Show Notes

Discover what’s possible when you start to examine your own biases. 


Maria Davis-Pierre is a mother to an 8-year-old girl on the autism spectrum, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and the Founder and CEO of Autism in Black Inc., an organization dedicated to raising autism awareness and reducing the stigma within the Black community. Maria is also a coach, speaker, advocate, and author. She has been featured in Forbes, the New York Times, and Counseling Today, and her book The Self-Care Affirmation Journal was published in 2018. 


In today’s conversation, we discuss: 



  • The challenges Maria faced when receiving her daughter’s diagnosis

  • Why Maria started Autism in Black

  • How Parent-Child Interaction Therapy can benefit families who are dealing with behavioral challenges

  • How religion, misunderstanding of autism, and distrust of the health care system contribute to misdiagnosis

  • The lack of research on autism in the Black community and why this problem leads to culturally-insensitive assessments and treatment plans

  • Maria's experiences as a Black parent, including dealing with stress and being judged according to stereotypes


For more information about Maria Davis-Pierre, please visit autisminblack.org and follow her on Instagram @autisminblack. 


This conversation with Maria Davis-Pierre was originally released on February 4, 2021. 


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Resources:


Racialized Emotion Recognition Accuracy and Anger Bias of Children’s Faces  ----more----


Related Episodes:


17. Growth, Diversity, and Cultural Humility, with Brandy Collins and Crystal Thompson 


43. Social Media and Intersectional Advocacy, with Tiffany Hammond 


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