Welcome to the Autism in Black Podcast, hosted by Maria Davis-Pierre, LMHC. In this episode, we're honored to have Dr. Samara Toussaint, a passionate advocate for neurodivergent children and their families, dedicating her career to empowering them through education, advocacy, and culturally sensitive care. Her journey as a Haitian-American woman navigating mental health stigma in her community deeply informs her work as a clinical school psychologist, driven by her commitment to breaking barriers and increasing awareness about mental health & neurodiversity within diverse immigrant communities.

 

In This Episode:

In this insightful episode, Dr. Samara Toussaint explores the often-overlooked experience of masking among Black girls and women and how societal expectations and cultural stigma can pressure us to hide our neurodivergence. She shares her efforts to improve the evaluation process for Black children and families, making it more supportive and culturally attuned. Dr. Toussaint also gives us a glimpse into her current work, including executive function coaching and her upcoming book project. This episode is a valuable resource for parents and professionals committed to affirming and empowering neurodivergent Black youth.

 

Listeners will explore:

1. Masking for Black girls and women
2. Supporting Black children and their families during evaluations
3. Dr. Toussaints' current projects including her executive function coaching and her current book project coming soon

 

Connect with Dr. Samara Toussaint:

www.path2growthcounseling.com

Social Media: @schoolpsychdrt (IG/Tiktok) and @path2growthcounseling (IG)

 

About Samara Toussaint:

Dr. Samara Toussaint is a clinical school psychologist and passionate advocate for neurodivergent children and their families. As a Haitian-American woman, her personal experiences navigating mental health stigma inform her commitment to culturally sensitive care, education, and advocacy. She works to break barriers and raise awareness about mental health and neurodiversity within Black and immigrant communities.

 

Join us for the FREE Couples & Co-Parenting Virtual Summit on July 26!

This one-day virtual event is designed to empower, support, and uplift Black couples and co-parents raising neurodivergent children—don’t miss these powerful conversations and practical tools. Register here: https://funnel.autisminblack.org/2025couplessummit

 

Support and Connect with Autism in Black:

Website: www.autisminblack.org

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Facebook: @autisminblk

Join our community for networking, resources, and advocacy: www.autisminblack.org/membership

 

Thank you for tuning into the Autism in Black Podcast! Share your thoughts using #aibpod on social media. Together, let's continue to build a more inclusive and supportive community.