural Differences 2.Stigma and Shame 3.Medicalisation & Pathologisation 4.Lack of Awareness & Education 5.Historical & Socioeconomic Factors Read more: www.instagram.com/p/DWB2DJGMVE5/

#neurodivergency may not be as widely accepted within racialised communities for several reasons: 1. Lack of Awareness 2. Cultural Stigma 3. Access to Resources 4. Intersectional Discrimination 5. Cultural Norms and Expectations Read full post here: www.instagram.com/p/DV_KpEph9Fp/

#MothersDay can hold many emotions. Today, we honour mothers in all their forms. Mothers who nurture, protect, teach, and hold their families together through quiet strength and endless care. We recognise the Autistic mothers raising children with love despite the exhaustion. 👇🧵

Sleep is not always simple. For many Autistic people, sleep can already be a fragile balance. Sensory sensitivities, racing thoughts, anxiety, or disrupted routines can make rest difficult to find. During Ramadan, this balance can become even more challenging.

Happy Women's day to all the women around us! Today is a reminder to take a moment to reflect, recognise, and take action at a time when women and girls are politicised, victimised and terrorised. #Internationalwomen'sday

We are pleased to see the positive response to our Autistic Ramadan E-book! We would like to thank our service users for the learning, our partner organisations and fellow Autistic advocates for the continued love and support over the years & the team who put this together. 🧵👇

Last year we published a month worth of reflections on Ramadan including 2 webinars discussing Autistic experiences during the holy month. This year we decided to collate these into an e-book, the first of its kind but not the last! You can access the book here: heyzine.com/flip-book/29... 🧵👇

International Day of Women and Girls in Science exists to highlight how women and girls continue to be underrepresented, undervalued, and excluded across scientific fields. For racialised Autistic women, non-binary people and gender-diverse people, barriers in science are rarely just about gender.

Love languages often centre one narrow idea of love. Romantic. Verbal. Neurotypical. Public. For Autistic people, love can look and feel very different. Especially for racialised Autistic people, whose expressions of care are often misunderstood, dismissed & judged through cultural & ableist lenses

#LunarNewYear2026 🧧 Year of the Red Fire Horse Lunar New Year is celebrated across many cultures, including Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and other East and Southeast Asian communities. It is a time connected to renewal, ancestry, movement, and change.

Today is World Cancer Day and at SEMA we cannot ignore who is being left behind. For Autistic people and those with learning disabilities, cancer care comes with extra barriers. #WorldCancerDay #UnitedByUnique #Neurodiversity #LearningDisabilities #CancerAwareness #SEMA

At SEMA, we see how racism intersects with neurodivergence, culture, and faith. It shapes what people feel safe to say, how they are treated at work, and whether they are included in services, schools, or community spaces. #ChangeNeedsAllOfUs #RaceEqualityWeek #SEMA #RacialisedAutistics #Scotland

Last month, I ran a training with Rainbow Muslim Women Group, and going through the session afterwards some things really stuck with me. Watch complete video here for my reflections: www.instagram.com/p/DULkR_mlJoz/ - @thendeducator.bsky.social #DestigmatiseAutism #AutisticTrainer #Autism

I delivered the introduction to community training sessions on 26th Dec and 7th Dec with two ladies' groups at Rainbow Muslim Women's Group, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

Everyone has been talking about the new Barbie this week. Normally, when topics go viral, I avoid adding my 2 pence. However, my ADHD brain was buzzing last night after continuously reading reviews, criticisms and welcomes to the doll collection. 👇🧵 @thendeducator.bsky.social

On 5th Dec, I went to the Boots and Beards office to deliver the first part of the Community Ambassador Training to some of the male South Asian carers at Coalition of Carers. @thendeducator.bsky.social

The new year has always been something I’ve always looked forward to. The madness dies down a bit, and you can tuck yourself in at home and reflect on what has been in the previous year. #SEMA #NewYearReflections #AutisticVoices #NeurodivergentCommunity #AutisticAdults #AutisticJoy

As we step into 2026, we pause to honour the courage, resilience, and stories that make our community so extraordinary. Every voice shared, every act of kindness, and every moment of understanding has shaped a world where people feel seen, valued, and supported.

We are deeply thankful to Corporate Vision for the Small Business Awards 2025 in the Neurodiversity & Equity Excellence – UK category. 🏆 This recognition reflects the dedication, resilience, and passion of our community — the people, families, and supporters who walk alongside us every day.

Merry Christmas from SEMA 🎄 This Christmas, we pause to reflect on the power of kindness, connection, and compassion. It is a time to celebrate the moments that bring warmth to our hearts, the people who lift us up, and the courage it takes to face challenges with hope.

#InternationalHumanSolidarityDay is observed on 20 December. It reminds us that solidarity is not charity or sympathy. It is a shared responsibility to challenge poverty, inequality and social exclusion through collective action. #RacialisedAutistics

#InternationalMigrantsDay: My great story is a shared one International Migrants Day is observed on 18 December. It recognises migration as a defining force of our time and calls for safer, fairer and more inclusive systems that reflect real lives, not stereotypes.

@thendeducator.bsky.social from Scottish Ethnic Minority Autistics will join Rainbow Muslim Women's Group to discuss the understanding of autism and neurodivergency. Please join us to help tackle stigma around neurodivergence, disability and different ways of being.

Hanukkah is a celebration of light, resilience and the right to practise faith without fear. It marks a history of survival, cultural continuity and the refusal to have identity erased.

It's the International Day of the Disabled Person tomorrow, and so we thought we would commemorate it by talking about what doesn't get much attention. Knowing how your body and mind work is key to well-being, but most of us lack the information relevant to our specific needs.

Today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. This day is not only about past atrocities. It is about recognising how systems of exploitation continue. Modern slavery includes forced labour, domestic servitude, trafficking, debt bondage and coercive exploitation.

Gender-based violence does not occur in isolation. For racialised Autistic women, non-binary people and gender-diverse people, experiences of harm are often shaped by cultural stigma, ableism, assumptions about communication, and how safety is defined.

Mental health must be spoken about honestly Across the UK, men are facing a mental health crisis that is rarely acknowledged with the seriousness it deserves. • In the UK, around 75% of people who die by suicide are men (Source: Samaritans, 2023)

#IslamophobiaAwarenessMonth: Flip the script Islamophobia is often discussed as a matter of “misunderstanding” or “lack of awareness.” But Autistic Muslims are not misunderstood. They are unheard.

We decided that we will donate to @medicalaidpal.bsky.social. Sign up for our webinar on Eventbrite #colonialism #palestine #actuallyautistic

International Men’s Day: Seeing what is often unseen International Men’s Day is a moment to recognise the experiences of men whose struggles are often hidden, dismissed or misunderstood.

This week marks Transgender Awareness Week, a time to honour trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse people, and to commit to meaningful change. For racialised Autistic individuals who are also trans, the layers of exclusion can be compounded: gender identity, neurodivergence, race, faith, culture.

Islamophobia does not only appear in headlines. It shows up in schools, workplaces, services, and community spaces. For Autistic Muslims, this often means navigating both Islamophobia and ableism at the same time. In recent years, the UK has witnessed a deeply troubling rise in #Islamophobia.

This week is Inter Faith Week: a chance to recognise, respect and build connection across belief systems. For Autistic people from racialised faith communities, meaningful inter-faith inclusion means more than tolerance. #Interfaithweek

It's #ScottishCareersWeek - theme is Shape the Future For Autistic individuals from racialised and faith-diverse communities, career journeys often involve navigating additional barriers – from workplace culture and recruitment practices to accessibility, faith accommodation & spoken/unspoken bias

The Impact of Colonialism on Autistic People Tuesday 25 November, 7-9PM. I’ll be speaking in a webinar by Viv Dawes Autistic Advocate and Autistic Burnout Network alongside Claire Betson and Viv Dawes. #AutisticInclusion #RacialisedAutisticVoices #ColonialismAndDisability #AutisticBurnoutNetwork

Guru Nanak Jayanti, marks the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. It is one of the most sacred festivals for Sikhs and is celebrated with deep devotion, love, and unity by followers of this faith across India and globally.

Excited to share that I will be speaking on Day 1 of the Faith on the Margins: Engaging with Nonspeaking and Black Autistic Christians conference, hosted by the Aberdeen Institute of Autism and Spirituality.

I can’t count the number of times that I’ve heard “I mean, Black History Month isn’t fair is it? There’s no White History Month”, often from well-meaning friends and colleagues. #BlackHistoryMonth #AutismInBlack #BlackandAutistic #BHM #BlackLivesMatter #Neurodiversity #InclusionMatters #SEMA

Abuse is not blind to difference. For Autistic, ADHD, and other neurodivergent women, the risks are often higher, and the systems meant to protect them frequently fail to understand their needs. #DomesticAbuseAwareness #Neurodiversity #AutisticWomen #Intersectionality #SEMA