At the Intersection of Neurodivergence and Anti-Racism

You may have already noticed this post is a little different from our regular content. First, I’m writing this in the first person, as Deborah, not as Peerstone. What I share in this article is from personal experience. However, this perspective does inform my work with organizations growing toward diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) goals. If you are interested in this work, personally or professionally, this is for you.

I am driven to help organizations work on DEIB goals because it’s my passion and because there is a legitimate business case for it. It’s personal and professional. I think everyone should be able to bring their whole, authentic self to work, and I also know diversity of thought and experience feeds innovation and therefore profits. That is not to say it’s easy to do, even when you have the very best of intentions. That’s what this is about—good intentions gone wrong.

As a neurodivergent person, I often learn and process new information in a relational way. This is true of understanding others’ experiences as well. If I am trying to understand another perspective, it helps me to share a similar experience and unpack how those experiences are similar and different. I do this out of a genuine desire to empathize and bond with others. However, that can be a harmful approach in some situations.

As an antiracist, I am dedicated to finding where my intentions do not translate into positive impact, and this is one of those places. If I am trying to understand the Black experience, my first instinct is to identify my own experiences of privilege and marginalization. My intention is not to compare or center myself, but if I were to share my relational thinking process with my Black colleagues, comparison and centering would be the direct result—causing a negative impact that does not align with my intentions.

Despite this realization, my need to relate in order to understand has not gone away. My desire to understand the Black experience has not gone away. What I find instead is a need to define spaces where I am a co-owner or simply a guest. I am simply a guest in Black spaces—and only when invited. For example, social media spaces created by and for BIPOC or in Black ERGs. In these spaces, I listen, I absorb, I support however I can and however is welcome. Then, I do my relational processing with close friends or others who are doing similar anti-racism work. I’m not perfect, and I slip up. I’m lucky to have a network I trust to call me in when this happens. My responsibility is to acknowledge and move forward.

If you are doing the work of anti-racism, I hope this is helpful to you, especially if you are a relational thinker. If you would like support bringing this work into your professional life, check out our services page at https://www.peerstoneconsulting.com/services, or feel free to reach out to me directly at deborah.pirman@peerstoneconsulting.com.