So, let's talk about my guest appearance on the “AutisHim Show: Black Fathers and Autism”…
I am thrilled to share my recent experience as a special guest on the enlightening show the “AutisHim Show.” In this episode, I joined co-hosts Tyrone, Lonnie, Nick, and Travis to discuss a range of topics that are close to my heart, from my journey as a Black father with autistic children to my professional experiences and the impactful work of the Autism in Black organization.
If you haven’t watched the episode yet, I highly encourage you to do so. Your support and engagement mean the world to me, and together, we can continue to raise awareness and advocate for better resources and support for our community.
Watch the Full Episode Here: My Guest Appearance on “Autism in Black: Black Fathers and Autism”
Why you need to check this episode:
- Gain insights into the unique challenges and triumphs of getting an autism diagnosis for Black children;
- Learn about the formation and mission of the Autism in Black organization;
- Understand the importance of communication and support in parenting children with autism;
- Hear personal stories of joy and success in the journey of raising autistic children.
“Empower yourself for better health. If you don’t empower yourselves to be able to make these decisions, you allow yourself to stay in a relationship that will be detrimental to you, and you only.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
Topics Covered:
00:00 – Introduction: A warm welcome from the co-hosts and an introduction to the episode
01:45 – Guest Introduction: Tai, Lonnie, Nick, and Trav introduce me and my background
03:15 – Starting the Journey: I share my early experiences as a medical student and my initial steps into blogging
06:45 – Transition to Social Media: How my blogging journey evolved into engaging on social media and eventually launching a podcast
09:10 – Becoming a Father: My heartfelt experiences and emotions as a new father
13:30 – Autism Diagnosis Journey: The challenges my family faced in getting an autism diagnosis for my daughter and how we navigated those hurdles
17:50 – Formation of Autism in Black: The inception of Autism in Black, the obstacles we overcame, and our mission to support the Black community
21:35 – The Role of the Therapist Wife: My wife’s crucial role in our journey and how her expertise as a therapist guided us
26:20 – Communication in Parenting: The importance of communication between parents when dealing with an autism diagnosis
30:00 – Emotions and Diagnosis: Discussing the emotional rollercoaster, from anger to acceptance, upon receiving the autism diagnosis
35:40 – Challenges in Getting Services: The difficulties in accessing services and resources for autistic children and how we overcame them
40:10 – Professional Insights on Autism: My perspective as an internist on recognizing behavioral traits and understanding autism
45:25 – Transition Services for Autistic Adults: The lack of transition services from childhood to adulthood and the importance of planning for the future
50:35 – Advice for Fathers: My advice for fathers on finding support and building a community around them
55:10 – Community and Representation: The need for more prominent figures in the Black autism community and how we can raise our voices
1:00:00 – Joy and Successes: Sharing joyful moments and successes with my children, highlighting the importance of celebrating small wins
1:05:45 – Support Systems: The critical role of support systems for fathers and how to seek out and build these networks
1:10:00 – Encouragement for Community Action: Encouraging community members to take action and make a difference in the autism space
1:15:30 – Conclusion: Wrapping up the episode with final thoughts and information on where to find more of my work and the Autism in Black organization
Quotes:
“We thought that, you know, husband physician, wife therapist, it's going to be easy to kind of get the answers that we need to get. And we started running into roadblock after roadblock.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“We got to do something about this. We can't be content that, you know, we have the resources. We have the time to be able to stand up for our rights knowing that other families aren't.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“Fortunately, I thank God every day, my wife would say, ‘Hey, you know what? I'm going to steer the ship right now because I know you need some help.'” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“We had to start out with communication. I had to recognize that I didn't know what I needed to know.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“I was angry at first for sure… trying to figure out who to blame and I didn't know who to blame.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“Even if you get the diagnosis because it takes so long for people, trying to find access to the resources either from a financial standpoint or just physically, it becomes such a significant roadblock.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
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