#187 Autism, Race and Culture

Welcome to the 187th episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast. It’s World Autism Acceptance Week and this year’s theme is all about colour. 

Thinking about Autism, acceptance, race and culture, this is a conversation which is only just emerging. So to talk about this more, I am joined by Reena Anand. 

Listen to the episode

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About my guest

A lawyer and former ombudsman specialising in consumer vulnerability and the Equality Act, Reena founded her consultancy after her son was diagnosed with autism and she realised how little representation and bespoke support there was for BAME parents in similar situations.

Her work focuses on recognising cultural biases and misconceptions which can impact BAME autistic children getting a diagnosis and accessing support. Reena writes about her parenting experience, lends her voice to discussions about the impact of health and social policy on BAME communities, delivers talks to organisations seeking to support their employees with autistic children, and workshops for parents and communities who want to support their members more inclusively.

Reena recently launched a podcast called Unpacking Autism which addresses the impact of culture on the life of autistic individuals and their families.

Reena is on the co-production board at Aubilities which helps organisations use autistic neurodivergence to increase value; a Trustee at the Race Equality Foundation, a national charity which promotes race equality in social support and public services; and Inclusion Governor and Chair of the Governing Body at her local primary school.

In today’s show

• About Reena and what she's working on at the moment [02:15]
• The way she has conversations about culture and parenthood with parents. [04.00]
• How she transitioned from being a full-time lawyer to what she does now [05.13]
• The biggest challenges parents of children with autism face with trying to access primary care. [11:45]
• Her top three tips for looking after her mental health [22:24]

Quotes

• The biggest challenges for autistic people are not because of Autism, but the fact that society is not built for neurodivergent people.
• I don't think autism itself is good or bad. It's different.
• There's a lot of stigma around mental health.
• I began nurturing my own mental health very late in life.
• For me, being with nature is huge!

Resources

• Check out my TEDx talk: The Connection between Culture, Race and Mental Health
• Reena on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
• Join my Mailing List and receive my free e-Book: bit.ly/MHLMEBK21