Five Things We Can Do to Maintain Momentum for Neurodiversity in a Post-COVID-19 World

It may seem that the world is changing rapidly. Your organization may be under an incredible amount of stress to continue to remain relevant amid the frenzy of increased social content and Zoom meetings to stand out when you and your clients were literally shut-in for weeks. Terms such as ‘new normal,’ ‘unprecedented times,’ and ‘uncertain times’ seem to be becoming cliché, but we do know that the world will certainly not be the same.

The news regarding opportunities for gainful employment may sound dismal. Business Insider reported, “Fewer than half of all Americans Will Have a Wage in May” and The Lancet journal published an article entitled, “COVID-19, Unemployment and Suicide” where the authors share the dire warning of increased risk of long-term problems and suicide in those “most vulnerable and living on the fringes of society” (Kawohl & Nordt, 2020). 

This foreboding reality is hitting at an especially pivotal point for neurodiversity because the movement to build neurodiverse teams has begun to gain traction, and we don’t want to lose this momentum. However, the actuality is that many companies are going to have to freeze hiring initiatives for some time or even put neurodiversity programs on hold.

What can we do to keep the neurodiversity momentum going when the economic shockwaves of COVID-19 are impacting new job opportunities in a profound way?

Think Like an Autistic Person

Many individuals on the spectrum are lateral thinkers. Lateral thinking is the ability to use known information and create and generate new ideas based on previous information. Innovators and inventors use lateral thinking all of the time to develop new products and processes. COVID-19 think tanks are popping up around the globe, bringing different minds together to develop innovative solutions to heal a broken world.

We can see an example of lateral thinking in one of the recent MIT pandemic hackathons. Alfonso Martinez, co-founder of the event, stated, “We saw many teams coalescing around, ‘How can I use this type of product or service that has been proven effective in other industries for this specific crisis?’”.

Lateral thinking differs from other forms of thinking, including analytical and critical thinking. In analytical thinking the goal is to evaluate all of the pieces of a problem, collecting data, and determining their cause and effects. In critical thinking, not only do we seek information, but we draw conclusions, determine errors, and form opinions. 

Do not lose heart. If you are not naturally a lateral thinker, it is a skill that can be developed. If you don’t have time to develop this important skill – you can ask someone on the autism spectrum.

 Creativity is the New Black

The creative talents of autistic adults are often undervalued and overlooked. However, creativity is a powerful asset and a trait that is sought after around the world. One way that Spectrum Fusion is bringing solutions to neurodiversity is to form teams of creatives to provide a necessary service to businesses impacted by COVID-19. In our Spectrum Fusion Media team, we have musicians, scriptwriters, videographers, artists, and directors coming together to create promo videos to highlight the products and offerings of small businesses and entrepreneurs. 

We are creating videos for an entrepreneur who recently launched a new product before COVID-19 hit. Zentflex is a revolutionary toothbrush that allows the user to apply the perfect amount of pressure for healthy brushing. Spectrum Fusion Media is now producing promo videos for other nonprofit organizations and small businesses in Houston, Erik Calderon is our new media team mentor and Program Director,

 Not only are we bringing creatives together in teams, but we are also thinking creatively about how to empower the rest of the individuals on the spectrum as well. We often hear of adults on the spectrum excelling in science and math or as computer coders and software engineers. In Spectrum Fusion, we have individuals who have degrees in criminal justice, forensic psychology, business, and psychology. We have formed a team for these individuals as well, and we are partnering with the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. 

Remain True to Your Core Mission

Now is not the time to embrace ideas that are not in line with your core values. Indeed, it is quite the opposite. It is times like these that reinforce the need for a robust set of shared values. For example, Spectrum Fusion is a social impact initiative, and we believe in the power of community. We believe in the power of collaboration, and we believe that this is the way forward to make a significant and lasting impact on society. These very core values that allowed our organization to stay connected and continue moving forward during the shutdown. We formed new partnerships and collaborations and launched new projects to keep our participants focused on the future.

The shutdown brought communities around the world together, and our Spectrum Fusion community proved to be a vibrant, authentic, living, and breathing body. Creating a community is more than merely having members in an organization. In order to foster a sense of belonging, the members need to have positive and frequent social contact and a genuine feel of care and concern for one another. 

These ‘unprecedented times’ can also test weaknesses within your organization. Spectrum Fusion is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that relies on volunteers and connections to sponsors and donors. Think about your offerings and assess if you have too many initiatives running simultaneously. This shutdown revealed that some of our groups might have launched too early, spreading the resources across multiple platforms instead of using laser focus and growing one program at a time. Taking time for reflection and being self-aware is essential for making significant changes that will stay the course.

Collaborate and Form New Partnerships

Identify organizations that share a similar vision, mission, or passion as your organization. Alternatively, you can partner with organizations that provide offerings that are complementary to what your organization offers or provide an extension of your current services.

During this COVID-19 shutdown, Spectrum Fusion has been busy collaborating and forming new partnerships. Spectrum Fusion is now partnering with Untapped Group as part of the Neurodiversity Hub. Interestingly, Josh Mitchell, one of our earliest members of Spectrum Fusion, began a job as a writer for Untapped and identified the shared vision and mission of the two organizations. Based out of Melbourne, Australia, Untapped’s website states, “Our mission is to build high-performing teams from groups of highly-skilled individuals. We are passionate about identifying commercially-compelling opportunities in organizations for neurodiverse teams and uncovering extraordinary individuals to form those teams.”  

Spectrum Fusion is working together with other organizations to develop Discovery Profiles to showcase the strengths and talents of adults on the autism spectrum. This is an exciting opportunity that has been in development for the last year. 

Continue to Demonstrate Kindness and Compassion

Adults on the autism spectrum are genuinely compassionate, and they often possess a strong sense of social justice. During the current crisis, our participants stepped up and showed the world what they have to offer. They care about the world around them. They continue to collaborate, form teams and produce work materials that are of value to small businesses in Houston.

It is also important to show kindness and compassion to others who are working hard to further the neurodiversity mission around the world. Just as we need all types of minds, we need all types of organizations with their unique approaches to meet the needs of adults on the autism spectrum. 

Autism organizations can help each other and further each other’s mission. For example, if one organization is holding a gala, they can purchase items from an organization that is producing event materials. If they need videos to be produced, adults on the autism spectrum can be hired to showcase their talents. Respecting different visions and missions is essential to creating a world with increased inclusivity. 

Again, we believe in the power of community. We believe in the power of collaboration, and we believe that this is the way forward in creating a significant and lasting impact on society.