Wise and Integrated Resources Institute are excited to announce a new iteration of the PRIDES Learning Series, a webinar and podcast series focused on improving services for individuals with intellectual disabilities who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Trainings are centered around the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals with IDD and aimed at promoting more inclusive work environments within provider organizations.
Many LGBTQ+ individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities spend years navigating life without understanding why they feel different. While some receive diagnoses early, others are identified much later in life, or never receive one at all, because of cultural stigma, limited access to services, implicit bias, or societal expectations. Within many Asian American communities, the model minority myth, pressure to succeed, and cultural silence around disability and mental health can further delay recognition and support.
Drawing from my lived experience as a queer, late-identified autistic-ADHD Vietnamese American and my work in disability advocacy, public health, and health systems improvement, this session explores the emotional, cultural, and systemic impact of late identification. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how masking, internalized expectations, and delayed recognition affect identity development, mental health, and self-advocacy while learning practical approaches that promote earlier recognition, affirming support, and authentic belonging.
Learning Objectives:
Describe how culture, stigma, and the model minority myth can contribute to delayed recognition and support of developmental disabilities.
Understand the impact of late identification, masking, and internalized expectations on mental health and identity development.
Recognize how intersecting identities, including disability, culture, race, gender, and sexuality, shape individual experiences and support needs.
Apply neurodiversity-affirming, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed strategies that foster belonging, self-advocacy, and person-centered care.
Meet the Trainer
Dennis Tran
Dennis Tran (he/him) is an award-winning disabled, neuroqueer Vietnamese American storyteller advancing disability justice, neurodiversity, and belonging in AANHPI communities. He uses storytelling to challenge stigma and expand representation.