Note: you may also access the transcript at the link below
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First Interview by The Black Autist…ever. Interviewing award-winning autism activist Marcus Boyd -
ANNOUNCEMENT
Timotheus “TJ” Gordon, Jr (@timotheusgordon) of The Black Autist (@blackautist) will host is first ever live interview on The Black Autist Facebook Live Stream. Tune in on Saturday, January 7 at 7pm CT as he chops it up with 7-time award winning #autism #activist, #business owner, and #GrammyAward nominate producer Marcus Boyd (Autism Activist Marcus Boyd on FB; @autismactivistmarcusboyd on IG)
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Good day everyone! Did you all miss me? It’s been a while since I have written a blog entry on my own website. Granted, I have done a lot of posting on the Black Autist social media page. But I think it’s been about a year since I wrote something on the blog.
For those who have been supporting me and The Black Autist throughout the years, I thank you all for the love you have been showing me for all these years. Through the successes and dark times, you continued to support the Black Autist.
With that being said, I need your help.
Since the creation of the blog, I have done my best to highlight the world of the Black autistic, disabled, Deaf, and neurodivergent community through sharing posts, creating social media content, and speaking opportunities.
I have done well with promoting those voices by sharing or documenting happenings related to the intersections of race and disability.
However, I seek to take the Black Autist to a new level.
But how?
Turns out, I need to add more of the Black Autist in my content. More of me and my experiences, in addition to what I already post in my social media accounts.
I am thinking of adding more personal content to the blog, such as sharing weekly posts on giving advice to Black autistic folks, doing streaming of me playing my favorite games, and interviewing Black autistic people.
How can I personalize the Black Autist more? Which contents you would like to see from me in 2022? Let me know in the comment section, or you may email your comments to blackautist@gmail.com.Otherwise, have a great rest of your holiday season!
Godspeed,
Timotheus, the Black Autist -
Image Description: Two people sitting on the bench, facing each other. On top left and bottom right corners, there is a phrase that reads: Community Emergency Services and Supports Act. Painting courtesy of Genevieve Nutley Silva Good morning everyone,
For those who don’t know me, I’m Timotheus and I am the blogger and founder of the Black Autist. I use the blog to promote autism acceptance, inclusion, and disability acceptance, culture, & justice in the African Diaspora.
I am also proud to be a part of the group (which is Advance Your Leadership Power, at Access Living) that helped bring CESSA, or the Community Emergency Services and Support Act, to life! I’m thankful to have a been part of supporting the bill, and when it passes, it will benefit autistic people in Illinois immensely.
CESSA is a bill in which the focus of responding to mental and behavioral health emergencies will shift from the police to mobile response options similar to first responders in physical emergencies. The mobile response unit can take people to local resources that could help them in crises, and the best part…the people can choose where to go.
On a personal level, this would benefit me and a lot of people on the autism spectrum. Because of how we see the world differently from neurotypicals and some may not understand us, we face increase fear of law enforcement getting involved. We are scared to either go to jail, forced into going to a hospital, or face police brutality because we’re seen as a threat.
We are not a threat! I am not a threat! All we want is safe access to mental and behavioral health care that is not restrictive and doesn’t involve law enforcement.
CESSA will create opportunities for autistic people to navigate their mental and behavioral health and on their own (or interdependently with a support team), while accessing mental and behavioral health resources in the community and having the option to seek support from someone in your support group (whether you go to that person’s house or you go to the organization that the person is working for). It will diminish the need for police to come in; meanwhile the bill will create opportunities for first responders and volunteers to safely transport autistic people in crisis to supports and resources.
CESSA will benefit me, as a black autistic man in Chicago. Because of instances of police brutality towards disabled, Deaf, autistic, and neurodivergent people of color, and my own fear of hearing loud sirens and seeing the police approach me in any way, I refuse to call 911 if I’m in a crisis or need to go a resource (or someone in my support team) to address a meltdown or emotional shutdown. Instead, through CESSA, I would place my trust in mobile units who can help me get to the resources and people I need to address whatever is going on with me mentally and emotionally.
From now until October 12 – 16, you too can share your story and the importance of CESSA to state legislators! Join me in spreading the word about CESSA. Visit the following link for more info on how to support CESSA:
https://www.accessliving.org/get-involved/join-a-community-organizing-group/advance-your-leadership-power/cessa-virtual-lobbying-week
Godspeed,
Image Description: Grinning African-American cis-male person with glasses, Afro, and blue Pikachu face mask, holding a green apple Timotheus
Related Links:
1) CESSA Virtual Lobbying Week (October 12 – 16, 2020) https://www.accessliving.org/get-involved/join-a-community-organizing-group/advance-your-leadership-power/cessa-virtual-lobbying-week
2) CESSA Bill Would Create Alternative Emergency Response System for Mental/Behavioral Emergencies https://www.accessliving.org/newsroom/press-releases-and-statements/my-brother-would-still-be-alive-today-cessa-bill-would-create-alternative-emergency-response-system-for-mental-behavioral-emergencies/
3) Mobile Response For Mental and Behavioral Health Emergencies https://www.accessliving.org/defending-our-rights/racial-justice/community-emergency-services-and-support-act-cessa
4) Frequently Asked Questions about CESSA (the Community Emergency Services and Support Act) https://www.accessliving.org/defending-our-rights/racial-justice/community-emergency-services-and-support-act-cessa/cessa-frequently-asked-questions
5) Justice for Stephon Watts blog: https://justiceforstephonwatts.com/post/621744318762336256/the-community-emergency-services-and-support-act
6) CWTA CORE PRINCIPLES FOR POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY REFORMS http://chicagowomentakeaction.com/2020/07/cwta-core-principles-for-police-accountability-reforms
7) Commentary: A Mental Health Response for 911 Calls Could Save Lives https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-opinion-police-911-mental-health-services-20200825-zo7gk627kzhlbk4tb3infc2vea-story.html
8) Why You Should Care About Black Autistic Lives And CESSA https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferpalumbo/2020/09/01/black-autistic-lives-matter/#5e4bc04d427d
9) Bill Status of SB 3449 (101st General Assembly) https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=3449&GAID=15&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=125173&SessionID=108
10) Bill Status of HB 5009 (101st General Assembly) https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=5009&GAID=15&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=125226&SessionID=108&GA=101
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via Disability Visibility: Graphic with a white background and at the top is a row of colorful paint in rainbow colors dripping down. Text in black reads: “#ADA30InColor July 26th, at 4 pm PT/ 7 pm ET. Join us for a panel of #ADA30InColor contributors, moderated by Andraéa LaVant, as they discuss the future of disability and the work to be done. Co-organized by the SFPL, Disability Project, and Longmore Institute on Disability at SFSU. ASL and live captioning will be provided. https://tinyurl.com/ADAinColorPanel Good day everyone! Let’s wish the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) a very happy 30th birthday.
If you’re looking for fresh prespectives on the impact and future of the ADA, then check out the #ADA30InColor writing series. Edited and compiled by Disability Visibility, the #ADA30InColor series is a collection of essays from disabled people of color that illustrates what the bill has meant to them and how ADA can do better in the disablity community of color. Check out their content at https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/ada30/Also, today at 6pm Central Time, you can listen to some of the writers speak their works in #ADA30InColor.
Note: I will be one of the speakers in the event.
Learn more and sign up at: https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/2020/06/10/7-26-ada30incolor-online-event/Godspeed,
Timotheus -
Hello beautiful people, including autists worldwide!
People have been asking me if I have a donation page or a page where they can support my work financially. I notice more folks are seeking to support black creators and black owned enterprises.With that being said, I have decided to create a couple of avenues where you can financially support the Black Autist. All proceeds will go towards the operation costs of running the blog and related business, including media equipment, media software, travel expenses for projects outside of the Chicagoland area, and website maintenance.
You can contribute in the following ways:
– You can donate money to the Black Autist by clicking the following link: https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=A9XAMT7Q9HN8A
or
– You can purchase any The Black Autist merch at https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-black-autist
Any financial contribution towards the blog would be great; I will appreciate it. I will also be stoked if you buy merch from the Black Autist storefront.
If you don’t have the cash, that’s okay. Still share the links to anyone who are able and willing to give financial support! In the future, I will figure out incentives for people who financially support the Black Autist.Thank you,
Timotheus
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PDF version of what the Black Autist storefront looks like. Visit https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-black-autist Happy Saturday everyone! If you’re looking for merchandise that shows your support for The Black Autist or if you want to display your black autistic pride, you have come to the right place!
You can now get The Black Autist and Black Autistic Acceptance merch at The Black Autist‘s storefront on the TeePublic website. I sell merchandise with both logo on them, including t-shirts, pins, notebooks, phone cases, pillows, and much more!
In fact, for the next two to three days, TeePublic is running a discount on all my items. So if you need something that represents your black autistic pride, now is the time to do so while this promo lasts.
Check out and share the following link to the Black Autist store front to everyone: http://tee.pub/lic/theblackautist
May your weekend be a relaxing and safe one, wherever you may be!
Godspeed,
Timotheus -
Image Description: Smiling man with medium caramel complexion, eyeglasses, peach fuzz/short goatee, black t-shirt and curly Afro. Words in the pictures says: “Meet Matthew Rushin. He’s autistic and black. He’s in prison for being autistic and black. Nobody should be punished for their race or neuro-divergence”. Happy Juneteenth everyone!
While we celebrate the official end of slavery in the former Confederate states (which led to the legal end of slavery in ALL U.S. states and territories later, thanks to the 13th Amendment) and the progress of African-American communities in the US since 1865, we must continue to liberate black people everywhere and work towards a vibrant, equitable, and more just future for black people.
That includes black autistic people. Like Matthew Rushin.The details are graphic so I will leave a link that goes into detail about his case later.
Nevertheless, black autistic, neurodivergent, Deaf, and disabled people are constantly targeted by law enforcement and are subjected to state violence by law enforcement. In fact, between 1/3 and half of the police violence cases covered in media involve victims who have a disability or lived experience with mental health. And though I don’t have the statistics with me at this moment, I am certain that most of the cases in the media are connected to race and disability in some form. People like Sandra Bland, Korryn Gaines, Quintonio LaGrier, Laquan McDonald, Eric Garner, Jamycheal Mitchell, and other disabled/Deaf/neurodivergent black people.Add Matthew Rushin to the list. He is currently in jail for nothing, besides for his autism, neurodivergence, and blackness. Even the people involved in the car cash said that it was an accident, but the police still locked him up. Rushin did not commit murder.
It’s time for the black community and allies to liberate ALL black people. Especially black people with disabilities and lived experiences with mental health.
Let’s start with freeing Matthew Rushin!You can do the following things to help:
Read and share his story: https://neuroclastic.com/2020/06/12/matthew-rushin-and-the-injustice-system-the-worst-nightmare-of-every-parent-of-an-autistic/?fbclid=IwAR0ybv7rH3HMuLT1YXFsfjpPQRpboCLz8ARsr08a85oFbnAUceRFrafUCQY
Follow the Free Matthew Rushin Facebook like page and learn more about how to help or which information to share to your circles: https://www.facebook.com/FreeMatthewRushin/
Sign and share the petition, encouraging Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to pardon Matthew Rushin: http://chng.it/Wp26CMrtxc
Donate or share the legal fund page: https://ca.gofundme.com/f/SAVING-MATTHEW-RUSHIN?fbclid=IwAR3jRLGLfYpMMgFoMmHbpgzEY2wo5xPJfhK_FCN2uK0fxzqRcXIl_EJONXY
For more information or more ways to help, visit the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BOBuQeLbHTMs3DvykRK6WaqmcC0US7_NAKaa1uuc7e4/edit?fbclid=IwAR0JkmPmMU62BYOsV7y9FdQgQzxeFsiUYW2N-HFPyqkOabC7LA_8e6yav8A
Thank you,
Timotheus -
Image description: red background; green letters that say “#AccessibleJuneteenth”; logo consists of multi-colored fists, with a black stick figure of a wheelchair user holding a sign. Under the logo is white letters that say: “Images courtesy of I Love Melanin and Creative Commons; Logo made by Timotheus “T.J.” Gordon, Jr. of “The Black Autist”; Note: This is NOT for commercial use.” Happy Juneteenth everyone!
June 19th marks the day where in 1865, the South became officially free of chattel slavery when the Union troops came to Texas to deliver the Emancipation Proclamation to black slaves. It’s one of the dates where we celebrate freedom in Black America.
However, we should also celebrate the black disability community too and our freedom to joys!
Hence, that is why I came up with #AccessibleJuneteenth. Every June 19th, starting this year, any black disabled, Deaf, autistic, or neurodivergent person in the African Diaspora (including the United States) can share their Juneteenth celebration or anything related to black disability community (history, music, culture, clothes, shoes, family, events, actions, business, etc.) on their social media page. You can also post videos or pictures of you and loved ones enjoying Juneteenth, whether you’re outside, at home, or celebrating virtually. I will do the same throughout the day today.
Make sure to sure the hashtag #AccessibleJuneteenth in each of your posts.
Enjoy your Juneteenth!
Godspeed,
Timotheus -
Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition and Illinois Self Advocacy Alliance, with support from The Arc of Illinois and Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, created a COVID-19 resource for Illinois disabled people in marginalized communities. It’s available in English and Spanish.
