Marsha Martin

Marsha Martin is the founder and CEO of Black SEN Mamas, a grassroots organisation supporting Black families of neurodivergent and disabled children.
She is a neurodivergent mother, to three neurodivergent daughters and has experienced the SEND system from multiple perspectives, including specialist provision, mainstream education, home education and early years support. Her lived experience drives her commitment to improving how systems respond to neurodivergent children and their families.

Marsha is neurodiversity and race intersectionality awareness advocate, public speaker and researcher, whose work focuses on disability rights and systemic inequities within the SEND system. Her research and advocacy have highlighted racial disparities in the early identification of SEND and the treatment and access to support experienced by Black neurodivergent children and their families. Her work and commentary on these issues have been published in national outlets, such as Forbes, Metro and both BBC news and ITV news publications, where she has spoken about racial disparities in SEND identification and support. More recently, her report for the SEND Inquiry was requested and subsequently published, by the government. Marsha is presently working with University College London, leading on research exploring the impact of masking in young Black girls and women, and how this contributes to late diagnosis and missed identification of neurodivergence.


Through Black SEN Mamas, Marsha creates safe spaces where parents can access clear information, share lived experiences, mental health interventions and gain the tools to confidently advocate for their children, themselves. The organisation also delivers both neurodiversity awareness and SEND advocacy workshops, provides various aspects of support for families and amplifies the voices and experiences of Black SEND parents, nationally.

Marsha works with the Department for Education and government ministers as part of the first ever mamas-led politics and parliament steering group, ehoch centres the Black SEND community, in directly shaping and informing SEND reform and policy; particularly with regards to cultural competency and intersectionality. This work was documented by Metro, the BBC and ITV.

Her advocacy has also been featured by BBC, where she co-hosted the SEND in the Spotlight podcast, contributing to national conversations on SEND and inclusion.

Marsha also co-founded Black Child Down Syndrome, a project that challenges the lack of representation of Black children with Down syndrome. The founders collaborated with renowned filmmaker and social justice photographer Misan Harriman to share these stories, with the work displayed on the iconic screen in Piccadilly Circus.

Her work has received national recognition, including being named one of the Top 50 Influential Neurodivergent Women and receiving Inclusion Project of the Year at the Neurodiversity Awards.

Marsha was also part of the first cohort of the School for Social Entrepreneurs Women’s Enterprise Growth Programme, reflecting her ongoing commitment to strengthening her organisation and expanding the support available to Black SEND families. She graduated this Programme, whilst winning the people's choices award, securing additional funding to help further her research work. She believes deeply in coproduction and community-led advocacy, informed support and ensuring that Black SEND families are represented in the conversations and decisions that affect their children.

Marsha accepted the role of patron for Autistic Inclusive Meets because she strongly believes in the importance of collaboration within the disability and neurodivergent community. As groups whose rights are often challenged or overlooked, she believes there is real power in collective advocacy and in organisations working together to create meaningful change.

The work of Autistic Inclusive Meets; particularly the activism and community-led advocacy of its members, strongly aligns with Marsha’s moral and ethical values. Through her patron role, she is proud to support and stand alongside the organisation in championing inclusion, autistic rights and autonomy and stronger community support for neurodivergent families.

Website: https://blacksenmamas.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blacksenmamas_uk/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blacksenmamas_uk