Meet your moderator!

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Hey y'all! I'm still learning about myself, but I'll do my best to tell you a bit of what I know so far. 

My name is Shawna Culver (she/her) and I am a queer, AuDHD woman from Louisville, KY. I have a wife, 4 fur babies, a stray cat colony, and some great friends. I am an outgoing homebody, who loves a cup of tea and a deep conversation. I love routine, with a side of spontaneity. Nature will always be where I am at peace the most. I enjoy doing any type of work with my hands, but I really love working with wood. I listen to most music, but I will listen to the same 3 songs for months on repeat. I do the same with food. Anything with bread, sauce, noodles - I'll be there. I have a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, with a desire for further education. 

For most of my life, I have felt different from those around me. The intersectionalities of my life allow me to have a very unique viewpoint, but also leave a lot of room to feel misunderstood. Throughout childhood, I experienced many things that my peers were not experiencing. At an early age, I understood that hiding the impacts of my environment was essential to "fitting in," it was essential to upholding the character I wished to be when I was younger in order to acquire the community that I so badly craved. 

I felt misunderstood by my peers for many reasons, but I didn't find out until I was 33 that a big part of it was my neurodivergence. Discovering this about myself has been life-changing but has led to further questions and self-discoveries. Unfortunately, hiding my struggles carried over into my adult life. Keeping things inside, not reaching out for help, and trying to navigate hard things alone has left me feeling lonely and further misunderstood at times.

This space was created out of a personal need for a supportive community with shared lived experiences, who actively want to discuss life's nuances. I think supportive community is essential to our happiness and health as humans, and I wanted to create a safe space that encourages people to find that.