Meet Lyric Rivera

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lyric Rivera. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lyric below.

Lyric, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I didn’t really “find my purpose” my purpose found me.

For most of my life, I lacked purpose, meaning, and connection with other people. I was isolated and alone (even when others were around).

I’m NeuroDivergent (Autistic and also ADHD), but I did not know this fact for the first 29 years of my life, which had a devastating impact on me.

For the first 29 years of my life, I did not know myself (and only projected outwardly what I thought others wanted me to be), keeping others at a distance and preventing them from getting to know the real me.

I was misunderstood by and felt inferior to, those around me, who often scolded me for struggling with things they found easy. Being isolated put me in a dark mental space.

Not understanding my own mind meant I was unable to properly care for myself, leading my physical health to decline. When I was finally diagnosed Autistic, a few months before my 30th birthday, I had reached a crisis point (thanks to a lifetime of mirroring and trying to emulate people with brains unlike mine), and neglecting my needs as a multiply-NeuroDivergent Person.

Rock bottom, misunderstood, isolated, alone. In mental and physical decline, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go on living. Then, something happened: I found out I was NeuroDivergent and started viewing myself through the NeuroDiversity Paradigm, and my life changed.

Suddenly, I didn’t see myself as an “inferior version” of the people around me. My mind was different, and that was okay.

For the first time in my life (at least that I can remember), I went from hating myself to having compassion for myself (even my struggles and weaknesses) and eventually even having pride in (and liking, maybe even loving) myself.

Immediately, I realized that my life was better because of my newfound understanding of NeuroDiversity and that my life (and the lives of all NeuroDivergent People) could be even better if the rest of the world understood and embraced the NeuroDiversity model (instead of the pathological one currently used).

Coming to this realization after being diagnosed Autistic in adulthood is how my purpose (educating people on Autism, NeuroDiversity, and Neuro-Inclusion) found me.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m passionate about promoting NeuroDiversity and Neuro-Inclusion in all types of spaces, but most often work with employers who want to treat their employees better.

Neuro-inclusion is a concept that extends beyond your NeuroDivergent team members; it’s about fostering an inclusive environment for EVERYONE, regardless of their cognitive makeup.

Embracing diverse, supportive, and inclusive teams is not just a moral imperative, but also a smart business move. It leads to a more engaged, effective, and productive workforce, ultimately driving business success.

As a consultant, I’ve successfully helped organizations of all shapes and sizes to create a more welcoming environment for NeuroDivergent (and ALL team members).

When working with organizations, the first step is to start the conversation about NeuroDiversity. This involves giving a basic outline of NeuroDiversity and NeuroInclusion that all team members can understand as a launching point to create a safe space for dialogue, where all perspectives are respected and understood around the human spectrum of mental and neurological differences.

Some organizations may be extended past the “NeuroDiversity 101” phase and may even have NeuroDiversity ERGs or BRGs established. In that case, we will work on affirming and supporting those openly NeuroDivergent team members (and any who have yet to disclose), ensuring they know their input is welcome, wanted, and valuable.

If your NeuroDivergent employees don’t feel safe speaking up about their needs and the things holding them back, you may need to do more work on building openness, trust, and emotional safety within your workplace. This process can be challenging, but it’s a crucial step before you’re able to move on to the next phase (reviewing and making changes to your spaces and/or policies with input from your NeuroDivergent team members).

If the organizational culture is affirming and supportive and people feel safe speaking up about their needs, problems, obstacles, and inequities in the workplace, we can jump straight into making sure the NeuroDivergent People in your organization feel safe speaking up about how they can better be included.

Because every organization is unique, my process starts with a complimentary 30-minute virtual consultation, allowing me to better understand your organization’s current situation and individual needs and goals. This is a chance for us to explore how we can collaborate, create a plan tailored to the organization’s current situation, and maximize the prolonged success of your Neuro-Inclusion initiative.

Additional services include (but are not limited to) consulting, virtual training, writing, neuro-inclusive branding, sensitivity readings, and in-person speaking engagements.

Let’s embark on a journey together, transforming your space (or other project) into a more inclusive environment.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were the most impactful in my journey are:

Persistence – because I am Autistic, many traditional avenues that non-autistic people take for granted were unavailable to me, which meant I often had to “go the long way around” or “make my own way” (which often took more time and effort, or more steps than the non-autistic way would have taken).

In the turtle and the hare race, I am the turtle, slow and steady. Even if everyone is getting there faster than me, I’m determined, won’t be stopped, and WILL get to my goal eventually (even if it takes me twice as long as everyone else).

Creativity – Because so many “doors were closed to me” throughout my life, being able to lean into my creativity, looking at problems in new and novel ways, and thinking differently has been (for most of my life) one of my biggest strengths.

Curiosity—I desire to always learn and grow and am willing to shift my thinking when new information is presented. I am driven by the question, “Why?”

I want to know as much as possible about everything, especially the human condition. This curiosity has fueled me for most of my life. Once I start wondering the “whys” about something, it is very hard for me to push questions out of my mind, which can be both a blessing and a curse.

My advice for others who want to improve on these skills (which are ones that have come quite naturally to me) would be to stay curious and playful.

Also, don’t be afraid to reach for your goals, even the big ones. While the tasks that have the most steps and take the most time (while often very daunting) are often the most rewarding.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

My ideal client is someone who wants to make genuine change within their organization, NOT someone who wants a “gold star” to check off that they have “done NeuroDiversity” without actually doing the work.

My ideal clients want to make the spaces around them more inclusive because they care about NeuroDivergent People and know that doing so is compassionate and ethical.

My Ideal client is not just about the bottom line, but also about the heart of the organization. They want to launch a Neuro-Diversity initiative because they deeply empathize with the impact an organization’s culture can have on its marginalized and multiply-marginalized team members.

If you want to collaborate together to make a real, meaningful change through your project or in your space, you might be my ideal client.

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