My masters degree journey is still ongoing after three years due to persistent health challenges, burnout and executive functioning challenges. It's been very difficult to keep myself motivated over such a long period but one thing I appreciate is having had the time to grow academically.

🧠 Read the full piece on Rejection Sensitivity, Elopement and Suicide – How They Are Connected here: 👉 sema.scot/rejection-sensitivity-elopement-and-suicide-how-they-are-connected/

“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.

Black Autistics is looking for a freelance artist to produce a motion illustrated 8min digital documentary (See Al Jazeera’s Sylvia Wynter doc for reference). Please comment names of recommended artists & repost to boost reach. youtu.be/WufVxu6EYao?...

Black Autistics is now on Instagram! This will be a place for sharing audio/visual content on Black autistic lived experiences, reflections on neuro-racial affirming theory, policy and practice as well as updates on our research publications. Instagram.com/blackautistics

Whilst the work of Anna Freud and @at-autism.bsky.social on the NATP has now ended, people can still read here about this groundbreaking co-designed, co-developed, co-delivered programme, including impact case studies: www.annafreud.org/training/hea...

It was great to be able to spotlight the @england.nhs.uk National Autism Trainer program on Richie Brave’s 1Xtra Live Talks for #AutismAwarenessWeek as a stellar example of facilitating institutional engagement with Autism + Race. @jopavlopoulou.bsky.social @drruthmoyse.bsky.social

I’m honoured to be joining @richiebrave.bsky.social on @bbcradio1xtrabot.bsky.social live this Sunday 6 April at 9pm to discuss all things Blackness and Autism. Will you be tuning in? 😃 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Happy Autism Awareness Day! I’ll be speaking on decolonising Autism and embracing intersectional perspectives at the Restorying Autism online knowledge exchange tonight 5pm ET / 10 UK Time. Register here for Zoom link queensu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

A huge thank you to all of our wonderful speakers and everyone who joined the National Autism Trainer Programme Conference. It was wonderful to take time to reflect on the impact of this incredible programme, which was commissioned by NHS England and developed +delivered by Anna Freud and AT-Autism.

Olivia Brown, @blackautistics.bsky.social, was a much valued member of our team of NATP Trainer facilitators, as well as continuing with her role as a NATP Expert by Experience. #NATPMentalHealth

It was an honour to present at today’s NATP celebration conference. I truly hope this work can continue and extend to more settings.

I’m becoming increasingly interested in exploring Racial Health Inequalities in Autistic people. Does anyone know if NHS England or The Race and Health Observatory are pursuing work in this area?

Dissertation Writing Mode

Really honoured to be apart of Autistica’s consultation of autistic voices to inform the NHS 10 year plan. I’m not sure how many others will be championing intersectionality-informed approaches to data collection & preventative community-based mental health care, but I hope it starts a conversation.

It’s been an absolute pleasure working as a trainer on this programme. If you are interested in autism and mental health, consider joining the National Autism Trainer Programme’s free virtual conference on February 19th 2025 12:30-15:30 www.annafreud.org/training/cou...

A Black autistic defendant in the murder trial of South London schoolgirl Elianne Andam is arguing diminished responsibility for stabbing the victim on account of his “Autistic rage.” It’s generating a lot of thought about emotional regulation, rejection sensitive dysphoria and violence as meltdown.

The Glasgow-Caribbean Centre for Development Research includes Caribbean public health crises as a key area of investigation. I wonder if they’d be open to consider slavery as a social and genetic determinant of neurodevelopmental conditions?

Could social epigenetics, Black disability justice and reparations be integrated to address disparities in access to healthcare & poor wellbeing outcomes affecting Black/Neurodivergent populations?

Is it possible that the heritability of acquired neurodivergence in enslaved African populations could have continued to materialise through successive generations to produce behavioural traits that became a dominant part of the Afro-Caribbean cultural standard?

Could social epigenetics explain the parallels between African-Caribbean life-ways and neurodivergent traits?

I’ve been thinking about social epigenetics and whether the trauma of the transatlantic slave trade led to a mass acquisition of neurodivergence in enslaved African populations in the Caribbean.

Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) pipeline from school exclusion to criminal exploiters www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Welcome to all new followers of Black Autistics here on Blue Sky. It’s a delight to be connected with you on this new platform. For those of you who don’t know, this little space on the internet is run by burgeoning Black autistic social scientist, Olivia Brown.