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

Happy Diwali from SEMA As homes light up across the world for Diwali, we celebrate the spirit of brightness, renewal, and community. For many, Diwali is more than a festival of lights. It is a reminder that light grows stronger when shared through understanding, inclusion, and kindness.

Behind these numbers are lives and stories, and too often, racialised voices are the ones missing. October is ADHD Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is The Many Faces of ADHD.

Many people know dyslexia. Many know ADHD. But what happens when the two intersect, or when an Autistic person also has ADHD? The impact is profound, especially in systems built around singular-focus assessments.

This year’s theme for International Day of the Girl Child is “The girl I am, the change I lead”, it honours girls on the frontlines of crisis, those shaping their futures despite systemic inequality. Yet the global picture shows how far there is still to go. #DayoftheGirl #GenerationEquality

This year’s theme, “Mental health in humanitarian emergencies”, reminds us that mental health support is not a luxury. It is a necessity that must reach everyone, especially those already living at the margins of care. #MentalHealthMatters #SEMA

We are delighted to share that our original artwork from the "Our Lived Experiences" project, funded by the Autistic Adult Support Fund, is on display this month around the Forth Valley. #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackWhileAutistic #OurStories #LivedExperience #ForthValley

On the 24th, I had the opportunity to present the findings of a survey on autism assessment experiences—a vital research piece that brought together Scottish Autism, ARGH, AMASE, and SEMA. Although the research was conducted in 2023, the situation has actually declined for Autistics in Scotland.

2 October marks the International Day of Non-Violence, a reminder that peace is not only the absence of conflict but the presence of dignity, justice, and respect. Violence is not always physical. It shows up as systemic exclusion, cultural stigma, and barriers to access.

30 September marks #InternationalTranslationDay, a celebration of the bridges language creates. At Scottish Ethnic Minority Autistics (SEMA), translation is more than words. It is about ensuring autistic people from all communities can access respect, dignity, and understanding.

“They’ll be fine.” But what if they’re not? Some of the most misunderstood experiences for Autistic people, especially racialised Autistics, are rejection sensitivity, elopement, and suicidality. These are often dismissed or mislabelled as misbehaviour, defiance, or attention-seeking.

As Black and Brown people, we are not afforded the same empathy when we feel overwhelmed - our emotions are seen as dramatisation or aggression. Autistics of all races say when they feel any strong emotion - fear, love, excitement, anxiety, injustice, joy - that they react with tears.

Autistic individuals aged 55 and over, in the UK, are invited to participate in a research project. Help us understand what it’s like to live in a world not designed for older autistic adults. @blackautistics.bsky.social @semascot.bsky.social @autisticsociety.bsky.social #autism #autismresearch

At the weekend, I was speaking to a parent of a young PDA teen who is at wit's end with the struggles they face at home. It didn't help when the primary school didn't pick up the child's needs. It didn't help when others said they are 'weak parents' and give in to the child's demands. 🧵👇

On Monday we had the opportunity, with @auroraconsulting.bsky.social, to deliver training to officers of different rank from the Greater Glasgow Division. We did have folks travelling in from other areas too. Huge thanks to Greater Glasgow Division, for hosting us 🧵👇

The current hostile anti-immigration climate that has affected the UK is really causing alarm for us. Firstly, the beliefs that perpetrate the hate and falsely perceived threat of 'foreigners' and baseless! #hopenothate #notoracism #migration #saltire #welcome #racialisedautistics #safespaces

I had the opportunity to deliver training to the SQA ACE & Disability Network members last week. The topic was accommodating racialised autistics in their full identities, experiences and characteristics which meant understanding intersectional experiences.

📢 Our survey for UK autistic adults will be open until 9am Monday 1st September, so there's still time to take part. ⬇️ Thanks to everyone who has taken part already 🙏

In our recent research on Autistic experiences of assessment in Scotland, with @arghscotland.bsky.social, @semascot.bsky.social and @scottishautism.bsky.social, Edinburgh stood out as having the best experiences, thanks to Number 6. We have just learned that they have lost funding for this service.

The next meeting of the Cross-Party Group on Autism will take place on Monday, 1st September, 12-2 pm, and we are heading up the presentations! This meeting will focus on the experiences of racialised autistic people in Scotland...

🕯️ International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief | 22 August Today we remember those whose lives have been torn apart simply because of how they pray, what they believe, or the traditions they hold dear.

We're launching a series highlighting the positive stories of refugees and asylum seekers in Scotland 📰 You can read our series "Refugees Are Welcome Here" in print and online, Monday to Friday next week

📣 Announcing our new funded work for 2025–2026! Our project was made possible thanks to #NationalLottery players We’re absolutely delighted to share that SEMA has been awarded funding through the Ethnic Minority Development Fund by the #NationalLottery Community Fund, managed by CEMVO

Help sustain the work of SEMA- led by racialised Autistic people, for racialised Autistic people At SEMA, we are building something many of us never had, a space that truly sees and supports racialised Autistic people. #SupportSEMA #RacialisedAutistics #AutisticAndEthnicMinority

Raksha Bandhan A thread A promise A bond It is is a celebration of protection, love, & the relationships that anchor us. While often marked by the bond between siblings, it’s also a reminder that care can come from many places- chosen family, close friends & communities that truly see & support us

🌍 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples This day honours the cultures, histories, and resilience of Indigenous communities across the globe. It reminds us of the deep injustices Indigenous peoples have faced & continue to face due to colonisation, systemic violence, and erasure.

nternational Day of Friendship 🫂 30 July 2025 Friendship isn’t just about who makes you laugh the hardest. It’s about who sees you, even in your quietest moments.

We aim to make understanding autism possible across languages and cultures When autism resources are only in English, too many families are left behind. #LanguageJustice #AutismAccess #RacialisedNeurodivergence #SEMA #SupportGrassroots

Some days, self-care is deep rest. Other days, it’s doing the hard admin you’ve been avoiding for months. It’s boundary-setting. It’s laughter with people who get it. It’s sitting in silence because your brain and body need decompression time.

Racialised Autistic people often face multiple layers of exclusion—but their experiences are rarely centred in training or professional development. At SEMA, we wanted to change that.

This month is about roots. About remembering the people who crossed oceans so we could plant ourselves in new soil and still bloom. About the languages, food, music, and stories that shape who we are, even when the world asks us to explain, shrink, or hide.

Nelson Mandela International Day 18 July 2025 🧠 Which of these quotes is by Nelson Mandela? A) “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

We’re so excited to be part of the NeuroBears Picnic on 25th June, where the brand-new resource Unpacking Understanding will be officially launched! This creative and vital project shares experiences of racialised Autistic people, offering young people a chance to see themselves reflected and heard

World Refugee Day 2025 🕊️ Hope for Refugees, Hope for All. Together, We Welcome Refugees. Support Refugees, Build a Better World. Help Refugees Rebuild Their Lives. Behind every border crossed is a story—of fear, of strength, of survival. #worldrefugeeday

Autistic Pride Day 2025 🌟 We don’t need fixing. We need listening. We need space. We need respect. We need to live as we are. This #AutisticPrideDay, we honour every racialised Autistic person who’s been silenced, underestimated, or pathologised.

Happy Fathers day to all fathers! Today, we hold space—for every kind of father, and for every kind of feeling this day brings. 🧔🏾‍♂️ For the dads who show quiet strength, carrying more than they speak of. 🧕🏽 For the ones still learning how to love more openly than they were ever taught.

@thomascarthur.bsky.social congrats on the new post. We look forward to working with you. #Equalities

Eid ul-Adha Mubarak from all of us at SEMA! Eid ul-Adha is a time of sacrifice, compassion, and collective responsibility—a reminder to centre justice, care, and humanity in all that we do.

Resharing my starter pack of neuro-affirming Autistic advocates, orgs and charities if you are looking for a good list of people to follow go.bsky.app/9N5UEUC

"I never considered it from that point of view" 🥲 -feedback as I jumped on the train home from the Neurodiversity in the Workplace professional learning event on 19th, where I talked the early processes of recruitment from a racialised Autistic perspective. #NeurodiversityInTheWorkplace

Culture is more than food, festivals, or flags—it’s language, identity, struggle, memory, and belonging. 🎭🧕🏽📚🎶 On this day, we celebrate cultural diversity, but at SEMA, we also push for honest dialogue because true diversity doesn’t mean much without equity, accountability, and access.

Next week I have the opportunity to speak about the experiences of Racial Autistics seeking meaningful employment and what employers can do to improve their workforce...because hiring a diverse pool of talent and perspectives can only be a good thing for any organisation! #Neurodiversity #Workplace

Today isn't easy for everyone. While some celebrate loving, supportive families, many of us carry stories of broken trust, exclusion, or having to raise ourselves. We know that the idea of “family” looks very different for Autistic people, racialised people, and those at the intersections of both.

Last call! We’re so grateful to be nominated for the Community Organisation Award for Race, Religion & Faith at the National Diversity Awards 2025. This nomination isn’t just for us—it’s for every racialised Autistic person who’s been overlooked, excluded, or unheard.

🪷 Happy Vesak Day to All Who Observe from Team SEMA🌕🕯️ Today marks Vesak, the sacred day commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha. It is a time for peace, reflection, and compassion, observed by Buddhist communities across the world.

🎉 We’ve been nominated! We’re honoured to share that we have been nominated for the Community Organisation Award for Race, Religion & Faith at the National Diversity Awards 2025, sponsored by OVO and in association with HSBC UK. #NationalDiversityAwards #SEMA #RacialisedAutistics #NDA25