Life Skills for People of Color on the Autism Spectrum
Conserve Your Energy, Protect Your Time, and Nourish Your Health for a Meaningful Life as a BIPOC Autistic Adult.
I'm Aftab Hafeez, and I am the creator of this course. Being an adult on the autism spectrum comes with abundant challenges, and these challenges multiply when you’re a person of color. Having to cope with and navigate regular harassment and discrimination on individual and systemic levels adds layers of stress, pressure, and complexity to our lives. While some materials exist for teaching life and social skills to adults with autism, they often neglect the nuances, risks, and deeper needs that come with our embodiments. This course is one of the first to bridge that gap.
Given the additional layers of stress, pressure, and complexity that is the backdrop of our lives as neurodivergent BIPOC adults, I developed this course to teach more fundamental inner skills and frameworks I have developed over the course of many years, backed by research, for living a healthy and fulfilling life in society. Some of these skills include:
And much more.
“Aftab’s Life Skills course for POC on the Autism Spectrum is a resource I have been waiting for! As a mental health clinician who primarily works with people of color, I have found that there has been an undeniable absence of materials that can be offered specifically to individuals and families of color who seek to gain a compassionate and rich understanding of how being on the spectrum is experienced in their or their loved ones’ bodies. This feels like such a complete course that is both accessible and enjoyable to folks of many different generations, traditions, and cultures. I feel like I could share this with my abuelita to help her understand my teen cousin and to my teen cousin! Thank you for this offering, Aftab!”
“Aftab is a fabulous teacher and offers a wide variety of explanations, tools, and resources for how to navigate an independent and creative life.”
“This is an extremely well-thought out course and resource not only for BIPOC on the autism spectrum but also for anyone who is interested in dismantling ableism, racism, etc. Aftab does an excellent job at synthesizing key points about what autism is, how it intersects with race/ethnicity, and gives concrete steps towards living a more empowered life surrounded by people who aren't toxic and will accept you for who you are. I also love the little cheetah and lion at the beginning of the videos! Everyone should take this course! It's increased my own compassion and awareness tenfold. Thank you for bringing it into the world.”
Read more about me and this course on Medium.
Lesson 2: Understanding Your Autism
Lesson 3: Your Autism Diagnosis
Lesson 4: Building Your Compass, Values
Lesson 5: Building Your Compass, Priorities
Lesson 6: Managing Your Goals and Time
Lessons 7: Year Goals
Lesson 8: Year Roadmap
Lesson 9: Weekly Plan
Lesson 10: Weekly Calendar & More
Lesson 11: Daily Routines
Lesson 12: Evening Routines
Lesson 13: Diet
Lesson 14: Environment
Lesson 15: Conclusion
Navigate healthcare to get your autism diagnosis, and learn how a diagnosis is beneficial to you
Define and refine your values and priorities in a way that stays true to your culture
Learn powerful time management techniques, including how to efficiently make decisions
Protect and manage your energy so you have more inner resources to meet the world
Implement tested health and wellness techniques to keep you grounded and prevent meltdowns