I've been featured on the Autism Unmasked podcast! The podcast is created by Nicky Collins, a self-employed coach who goes by The Autism Coach. She works with autistic business owners to support them in harnessing their strengths and abilities and finding the best way to make work work for them.
I was invited to share my experiences in this conversational episode, including:
how my advocacy and allyship journey started
what I've been doing with my platform and my voice
why it is so important to me
how my rocky path led me to find what I believe is my purpose.
Not all of them are rosy, and I do go into some "workplace horrors" in this episode. I'm sure what I've experienced isn't unique, but nevertheless these horrors still hurt me and they hurt other autistic workers who, like everyone else in workplaces, want to enjoy their work and find fulfilment in it, and live the best life they can.
I will say this, though. After hearing it back and noticing that I might have been speaking a little slower than I normally do, I think that was because at the time I was mentally quite tired and didn't have as much energy as I normally do. This is not any kind of reflection on Nicky at all, but mentioning it to also share another genuine experience in that I, like many autistics, might tire easily due to spending so much energy trying to mask or lessen our challenges.
For me, for instance, I spend so much energy making sure I have understood the work that is being given to me, what is being said to me, what the interpretation is of it, and whether I'm confident that I have processed it in a way that is correct according to the person who gives me that work, and much more.
Enjoy the episode in the below player!
Credit: Cover image photo by Nicky Collins The Autism Coach and Autism Unmasked