Your home is here: Navigating intersectionality and finding YOUR place

Already subject to unique discrimination at the intersection of neurodivergence and race, BIPOC individuals with ADHD often remain unheard because their symptoms are mischaracterized.

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On day 9 of the “10 days, 10 ways you can Shimmer” campaign, we want to celebrate YOU. You deserve to be heard, loved and accepted.

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Growing up in households where it’s not uncommon to navigate hierarchy, high pressure standards, and emotional volatility, signs of inattentiveness or impulsivity could be mistaken for laziness or defiance. This creates an environment where we are unable to connect, express ourselves, and ask for the support we need in relationships. As a consequence, self-esteem becomes an empty void.

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This does not always have to be the case.

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Here are five ways YOU can take care of YOU:

1. Make a “you” day: Dedicate one day out of the week, or a few days, as your own personal day. Set aside one day per week as “you” time. No work, no obligations — just a day to spend time with yourself doing whatever you want to do.
2. Try Something New: Pole Dance? Pottery? Candle Making? The possibilities are endless - all you have to do is take the first step.
3. Become a Plant Parent, or even better GO OUT in Nature: Nature is your friend! Scientifically speaking, our endorphins tend to flow when we are in nature. If you aren’t able to frequent nature, adopting a plant and tending to it can be therapeutic as well.
4. Treat Yourself: Get that ice cream, outfit, or skin product that you’ve been dying to have. The most rewarding investment you can make is one in yourself
5. Open yourself up to learning: Learn more about the people, places and things that make you YOU. there is great power in conversations and knowledge.

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A note & freebies from our partners

For day 9, our partners are Gaingels, Goodie Nation, Minwo, Asian Mental Health Project and MannMukti. Hear from them about Intersectionality, myths about each community, and more!

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“Underrepresented minorities, and the LGBTQ community especially, are at a higher risk for mental health issues and often lack the culturally competent access to mental healthcare support, care and resources."

— Lorenzo Thione, Managing Director at Gaingels

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“I believe in the power of communities and the trust that lives within them have driven more change than capital ever has. ”

— Joey Womack, CEO and Founder at Goodie Nation

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“Simply put, I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. In 2015, when the idea for MINWO first came to me, it seemed as though there was another murder and another acquittal/dismissal for the wrongful death of a Black person every time I scrolled through Twitter and I wanted to find a way to bring about change.”

— Melanie Akwule, Founder and CEO at Minwo

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“As with the Asian American experience, it's important to address how we are not a monolith. Treatment for Asian American mental health should also be nuanced, diverse and inclusive."

— Carrie Zhang, Founder at Asian Mental Health Project

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“When an individual is not able to conform to a standard set by their family or community, particular aspects of the individual’s life are kept private. When parts of an individual are forced to be kept private in this way (especially by their loved ones), it can lead to individuals feeling unaccepted and isolated. Keeping things “within the family” makes it harder for individuals and even their families to speak up about their feelings and concerns.”

— Dristhi Vidyarthi, Partnerships Chair at MannMukti

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Join our newsletter to get the following freebies from our partners:

• Minwo: Offering us their “Activating Your Allyship Journey” Resource Library and “Critical Convoz” Lab Toolkits!
• Asian Mental Health Project: Offering us their “Suicide Prevention” and “Asian Hate Crime” guidebooks for free!

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Thank you for tuning in, and remember to keep an eye out for more resources, tips, and freebies!

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With love,

The Shimmer Team

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Thank you to our partners: Gaingels & Lorenzo Thione (Gaingels, Managing Director), Goodie Nation & Joey Womack (Goodie Nation, CEO and Founder), Minwo & Melanie Akwule (MINWO, Founder and CEO), Asian Mental Health Project & Carrie Zhang (Asian Mental Health Project, Founder), MannMukti & Drishti Vidyarthi (MannMukti, Partnerships Chair)

And to our content team: Noelle Daoire (Shimmer, ADHD Coach), and Molisha Shah (Shimmer, Founders Associate)

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