What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is the concept that neurological differences, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others, are natural forms of human diversity, not inherently pathological or disordered. Like biodiversity or cultural diversity, neurodiversity emphasizes variation, not defect.

What is neurodiversity justice?

Neurodiversity justice is a social, political, and cultural movement that goes beyond inclusion and accommodation. It centers neurodivergent identity, culture, and lived experience, challenges structural ableism, and advocates for systemic transformation across education, healthcare, employment, and public policy. It affirms that neurodivergent people have the right to exist without being fixed, cured, or normalized.

Is neurodiversity justice the same as disability justice?

No, but they are allied movements. Both challenge ableism and fight for equity and liberation. However, neurodiversity justice is not a subset of disability justice. While many neurodivergent people experience disabling barriers and may identify as disabled, not all do. Neurodiversity justice begins with difference, not deficit, and emphasizes cultural recognition, identity, and self-determination. It resists frameworks that reduce neurodivergence to medical pathology.

Why do some neurodivergent people not identify as disabled?

Because many of us do not experience our brains as broken or impaired. We experience them as fundamentally different. Identifying as neurodivergent often comes with cultural resonance, cognitive identity, and community pride. While we may face barriers and discrimination, we don’t always frame that experience as a disability. For some, disability is an external condition imposed by inaccessible systems, not an identity they inhabit. Both perspectives are valid.

If neurodivergent people face ableism, doesn’t that make them disabled?

Not necessarily. Facing ableism does not automatically make someone disabled. Ableism targets a wide range of bodies, minds, and ways of being. A neurodivergent person may experience ableism and still identify with a cultural or cognitive identity, not a medical or disability identity. Neurodiversity justice focuses on how systems disable people, not on labeling those people as disabled.

So, is Fish in a Tree part of the disability rights movement?

We are allied with disability justice movements and often work in coalition, especially in fighting shared enemies like institutional ableism, stigma, coercion, and exclusion. However, Fish in a Tree is a neurodivergent-led neurodiversity justice organization. Our mission is rooted in affirming neurodivergent identity and culture, not only in addressing impairment or access. We build partnerships across movements but preserve the autonomy and distinct framework of neurodiversity justice.

Is it harmful to conflate neurodiversity with disability?

It can be. While some neurodivergent people proudly identify as disabled, conflating the two frameworks erases important distinctions. Neurodiversity justice starts from the belief that neurodivergence is a natural form of human variation. If we collapse it into disability frameworks alone, we risk losing sight of the cultural, political, and cognitive identities that neurodivergent people have built and claimed. Unity should not come at the cost of identity erasure.

What does Fish in a Tree mean by “identity-first” language and framing?

We use identity-first language because we honor neurodivergence as a core part of who we are, not something separate or shameful. For example, we say “autistic person” rather than “person with autism.” Identity-first language reflects pride, authenticity, and resistance to medicalized labels. It’s what many neurodivergent communities, including our own, overwhelmingly prefer.

Why is cultural recognition important in neurodiversity justice?

Because we are more than diagnoses. Neurodivergent people share language, humor, creative expression, patterns of thinking, and lived experiences. We have culture. Neurodiversity justice affirms that this culture deserves respect, visibility, and celebration. Like any other identity-based movement, we advocate not just for survival, but for thriving, pride, and belonging.

Is this a rejection of disability justice?

Not at all. Neurodiversity justice stands in solidarity with disability justice. We recognize our shared goals and often face common barriers. But solidarity doesn’t require assimilation. We can work together while preserving distinct identities, frameworks, and leadership. In fact, that’s what real coalition-building looks like.

Can someone be both neurodivergent and disabled?

Absolutely. Many people identify as both. Others do not. Neurodiversity justice upholds the right of neurodivergent people to define themselves on their own terms. We advocate for self-determination above all, whether someone identifies as autistic, ADHD, disabled, neurodivergent, or any combination of these.

What does Fish in a Tree do as a neurodiversity justice organization?

We focus on systemic change, cultural affirmation, and leadership development. Our initiatives include:

• Advancing policy and systems advocacy through the Neurodiversity Coalition of America.

• Producing neurodivergent-led knowledge through our graduate program and credentialing systems.

• Hosting public education platforms like NeuroStage and the Neurodiversity Justice Bookshelf.

• Creating cultural recognition and visibility through programs like the Neurodiversity Pride Day Parade.

• Building cross-movement coalitions while preserving the distinct language and lens of neurodivergent identity.

Is the neurodiversity paradigm part of the social model of disability?

Yes, but with its own distinct emphasis. The social model of disability asserts that people are disabled by inaccessible societies, not by their bodies or minds. The neurodiversity paradigm builds on this, but frames neurological differences like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia as natural human variation, not impairments to begin with. It emphasizes that difference is not defect, and thus shifts the goal from access alone to full cultural affirmation. Neurodiversity justice sees neurological identity as central, not secondary.

Did the neurodiversity movement come from the disability rights movement?

Neurodivergent people have always existed and resisted pathologization, long before formalized movements. While there is overlap in goals and history, neurodiversity emerged as a distinct paradigm to challenge how autism, ADHD, and other neurotypes were medicalized, erased, or controlled. It grew out of community resistance, online forums, collective activism, and shared cultural language, not solely from within disability rights. Its lineage is cross-movement: drawing from disability justice, queer theory, feminist critique, anti-psychiatry, and self-advocacy organizing.

Why is it important to name neurodiversity justice as its own movement?

Because naming matters. Naming a movement shapes its goals, principles, and power. Neurodiversity justice focuses on autonomy, culture, self-definition, and systemic change rooted in cognitive identity. Without a distinct name and lens, it risks being folded into broader disability discourse where neurological difference is reduced to clinical symptomology or “special needs.” Naming neurodiversity justice allows us to build frameworks that center our specific experiences, challenges, and visions for liberation.

What are the risks of collapsing neurodiversity into disability justice?

When neurodivergence is treated solely as disability, it often leads to:

• Pathologization: framing autism or ADHD as deficits to be treated or cured.

• Gatekeeping: requiring medical diagnosis to “qualify” for support or identity.

• Erasure: silencing cultural narratives and lived experiences in favor of clinical or legal definitions.

• Strategic misalignment: limiting advocacy to access/accommodation, rather than transformation of norms, systems, and culture.

We advocate for shared struggle, not assimilation.

Why is cultural recognition emphasized so much in neurodiversity justice?

Because culture is survival. For many neurodivergent people, finding others who think, speak, feel, and experience the world similarly is life-changing. We share unique forms of humor, storytelling, communication, pattern recognition, emotional processing, and sensory experience. This is not just an individual difference; it is a collective culture. Neurodiversity justice treats that culture as a site of resistance, celebration, and leadership, not as an afterthought to access.

How does Fish in a Tree practice coalition without co-optation?

We collaborate across movements by:

• Centering neurodivergent leadership, not speaking on behalf of others.

• Uplifting disability justice principles while clearly naming where our work diverges.

• Building cross-movement programs (like the Neurodiversity Coalition of America) rooted in shared values and ethics.

• Honoring intersectionality, particularly the experiences of multiply marginalized neurodivergent people, including those who are disabled, queer, racialized, or gender-expansive.

• Avoiding language policing: We don’t dictate how others identify. We just defend our right to name ourselves.

Can I be part of this movement if I don’t know whether I’m neurodivergent or disabled?

Absolutely. You do not need a formal diagnosis or label to participate in neurodiversity justice. Many of us arrive at these frameworks after years of masking, misdiagnosis, or exclusion. Fish in a Tree welcomes all who recognize themselves in these stories, believe in collective liberation, and commit to justice.

Is Fish in a Tree a service provider or support organization?

We are not a clinical or service-based nonprofit. We are a systems-change, culture-building, and education-driven movement hub. That means our work focuses on:

• Leadership development

• Public scholarship

• Advocacy and organizing

• Cultural celebration

• Structural transformation

We are neurodivergent-led and dedicated to building infrastructure for long-term change, not temporary fixes.

What’s the difference between the neurodiversity paradigm and neurodiversity justice?

The neurodiversity paradigm is a way of understanding human brains: it says that neurological variation is natural, and that differences like autism or ADHD are not medical deficits. Neurodiversity justice builds on that foundation, pushing it into political and cultural action. It asks: What does it mean to build a society where neurodivergent people can thrive? How do we dismantle ableism? How do we center joy, resistance, and identity instead of simply asking for accommodations? Justice is the action that grows from the paradigm.

Does Fish in a Tree serve “all disabilities”?

No. and that’s by design. Fish in a Tree focuses on neurodivergent-led systems change, rooted specifically in the lived experiences of autistic, ADHD, AuDHD, dyslexic, and otherwise cognitively divergent people. We work in solidarity with broader disability justice movements, but our primary mission is to build infrastructure, culture, and advocacy for neurodiversity justice. We name this explicitly so that our scope is clear, our strategy is focused, and our leadership is accountable to the community we represent.

Is this about inclusion, or something more?

It’s much more. Inclusion often asks: How do we help neurodivergent people fit into existing systems? Neurodiversity justice asks: How do we transform the systems themselves? Inclusion can be conditional, dependent on masking, compliance, or productivity. Justice is about dignity, self-determination, and full participation, regardless of how someone communicates, thinks, moves, or learns. At Fish in a Tree, we’re not asking to be let in, we’re building the house differently.

What about people with higher support needs? Are they part of this movement?

Absolutely. Neurodiversity justice includes and honors the full spectrum of neurodivergent experience, including those who are non-speaking, require 24/7 care, or experience high levels of distress in inaccessible environments. Our vision is not about independence; it’s about interdependence, dignity, and rights. We reject any model that frames some neurodivergent lives as more valuable or more “capable” than others. Justice includes everyone.

What role does Fish in a Tree play in national or global movements?

We are proud to lead and collaborate in multiple large-scale efforts for neurodiversity justice, including:

• Serving as the anchor organization for the Neurodiversity Coalition of America

• Hosting the U.S. Neurodiversity Justice Agenda

• Launching the Graduate Program in Neurodiversity Studies (2027)

• Offering the Board Certified Neurodiversity Consultant (BCNC) credential (2027)

• Running public initiatives like NeuroStage, The Neurodiversity Justice Bookshelf, and the Neurodiversity Pride Day Parade – New Orleans

Through these efforts, we are shaping systems, building new professional pathways, and redefining public discourse, all led by neurodivergent people.

How can I support Fish in a Tree?

You can:

• Donate (one-time or recurring) to support our programs and pay our growing team

• Sponsor a Bookshelf month, a NeuroStage speaker, or the Neurodiversity Pride Day Parade

• Share our blog, posts, articles, and events with your network

• Invite us to speak or consult with your organization

Every dollar, click, and act of solidarity helps us build the infrastructure this movement needs and deserves.

Are you affiliated with Autism Speaks or similar mainstream organizations?

Absolutely not. We do not support Autism Speaks or any organization that promotes cure-based, deficit-oriented, or eugenics-adjacent narratives about autistic or neurodivergent people. We are proud to be part of the global movement for neurodivergent-led, neuro-affirming, justice-based change.

Do you offer individual therapy, coaching, or diagnostic assessments?

No. Fish in a Tree is not a clinical service provider and does not offer therapy, coaching, or diagnosis. However, we are building a public directory of neuro-affirming providers, including therapists, assessors, coaches, and Telehealth professionals, who share our values and provide respectful, identity-centered care. If you are a provider who would like to be listed, see our application guidelines.

What is your position on self-diagnosis?

We fully recognize self-diagnosis as valid and often necessary, especially for those who face systemic barriers to formal diagnosis due to race, gender, poverty, language, location, or trauma. Our programs, partnerships, and initiatives are open to both professionally and self-identified neurodivergent individuals. Lived experience, not gatekeeping, defines this movement.

How can I bring Fish in a Tree to my workplace or university?

We offer consulting, keynote speaking, accessibility audits, and tailored trainings for universities, nonprofit organizations, cultural institutions, corporations, healthcare settings, tech companies, and more. Whether you’re looking to build inclusive systems, train your staff, redesign programs, or bring in a neurodivergent speaker, we can work with you to make it happen. Contact us or visit our Services page to learn more.

How is Fish in a Tree funded?

Fish in a Tree is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our funding comes from a combination of grassroots donations, limited grant support, consulting and speaking income, sponsorships, and the deep personal investment of our founders and volunteers. We do not receive support from deficit-based organizations, and we uphold financial ethics that center community ownership and movement sustainability.

If you’d like to donate or sponsor a program, visit our Donate page.

I’m a neurodivergent artist, podcaster, or storyteller. Can I collaborate with you?

Absolutely. Fish in a Tree runs several platforms, like NeuroStage, Neurodiversity Justice Bookshelf, the Fish in a Tree Community Blog, the Fish in a Tree Global Blog, and public writing features, that uplift creative, cultural, and scholarly work by neurodivergent people. If you are a creator or public thinker whose work aligns with neurodiversity justice, reach out. We are always building new containers for visibility and voice.

What does it mean to be a “Partner Organization”?

Partner Organizations are individuals, groups, or institutions whose mission aligns with ours and who wish to be publicly recognized in solidarity with our work. It is not a contractual or funding relationship, but a mutual public commitment to values, visibility, and collaboration. Partner Organizations are listed on our site, prioritized for invitations to collaborate, and included in cross-promotion opportunities when relevant. Contact us to become a Partner Organization.

Can I volunteer?

Yes, absolutely. Our growing network of over 2,000 neurodivergent volunteers supports everything from event planning and accessibility feedback to writing, outreach, and community moderation. Whether you want to join a committee, help coordinate an event, or contribute a specific skill, we welcome your time and talents. To express interest, send us a note on our Contact Page.

What’s the difference between Fish in a Tree and the Neurodiversity Coalition of America?

Fish in a Tree is a nonprofit organization focused on education, public programs, consulting, and movement infrastructure. It serves as the founding organization of the Neurodiversity Coalition of America (NCA), which functions as a national platform and convening body for neurodivergent-led organizations, professionals, and advocates.

In short:

• Fish in a Tree runs programs, initiatives, events, and credentialing pathways

• NCA sets the national agenda and unites movement efforts under a shared platform

Fish in a Tree serves as the operational and strategic backbone of the Coalition while also leading its own direct programming.

How do I stay updated?

You can stay informed and engaged in several ways:

• Subscribe to our Substack: From the Desk of Bridgette Hamstead

• Follow Fish in a Tree and Bridgette Hamstead on LinkedIn

• Sign up for our newsletter (Community Tab)

• Check the blogs regularly for updates, articles, and program launches

• Attend our LinkedIn Live events, webinars, and featured speaker series

We’re building an ecosystem, not just an organization, so there are many entry points for engagement.

Do you work with youth or schools?

While we support educators and systems change in education broadly, Fish in a Tree’s primary focus is on adult systems, including:

• Higher education and academic research

• Workforce development

• Healthcare and long-term care

• Policy, legislation, and systemic design

• Cultural and public discourse

Our mentorship, training, and credentialing programs are geared toward neurodivergent professionals, advocates, and leaders shaping the world we want to live in.