Not a Deficit, Just Different

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What if the moment that brought your life into focus didn’t come at the beginning, but after the degrees were earned and the career was well underway? In this episode, Dan Baum talks with Darian Senn-Carter, Ed.D., professor and director of the Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Institute at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC), about how a late-in-life autism diagnosis reshaped his understanding of self—and redefined how he moves through the world.

Dr. Senn-Carter shares how the diagnosis helped him embrace differences as strengths and sparked a new chapter grounded in self-compassion, creativity and advocacy. From his journey through self-discovery to his work integrating autism awareness into education, Darian opens up about the intersections of identity, leadership and neurodiversity.

Learn how one diagnosis led to a children’s book and a deeper commitment to authenticity and inclusion. Whether you're an educator, ally or simply curious about how we come to understand ourselves, this episode offers a reminder: difference isn’t a deficit, it’s an opportunity. It’s a reminder that growth doesn’t follow a syllabus, and that sometimes the best version of you is the one you stop trying to “fix.”

Purchase "The Boy Who Dreamed Big" by Darian Senn-Carter  
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-boy-who-dreamed-big-how-one-boy-s-autism-became-his-superpower/a5d66159120cd452?ean=9798350983289&next=t

Amazon: https://a.co/d/gWENIfj

Autism Awareness Month Resources: https://libguides.aacc.edu/autism2025

Engagement Coaching at AACC: https://www.aacc.edu/resources/health-and-personal-counseling/engagement-coaching/

Adults with Autism Support Groups:
https://www.autismgrownup.com/
https://www.baltimoreautismsociety.org/calendar-of-events/meetings-groups/

Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Institute at AACC: https://www.aacc.edu/about/schools-of-study/business-and-law/homeland-security-and-criminal-justice-institute/

For more, visit www.aacc.edu/podcast.