Protective Diagnosis - A Black Mother€™s Response to Structural Violence and Disability-Presentation and q&a

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Stephanie Parks, a doctoral student at UCLA, discusses her research on the experiences of Black mothers raising children with autism. Parks shares her own experience as a mother of a child with autism and highlights the challenges and barriers faced by Black families in accessing appropriate diagnosis, therapy, and support services. She emphasizes the structural violence and racial inequities that Black families encounter when navigating the educational and healthcare systems. Parks presents the stories of three Black mothers who share their experiences and strategies for protecting and supporting their children. She explores the complexities of misdiagnosis as a protective measure and the need for Black families to navigate between biomedical standards and their cultural needs. Parks also addresses the fears and safety concerns faced by Black families, including the fear of police brutality, and the ways in which they teach their children to navigate the world. She calls for a deeper understanding and recognition of the strengths and resilience of Black families and encourages clinicians and researchers to actively work towards dismantling oppressive systems and advocating for equity and justice.

Keywords

Stephanie Parks

Black mothers

children with autism

racial inequities

diagnosis

therapy

support services

structural violence

educational system