I was raised in the coastal regions of Abenaki, Pennacook, and Wabanaki unceded territory also known as southern Maine and New Hampshire. My current home is on Chelamela, Kalapuya, and Siuslaw unceded land, also known as Eugene, Oregon.

I identify as second generation Arab-American, with some Swedish, Welsh, and Scottish ancestry. I am Autistic, Nonbinary, Queer, and Buddhist. I have directly experienced discrimination, marginalization, and not-so-subtle acts of exclusion at the hands of a perceived dominant culture that is supported by systems of oppression.

Two generations ago, my Arab immigrant family was poor and of lower-class standing. My grandfather worked his way through the “American Dream” and moved our family’s social standing “up” by many classes. As a result, I was raised in the upper middle class, and I acknowledge the many advantages my grandfather’s privilege entitled me in my life.

Since becoming diagnosed as Autistic in 2021, my daily life experience has been in constant transition. First, I felt celebratory of my diagnosis which gave context to many chronically unanswered questions. Then found myself deeply grieving the ways Autism painfully impacted my life. Next, I experienced profound relief because I had a better understanding of my personal needs and could communicate them more clearly. Then I suffered the shame of having to out myself as Autistic, feeling forced into requesting “accommodations” in every space.

Now, my personal pendulum doesn’t swing between the joy and grief of being Autistic, because I have had time to settle into my whole experience- the gifts, the challenges, the strengths, the losses- it’s all a matrix of coexisting experiences. I am an Autistic person who is both deeply gifted and stuck in a culture that painfully denies me access to expressing my gifts.

I’m grateful to have engaged in some pretty cool stuff in my life- I was in the show biz in Hollywood after college, then lived in a remote rainforest settlement two hours from Iquitos, Peru, then later lived in a canvas yurt with my family, spawned an incredible kid who kicks butt in life in so many ways, studied and practiced Tibetan Buddhism for 17 years under my root teacher- the late Choeje HE Ayang Rinpoche- got over 120 hours of meditation training, met and made a lot of really awesome friends, fell in love with the land and wild creatures of the PNW, came out as Autistic, Nonbinary, and Queer, and have succeeded in being a single income earner and homeowner for many years. Super grateful for all of these achievements!

I love being at sea, in the mountains, hiking, paddle boarding, watching birds (especially raptors), writing, cooking with my daughter, enjoying meaningful connection within queer community, spending time with family, playing games with friends, singing in Eugene’s Queer Choir Collective, and curling up with a book and my silly orange tabby.

One last word- I honestly believe that self-reflection, humility, personal accountability, and a good sense of humor are the keys to life. I practice those keys as best I can and embrace my limitations when they arise… when they arise, not if !