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I wish I had a more interesting story about meeting Lisa, but the truth is that I found her on TikTok. Honestly, I held out on joining TikTok, but what eventually got me on it were the same reasons most of us go there: to dissociate by watching funny videos and to feel a greater sense of belonging and connection with others, even if it’s just through a screen. I’m a single mom of two neurodivergent kids and even before the Covid-19 pandemic I was feeling pretty isolated. When the pandemic happened in tandem with the onset of some serious health issues, I felt more alone than ever.
Cue Lisa Hicks!
I don’t know what it was that pushed me to reach out directly to a stranger I saw online (although it could have something to do with Lisa being so unapologetically funny, colourful, and authentic) but after seeing numerous videos about Lisa's neurodivergent support community, I went for it! And I am SO glad that I did! Long story short, I find myself here, two and a half years later, joining Lisa in supporting and building that crazy, wonderful community I took a chance on.
So now, back to the whole introduction thing… Hi. I’m Juliana. I am AuDHD with a side of many other things. I have two fantastic, neurodivergent daughters who are currently twelve and fourteen. We live in Ontario, Canada with our two cats.
My academic background is in music education, English language studies, and child care, and I’ve had many different jobs including teaching music lessons, working at garden centres, and running a thrift store. I have special interests relating to all of those things, but most especially I love to learn about and support people. I’ve always been told that I’m a "noticer"—a person who observes and recognizes things that others don’t see. I tend to turn this lens towards everyday folks and see how I can learn from them and, when given the opportunity, support them. My main focus nowadays is in community-building, as I wholeheartedly believe that community is the key to, well…everything!
For most of my life I didn’t realize how important community is, nor did I truly understand what community means. The group that Lisa and I are in has taught me so much more about community and I keep learning new things from all the wonderful people in our group, while also finding support and love for myself.
I’ll now be posting here along with Lisa and you’ll likely see me popping up in other places too. I hope that what I can bring to this space is relatable and interesting, maybe funny sometimes, and I welcome your feedback and input. I’m so excited to share with all of you and to be a fellow member of this community! See you again soon.
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