Recently, she sat down with Blavity to discuss how she’s been coping with her autism and how she plans to spread awareness about it.

Michele grew up in a family that worked within the mental health field. Her mother was able to spot signs early on that she may have been autistic.

“My mom was almost like a personal advocate for me. She saw my learning disabilities from [a] really young [age] and got different types of government assistance where you could bring certain types of tools and supplies to school or stay after class later for a longer time to finish your work and things like that,” Michele told Blavity. “From the time I was really, really young, I had always known that I learned it differently from the other kids. I also knew that I did different activities or I was more fixated on different activities than the other kids.”

She added, “It was a lot of help and a lot of assistance from my mom from the time I was a kid all the way through into my music career, where she then moved out of special education and became my manager to continue to assist me.”

Michele believes music was her saving grace as she moved throughout her life while knowing that she was different, saying that it kept her “grounded.”

How has Chrisette Michele’s autism diagnosis changed her outlook on life and work?

When Michele was officially diagnosed with autism, the moment was both surprising and validating.

“I’m expecting to go to the neurologist and maybe she’ll say I’m autistic, maybe she won’t. So, the word severe was jarring, but when I tell you it was also liberating, validating,” she said.

“It was like a permission slip to say, ‘Yeah, all of my life I’ve been working hard to be the best that I can be, and finally somebody has given me words to explain what it is that I’ve been fighting.”

For Michele, it’s important for her to note that autism isn’t one-size-fits-all and that its severity exists on a broad, nuanced scale.

“You can have many traits that the person next to you doesn’t have,” she explained. “There’s level one, there’s level two, and there’s level three, and level two falls under severe, and level three falls under severe. I think the hardest part and the part that needed the most clarity, especially for people who don’t know much about autism, is what is severe and severe can happen or be the diagnosis for a broad spectrum of people. I am level two, severe.”

While many music artists rely on massive teams for support, Michele has a deeper complexity behind her need for help.

“One big part of a mask as an autistic person is trying to not let people see how much help you need. You don’t tell everybody,” she said. “My drummer doubles as my security, or my team helps me with everything that I’m doing, making decisions, etc. You don’t say it, not because you’re ashamed, but because, gosh…do I need more help than most people in the music industry?” 

“You see a lot of people with entourages needing a lot of help, so it looks normal to have help, but one thing that I’m doing to show up differently is being brave about saying when I need help,” she added. “Being brave about saying, ‘The lights are too bright.’ Being brave about saying, ‘No, my drum shield has to be on my drum kit. I can’t handle the noise of loud drums.’ Or ‘No, my sound check has to be longer.’”

Chrisette Michele’s autism diagnosis has sparked a sense of advocacy

While therapy has been a longtime staple for Michele, it wasn’t until she found an autistic-affirming therapist that she felt fully seen.

“I’m a therapy junkie. Like, since I got into the business. I was like, therapy is going to be my jam, but I didn’t know they had autistic-affirming therapy,” she said. “Affirming therapy is a therapist who understands your traits as a person with autism and understands how you show up in the world as a person with autism, and they don’t make you feel awkward or weird for having the responses and reactions that you have. Rather, they give you language to help express yourself so that everyone can understand your experience.”

For women in their 30s and 40s who quietly suspect they may be neurodivergent but haven’t pursued a diagnosis, Michele offers some advice: “You really want to go visit a neurologist. I’ve gotten a brain scan. I’ve gotten tested for ADHD. I’m in the top 10 percentile of people with ADHD, which would probably be called severe,” she said. “

She added, “You really want to get a diagnosis because it gives you language to help explain or describe yourself for your own self-awareness. Everything is not necessarily about being able to preach or tell other people what you have. A lot of it is so that you can just be self-aware. It’s good for your mental peace. It’s good for your own personal experience.”

What’s next for Chrisette Michele?

Looking toward the future, Michele hopes her self-titled podcast, The Chrisette Michele Podcast, and other opportunities give her the platform to be a nurturing environment for others.

“I’m really excited about podcasting and any speaking engagements that I get the opportunity to just be really neurodivergent friendly,” she said. “I think a place that’s sorely lacking in the neurodivergent space is autistic joy, ADHD joy, just neurodivergent joy, and allowing yourself to be excited about tackling life. However, you are showing up a little bit different.” 

She continued, “My friends, family, and my band know that when I’m excited, I run back and forth, but the world doesn’t know. And what’s wrong with jumping up and down as a 42-year-old, even though other 42-year-olds don’t? They call it stimming or they call it having just a really excited moment, so I’m hoping that I’m able to navigate a respectful, conscious conversation in the neurodivergent space and create safe spaces for people to talk about their experience.” 

What began as a search for answers has evolved into a full-circle celebration of self for Michelle: “I’ve done so many things in my personal life to sort of celebrate this moment through self-expression,” she said, “and my self-expression often is painting or going out and having fun with friends, so it’s been very, very celebratory in my personal life. I just feel free.”
The post Chrisette Michele On Life After Her Autism Diagnosis: ‘I Just Feel Free’ appeared first on Blavity.



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Porsha’s journey and marriage to Simon Guobadia were a whirlwind that began with controversy and ended in a legal battle. As BOSSIP previously reported, their relationship ignited chatter from the start, as their engagement was announced in March 2021, just one month after they went Instagram official. This raised eyebrows, given Simon was still married to Porsha’s former RHOA friend, Falynn Guobadia. Despite the initial controversy, the couple proceeded with two lavish weddings in November 2022.

However, the union proved to be short-lived. Williams filed for Porsha Williams’ divorce in February 2024, citing “irreconcilable differences.” Porsha later revealed to PEOPLE that her decision stemmed from discovering what she termed “complex” issues with Simon’s legal status and a pattern of alleged dishonesty and deceit. She told PEOPLE that in the final three months of their marriage, she realized Simon “wasn’t being honest with her about the ‘complex’ issues with his legal status.”

She recalled, “That’s when I knew, ‘This is probably headed down a dark road.’” Porsha, emphasizing her commitment to legal compliance, stated, “Everything I do is above board. When it comes to business, life… I have attorneys who make sure that I am in right standing with United States law. So I wouldn’t want to be involved in anything that would put me in a position not to follow our law. And I felt I was put in an uncomfortable situation, legally — in combination with dishonesty and deceit — where I needed to file for divorce in order to gain immediate protection.”

Simon, however, said that they had “no issues” as a couple and that Williams was “citing issues that happened in my past. I have spent the better part of 35 years of my life making up for it,” he added.

Porsha Williams’ Divorce: Finalization & Contrasting Reactions

The legal complexities of Porsha Williams’ divorce intensified when Simon was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while traveling back to the United States for a divorce hearing. He has since been deported to Nigeria due to a history of immigration violations, including bank and credit card fraud, according to PEOPLE.

Their divorce was officially finalized on June 11, with the judge ruling in Williams’ favor. The ruling upheld their prenup and granted her spousal support, among other things. This outcome led to distinctly different public reactions from the former couple.

Simon Guobadia quickly celebrated the finalization on Instagram, writing, “Officially single and finally free – thank God Almighty, I’m free at last!”

However, this celebratory tone was quickly followed by news that Guobadia plans to appeal the ruling. He also told Page Six that he “regrets their marriage.”

Porsha’s reaction, in contrast, was more emotional and reflective. In her PEOPLE cover story interview, she discussed the painful, months-long legal battle. “I really don’t wish divorce on anybody,” she said. “It’s horrible, to allow your brain and your heart to connect with someone and then have to battle them like this? It’s like, the worst nightmare you have ever, ever experienced because you don’t recognize who you’re fighting. Like, Simon right now? I don’t know who that is.”

Williams expressed a sense of betrayal, stating, “It makes you feel like everything was a lie. I mean, for you to hate me this much? Everything had to be a lie. Because I don’t have that kind of hate towards you in my heart. But then again, I’m the one walking away, not him. So I don’t know…” [PEOPLE]. She also revealed she still mourns the loss of the future they envisioned. “We had a future together,” she shared. “I mean, I truly envisioned my life with this person, and Simon was the same way” [PEOPLE]. She added, “Sure, I can still have a beautiful home. Sure, I can have money in the bank. Sure, I can still travel. But it’s hard to imagine doing them when the person beside you was not there,” she shared, through tears.

Despite the heartbreak, Williams expressed pride in her resilience, “I just thank God I have survived and still myself because sometimes, Lord, when you leave someone who is such a big part of your life? You do not feel like yourself for a long time.”
The post ‘Free At Last’ vs. ‘Worst Nightmare’: Porsha Williams & Simon Guobadia React To Finalizing Their Dramatic Divorce appeared first on Bossip.



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