“My Mother’s Apprentice” – The Special Qualities of my Upbringing. A Discussion with  Gyasi Burks-Abbott Gyasi Burkes-Abbott has a unique perspective as a late-diagnosed autistic man, who is African-American and raised by his mother in a white-dominated culture. In today’s episode, he discusses how his mother was vigilant about exposing him to role models in black literature and culture, and how his upbringing led to a strong sense of identity, confidence and purpose. He shares the special way his mother accepted and appreciated his differences that all parents could benefit from hearing, and how it motivated him to become a strong advocate in supporting neurodivergent individuals. He also challenges concepts such as lack of “Theory of Mind” that have pathologized the autistic experience.