PATRIOT PROFILE

YEAR:

Graduate Student

MAJOR:

English, Professional and Technical Writing

HOMETOWN:

Springfield, Virginia

Christine M. Condo

In March 2020, just as the pandemic was beginning, Christine Condo published an essay in the Washington Post that changed her life. Thousands of people reacted to the George Mason University graduate student’s piece titled “‘You Don’t Look Autistic’: The Reality of High-Functioning Autism.” Some of those comments were from people saying “you just described my life,” which was something Condo had aimed for as an autism advocate, but it still surprised her.

RAISING AWARENESS: Condo says that not only is autism misunderstood, but it is largely underdiagnosed, especially in women, people of color, and in other cultures. Many people have a stereotypical view of what someone with autism looks like—often a white male. It was this stereotype that drove Condo to write the essay.

GETTING DIAGNOSED: Condo wasn’t diagnosed until 2015. She made it through public school systems and two bachelor’s degrees without anyone realizing that there was something different about the way she processed information. “The more I learn [about autism], the more I think about my struggles growing up when I thought I wasn’t trying hard enough, or I wasn’t paying enough attention.”

A BRILLIANT DISGUISE: When Condo talks about wearing a “disguise,” she is speaking about the challenges of appearing “neurotypical,” which can be physically and emotionally exhausting. “So many of us are faking it,” she says. “I get tired of the comments like ‘you don’t look autistic’ because it minimizes the experiences that I’ve had my whole life and the amount of work that goes into that disguise and how psychologically painful it can be to have to hide who you really are.”

SPEAKING OUT: Condo has made it her mission to change the dialogue about autism, and to that end, her research and thesis are devoted to this topic. “My focus has been on how language helps create the world we live in,” she says. “If we can change the way people talk about autism, we can change the way people think about autism.” In addition, she published another article in the Washington Post in February 2021 titled “I’m Autistic. I’m Hoping I Can Wear a Mask for the Rest of My Life.”

WHEN YOUR DISABILITY ISN’T OBVIOUS: Condo’s concern extends to what she calls “invisible disabilities,” which she believes are probably one of the next hurdles for the United States. There’s been a lot of progress on getting accommodations for physical disabilities, she says, “But there’s this huge cohort of people like me whose disabilities aren’t apparent, such as low vision or hard of hearing. There’s no place for us in the disability laws.”

‘GETTING IT’: Still, Condo considers herself lucky. She has a partner and a family who support her and her advocacy work, including her sister, Andrea Kendall, a licensed clinical social worker “who gets it” and is a therapist for teens and young women with autism. Condo and her sister are working to share their research at conferences as venues begin to reopen.

—Colleen Kearney Rich, MFA ’95

Advocating for Diverse Representation

Dilafruz Khonikboyeva, BA Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’10, MS ’14, wanted to help others as people had helped her along her path from child refugee fleeing civil war in Tajikistan, to U.S. immigrant, to international social justice advocate. Now, the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution alumna is being recognized for her remarkable story.

This April, Khonikboyeva is among those featured by former President George W. Bush in his book, Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrants. Each chapter opens with an oil portrait of one of the immigrants, painted by Bush. The chapters are written from his perspective, telling the inspiring stories of immigrants and their contributions to America.

“I’m deeply touched by this book,” Khonikboyeva says. “It doesn’t try to hide how difficult it is to immigrate, [or] how difficult it is to build back up from absolutely nothing.” “It’s a celebration of that hard work, and it doesn’t feed into partisan politics,” she says. “It’s very much a celebration of people and immigrants who are critical to making this country succeed.”

Khonikboyeva was also recognized this spring with the Carter School’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

“The Carter School means so much to me personally and professionally,” she says, adding that she keeps in touch with professors who have been mentors. “For me, this award is a promise that I will live up to it.”

After graduation, Khonikboyeva spent eight years working at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) before working for four years at the Aga Khan Foundation, where she developed communications and policy strategy for countries in conflict. In February 2021, she returned to USAID when she was appointed as senior advisor for policy, planning, and learning.

“This is about giving back to this country that means so much to me, and as a Muslim immigrant woman, it’s important to show that there is a space for us in leadership,” Khonikboyeva says.

She says her new position calls on her to coordinate with global partners, including the United Nations, in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s priorities. At the same time, she is focusing on the effect of climate change on diversity and inclusion, looking at issues around environmental justice and ensuring diverse voices, including those of Indigenous populations and racial and ethnic minorities, have a place at the table. Diverse representation is critical, she says, as multiple perspectives help strengthen the nation.

She also says that the skills she learned at Mason come in handy.

“Conflict resolution helps you at the interpersonal, organizational, and, certainly for my career, at the international level,” Khonikboyeva says. “The need for the Carter School grows with every single moment and every single year.”

From left, former First Lady Laura Bush, former President George W. Bush, and Dilafruz Khonikboyeva. —Mariam Aburdeineh, BA ’13