
Becoming a young autistic advocate – with Quincy Hansen
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
08/08/22
•39m
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Quincy Hansen is a young autistic activist, writer, public speaker and college student from Colorado. He is the author of the new book "Shake It Up! How to be Young, Autistic, and Make an Impact" and writes a blog at SpeakingOfAutism.com.
During this episode, you will hear Quincy talk about:
- Being known as the "bad kid" in school whose struggles were seen as behavior problems -- until he found the right educational environment where he could thrive
- How connecting with other autistic people online inspired him to blog about his experiences and helped build his self-confidence
- How his blog grew in popularity after one of his early posts went viral: "How do I get an autistic person to X?" – You're asking the wrong question.
- How his blog led to other advocacy opportunities, including writing his new book, "Shake It Up!"
- The importance of practicing self-care so that you can sustain your advocacy
- His advice for advocates and content creators
You can find Quincy's writing on his blog, SpeakingOfAutism.com, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
For a limited time, Beyond 6 Seconds listeners in the US can save 20% off the purchase price of Quincy's book! Go to jkp.com, add "Shake It Up!" to your cart, and enter the discount code Hansen20 at checkout to get 20% off the book. This discount code is valid until August 31, 2022, for listeners with shipping addresses in the US only.
You can also enter to win a copy of "Shake It Up!" Check out my August 9, 2022 Twitter post at @Beyond6S to find out how.
Watch the video of this interview on YouTube!
Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes!
Support this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds and get a shout-out on a future episode!
*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*
Previous Episode
Mads Johan Øgaard is an award-winning artist, filmmaker and public speaker. He is known for his animated short films about being a neurodivergent child: the multi-award-winning "I AM DYSLEXIC" (based on his own school experiences) and "WITH THE UNIVERSE IN MY SUITCASE" (based on the experiences of people with ADHD who worked on the film with him).
During this episode, you will hear Mads talk about:
- Receiving his dyslexia and dyscalculia diagnoses as a child
- How drawing helped him focus and learn in school, where he had to advocate for his own learning needs
- What led him to create his film "I AM DYSLEXIC" while at university, and the international impact it has had since he released it
- Why he was asked to make a film about ADHD
Watch Mads' films: "I AM DYSLEXIC" and "WITH THE UNIVERSE IN MY SUITCASE" (about ADHD)
Get Mads' book: "Hacking the Code: The Ziggety Zaggety Road of a Dyslexic Kid"
Find Mads through his website www.madsjohanogaard.com and follow him on Instagram and TikTok.
Watch the video of this interview on YouTube!
Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes!
Click here for the episode transcript.
*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*
Next Episode

Music, theater and autistic communities – with Madge Woollard
August 22, 2022
•25m
Madge Woollard has run her own business teaching piano and keyboard since 1994. Madge was diagnosed autistic in 2016 at the age of 44. She lives in Sheffield UK with her wife who is also late-diagnosed autistic.
A graduate of Cambridge University, she teaches children and adults, privately and in schools, and is keen to specialize in working with neurodivergent students. She is also a member of Spectrum Theatre company, which features neurodivergent and neurotypical performers.
During this episode, you will hear Madge talk about:
- How she and her wife got their autism diagnoses
- How she struggled to find a teaching job and decided to start her own business instead
- Her success with teaching piano to autistic and non-autistic students
- Finding a sense of belonging within local autistic communities, including the Autscape conference and the Spectrum Theatre company
- The intersections of autistic and LGBTQ+ identities
Madge also wrote a chapter for the book "Learning from Autistic Teachers: How to Be a Neurodiversity-Inclusive School." Find out more about the book here.
Connect with Madge at the links below: Official Website: mwoollard.webs.com LinkedIn: Madge Woollard Facebook: Madge Woollard Piano and Keyboard Tuition Twitter: @funkiepiano
Watch the video of this interview on YouTube!
Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes!
Support this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds and get a shout-out on a future episode!
*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*
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