Phenomenally Autistic – with Ayanna Davis
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
02/21/22
•19m
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Ayanna Davis, also known as phenomenallyautistic on social media, is an autism advocate who was born & raised in Westchester County, New York. Along with being autistic, she has survived over 300 seizures, is living with chronic illnesses and has 3 autoimmune diseases. She is passionate about spreading her messages of self love, joy, equality, diversity, inclusion, and autism awareness & acceptance through the arts. She is also a children's book illustrator, designer, former choreographer, and lover of all performing arts.
During this episode, you will hear Ayanna talk about:
- How her love of the arts helped her while growing up as a Black girl with undiagnosed autism
- Her work as a children's book illustrator and a choreographer
- The challenges Black women face when trying to get an autism diagnosis
- Living with chronic illnesses during the pandemic
- Her goals for her art and advocacy
To find out more about her work, you can find Ayanna at @phenomenallyautistic on Instagram and TikTok and check out her coloring book, We Are Magical.
Watch the video of this interview on YouTube!
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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 represent those of my employer or other organizations.*
Previous Episode
Thriving at work with ADHD and learning disabilities – with Alex Gilbert
February 14, 2022
•40m
Alex Gilbert is a New Yorker, a Mets fan, a yogi, and a brunch enthusiast. She also has dyslexia and ADHD. After spending her career working in leadership development, she started Cape-Able Consulting, a consulting and coaching business that helps adults with learning disabilities and/or ADHD who are struggling in their careers. Her biggest goal in creating Cape-Able Consulting is to change the stigma surrounding learning.
During this episode, you will hear Alex talk about:
- Her experiences with teachers, both positive and negative, during her school years
- How she uses the concepts of "best principles" and "superpowers" to help her clients succeed in their careers
- How she learned to advocate for herself at work, and how she helps her clients advocate for themselves at their workplaces
- What inspired her to start her own business
- How workplace accommodations for learning disabled employees can help everyone in the workplace
If you want to know more about Alex and her work, check out her website at capeableconsulting.com and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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 represent those of my employer or other organizations.*
Next Episode
Limb difference, disability and workplace diversity – with Ruth Rathblott
February 28, 2022
•37m
For 25 years, Ruth Rathblott hid her limb difference.
She doesn't hide it anymore. As she explained in her recent TEDx Talk: when she stopped hiding, she found freedom.
Ruth has been a leader in nonprofit organizations for more than 25 years, with 15 years at Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, and more than eight years as CEO of the Harlem Educational Activities Fund. She currently serves as a Board Member of The Lucky Fin Project. She speaks about inclusion and diversity, the gifts of being unique and the freedom that comes with accepting your differences.
During this episode, you will hear Ruth talk about:
- Her decision to start hiding her limb difference as a teenager, and how it impacted her mental and physical health for decades
- The people in her life who encouraged her to stop hiding and start sharing her personal experience with disability
- The chance encounter in a store where she first learned about the wider community of people with limb differences
- How people have reacted to seeing her limb difference – and how kids react differently than adults
- Her mission to convince companies to include disability in their definitions of workplace diversity
For more about Ruth and her work, follow her on LinkedIn and check out her website www.ruthrathblott.com.
Watch Ruth's TEDx Talk: When I stopped hiding, I found freedom
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 represent those of my employer or other organizations.*
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