Alright – so, a long time ago – Malcolm X called people who thought they were a different race and kissed you know where – house negro. Today, the term is modernized. It is called Oreo – black on the outside meaning their skin color and thinks white on the inside meaning totally confused. For the brown people, today’s term is twinkie – brown on the outside meaning their skin color and thinks white on the inside, also totally confused.
I remember a decade ago or so when I was in the middle of autism advocacy or even earlier starting out, there would be no one who looked like me, nada. No Black or brown person, other than me, was present in the conference committee (Rep. Hayden was also there) when autism being covered by Medicaid passed in 2013. I remember after it was voted, I came outside of the MN State Capitol building and sat on the stairs crying and thinking – only if there were more legislators who looked like me, more committee administrators, more legislative assistants, more lobbyists and just more people who reflected our black and brown communities. Only if there were more Black and brown people in charge or in a leadership position at the health, education, and human services departments.
Well – fast forward to now, there are plenty. Sadly, and frustratingly, so many of them are Oreo and twinkie. Many are in a leadership position at all levels of state government, legislators, even reporters. So why does it still feel lonely? There are even Somali autism advocacy agencies now. Yet, it feels sooo lonely to keep advocating for autism policy and fairness. Why? Why and more why?
I am emotional about this. I feel sad, hurt, used, tired, overwhelmed, and frustrated. What is the point of having sooooo many of you if you are confused on what lane you should be fighting for?
Some may say, well – Idil, we advocate differently and nicer. Ok, I can buy that, but where are your policy seeds and fruits that you have advocated for and/or about in autism?
Somali autism gets picked on by heartless DHS Commissioner Harptsead and we take a nap.
Somali autism is ignored by the health department despite being 1 in 16, the highest in any community, and we are sleeping.
Somali autism issues are dismissed and disregarded by One Minn Hoax Governor Walz, and we are happy because he likes sanbusa or is a social media friend.
Where are the Somali community leaders?
Where are the Somali Mosques?
Where are the Somali autism advocacy agencies?
Where are you all?
The good old days of Dr. Saeed Fahia, Mohamed Jibrel, Hussein Samatar, and Abdirahman flight 13 are gone. We are left with a bunch of ass-kissers, know nothing about leaving a legacy, spineless and yuks as leaders. For that I am profoundly disappointed and hurt.
To be an autism policy advocate, you must be ok with rocking the boat, pissing the oppressor off, and disrupting the status quo because the long-term benefit for our children outweighs. It takes guts, courage, tenacity, but most of all compassion. Unfiltered and pure compassion for children with autism. I simply do not see that from our community right now. You can get mad at me if you want but as they say – the proof of my work is in the pudding, I stayed on the road when it needed to meet the rubber. My goal was not to be liked or be a BFF with anyone, it was simply for my son with autism and other black/brown children with autism with no hesitation and no reservation – full stop and period.
The above words do not represent any candidate, agency, or committee.
Idil Abdull – Somali Autism Mom & Retired Advocate