Questions are part of our daily lives. I can’t answer all the questions you may have, (rocket science is off the table) but let’s start with the easy ones.

• Who am I?
• Why read this blog?
• Why are we here, and… why should you care?

I was diagnosed last year with autism, after going through an extensive assessment process which involved interviews with my friends and family. A childhood attempt at a diagnosis resulted in my mother being told I’d be autistic if I was a boy, but since I was a girl “I’d grow out of it.”

I did not.

While my provider who did my adult assessment was very professional, this process  made me feel like an insect on a board with pins in my wings. Lightbulbs turned on and connections were made that started to slot pieces together from my whole life. Childhood moments, teenage meltdowns, adulthood struggles, all became more coherent through the lens of my new diagnosis.

My diagnosis was the turning point that drew me back to school, to pursue my masters degree in journalism, a field I’m passionate about. It’s a new leap that I’ll be sharing in future posts.

I struggled prior to my diagnosis because I was frequently overwhelmed by social demands, work-life balance, and ultimately burnout. I’ve seen firsthand that there’s a demand for responsible reporting of sensitive topics surrounding mental health and learning disabilities.

This blog will host my journey of breaking off into a new field. I also intend to bring attention to topics that concern neurodivergent people. Through interviews with professionals in different fields, I intend to share carefully researched pieces. Keep reading for real conversations about what neurodiversity looks like at a human level, and let’s learn together what an inclusive future can look like.