Asiatu, (they pronouns), pronounced AH C AH TWO, is a name rooted in their father’s Nigerian heritage, meaning "wealthy.”

ABOUT

As a Black female, who is disabled, AuDHD, multiply neurovaried, Trans agender, asexual demisexual, Queer, & even left-handed, sociologist, is to exist in spaces that few can relate, while being systemically dehumanized for simply existing. i am the walking embodiment of multiple marginalizations. i call myself a metaphorical "Rubik's cube" with multi-colored squares that rarely ever align perfectly or enough to be fully seen by others.

It is my lived experiences that are the foundation of my passion to help others learn harm reduction from an intersectional sociological lens in protection of the most vulnerable & oppressed. All of socialization begins & ends with relationships, the ones with ourselves, our partners, family, frens (purposely spelled term of endearment) co-workers, communities, etc. This is why i specialize in commUNiTY connections via my coaching for anyone wanting to reconnect with their authentic self creating safety within & with others.

i carry with me the knowledge of multiple lifetimes & perspectives via my many intersections, which gives me insight that few others share. It is in commUNiTY that we save each other & ourselves.

Note: i purposely do not capitalize my "i" pronoun in honor of both bell hooks, a phenomenal Black woman writer, activist & scholar whose works have deeply influenced me, as well as commUNiTY, to negate white colonial hyper-individualism. Collectively, the "we" is most important & more so than the “i.” CommUNiTY requires shrinking your “i.”

PROFESSIONAL WORK (not an exhaustive list):

Asiatu has been coaching professionally since 2009 and initially focused on healing all types of relationships, romantic and otherwise, teaching people how to be in commUNiTY with each other with a focus on anti-racism work. After being late-diagnosed autistic, they began to include neurovariety within multiple settings.

Some of Asiatu’s work has included the following clients: Walls Down Collective (Canada), Holistic Praxis Education (Canada), Amnesty International (UK), API Speech-Language-Hearing Caucus, Autism In Black Annual Conferences, Wheaton College (MA, US), Neurodivergent Psychedelic & Cannabis Conferences, a consultant for PDA North America Organization, S.L.A.M. Conference: Sex Ed Revolution as well as multiple podcasts including “Lived Expertise > Degrees” hosted by Kayla Concannon & others as well as social media interviews. They were an autistic consultant for the book “Is This Autism: A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else” by Donna Henderson & Sarah Wayland with Janelle White.

They have also published written works speaking to their intersectional marginalized identities, especially being a Black autistic including Neuroclastic articles and other short essays:

* “Fist Fight” & “Sensitive Soul” in the “Rise From Within” Anthology (300 South Media Group)

* “Lifelong Job Interview” in the “Through the Looking Glass: You Don’t Look Sick” Anthology” (Indie Blue Publishing)

* “Ancestral Paradox” in “The 250 Project: A Black Indigenous Reckoning” (1526 Press)

NEUROVARIED HISTORY

Asiatu was diagnosed with ADD (today’s ADHD), anxiety (GAD), depression, as well as learning disabilities, in puberty, and about twenty years later as autistic, major depressive disorder (MDD) & C-PTSD. Feeling like an outsider, and having deep compassion for others, which they attribute mostly to their commUNiTY mindset, combined with their family’s legacy, are the roots of their work. Asiatu’s maternal grandparents were both associates and personal frens (term of endearment) of Martin Luther King Jr. They attribute their Blackness & neuro identities to their specialties of antiracism & neurovariety. Asiatu has always been one that has deeply connected to people that are silenced.

Asiatu uses their life experiences, to empower those that feel lost, hurt, different and/or alone. Though they have always been vocal about social inequities since childhood via their family’s activism, they began their professional training at Spelman College, earning a Sociology degree in 2001. After graduating, they worked with children, including autistics, in varying capacities, for a decade, before broadening their work to include other marginalized groups in 2009. Today, they continue to help others through coaching, consulting, education and social media.

COLLABORATORS (CLIENTS):

Asiatu has worked with both organizations and people of varying backgrounds wanting to unlearn white primacy. They have shared their expertise with predominately white companies as well as individuals from: the Black community, gender oppressed, LGBTQIA+, survivors of sexual abuse, and neurovaried people, all of which are reflections of themselves.

Racism and gender biases within the white colonized mental healthcare system, has left many gender marginalized, especially Black, severely unsupported especially those of us who are autistic &/or ADHD. Consequently, there remains a need for neurovaried Black people to be seen & understood which Asiatu works to fulfill.

Asiatu also works with guardians of neurovaried (NV) children. They give support and guidance to caretakers to foster a supportive environment. Sadly, oftentimes, NV littles are misunderstood and/or are invalidated by others, typically unconsciously by adults who care for them.

CommUNiTY:‍ ‍Asiatu is dedicated to creating safe spaces for ALL committed to harm reduction, growth & CONNECTion.