Autism for Badass Moms

Autism for Badass Moms

Are you a mother of a child with autism, struggling to maintain balance, feeling overwhelmed, and frequently second guessing your decisions? Do you often feel like you're navigating a maze with no map, grappling with feelings of isolation, anxiety and exhaustion? Are you seeking ways to manage your stress, regain your strength, and find joy and fulfillment. "Autism for Badass Moms" is the podcast you've been waiting for. This show is your guide to becoming that badass, mentally and emotionally strong mother you know you can be. I am your host, Rashidah Cartwright, a fellow autism mom, personal development coach, and experienced mental health and substance use professional with over 18 years of dedicated service in the field. I am also a proud mother of four beautiful children, two of whom have been diagnosed with autism. One of my children also has a diagnosis of ADHD. Each week is a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. We shed light on the often unseen emotional journey through heartfelt conversations with autism moms, we uncover the raw and authentic experiences that shape your life. In each episode, we discuss everything from finding balance in the chaos, mind shifts, regulating your nervous system, and setting healthy boundaries. You'll not only find a supportive community that understands your struggles, but you'll also equip yourself with the tools to become a more confident, resilient, and empowered autism mom. Step into your power. Unleash your inner badass. Start listening now and transform your struggles into strengths. Welcome to "Autism for Badass Moms" - the space for autism moms who want to become unapologetically badass. * * * *The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of anything you have seen or heard from RASHIDAH CARTWRIGHT, PODCAST GUESTS OR THIS PODCAST.

Episodes

May 10, 2026 72 mins
Host Rashidah celebrates Mother’s Day on “Autism for Badass Moms,” honoring the sacrifices and advocacy of autism moms, and introduces a conversation about sibling love and connection in an autism household. Guest Brittany Saunders, from University City, St. Louis, shares her journey raising Mason (10), who is non-verbal and diagnosed with autism in 2019, and Savannah (7). After initial denial, Brittany pursued occupational, speech...
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In this powerful and deeply raw episode of Autism for Badass Moms, host Rashidah sits down with R.S. Cole, a 40-year-old mother of four from Houston, whose journey through autism parenting has been anything but ordinary. After her youngest son, J, was diagnosed with autism at just 2 years old, R.S. quickly realized the harsh reality many families face — a system that often falls short. Instead of accepting it, she chose to become ...
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In this powerful episode of Autism for Badass Moms, host Rashidah sits down with Stephanie Williams, engaging in conversation that dives into the reality of parenting multiple children with autism. Stephanie Williams is a 38-Year-Old social work professional, entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of Fostering ConNeEXTions Inc. Stephanie is a single mom raising three sons, ages 15, 13, and 11-all on the autism spectrum. Her journey i...
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Host Rashidah sits down with Evonne Rooks, an autism mom from Richmond, Virginia, who shares her son AJ’s autism diagnosis in January 2023 following speech regression after COVID, her initial shock, and how ABA therapy helped her move forward. Six months later, Evonne sought ER care for what she thought was a severe migraine; imaging revealed major brain swelling and an MRI confirmed a massive left cerebellum stroke that had occurr...
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In this powerful and informative episode of Autism for Badass Moms, Rashidah sits down with Julianna Scott, a mom from San Jose and mother of two adult sons, one of whom is autistic. Julianna shares her journey of early diagnosis at just two years old—following prematurity, speech delays, and intense meltdowns—and what it looked like to navigate those early years. From diving deep into research to utilizing therapy and focusing on...
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In this heartfelt episode of Autism for Badass Moms, Rashidah sits down with Chanel, a 36-year-old mom from New York, who shares her powerful journey of becoming a voice for her son while still finding her own. Chanel is a mother of two—her 15-year-old daughter and her 5-year-old son, Curtis, who was diagnosed with autism at 2.5 years old. Curtis is non-speaking and communicates using an AAC device. From early on, Chanel knew some...
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In this powerful and deeply moving episode of Autism for Badass Moms, host Rashidah sits down with Jennifer Amoako, a devoted mother, autism advocate, and a true example of resilience in the face of life’s toughest challenges. Jennifer is raising her 4-year-old daughter, Saiylor, who was diagnosed with autism at just two years old. But her journey didn’t begin — or end — there. In the same year as her daughter’s diagnosis, Jennife...
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Host Rashidah welcomes Jamiliah Jackson, a 44-year-old New York mom who became a first-time mother in 2021 to twins Alana and Array after delivering at 26 weeks due to peripartum cardiomyopathy and being hospitalized in ICU and cardiology. She describes dismissive care before an emergency C-section, the trauma of the NICU during COVID, Alana’s two-month stay, Array’s nearly seven-month stay and discharge on oxygen, and her determin...
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In this episode, Rashidah sits down with Kelley Jensen, a mother of two from San Jose, California, whose son Beau, now 26, was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of three. Kelley opens up about the overwhelming emotions she experienced after the diagnosis and how moving through the stages of grief helped shape her journey. One of the philosophies that has guided her — and many other moms — is what she calls “Speed to Acceptan...
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In this powerful and heartfelt episode of Autism for Badass Moms, host Rashidah welcomes Mitzi, who traveled from Yonkers, New York, to join us in the studio for an honest conversation about the life-changing power of community. Many autism moms begin their journey feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and unsure where to turn. Between navigating diagnoses, therapies, school systems, and daily life, the path can feel incredibly lonely. I...
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In this heartfelt episode, LaNiqua shares her powerful story of navigating her child's autism diagnosis, overcoming challenges, and transforming her experience into a mission to empower other parents. Discover her insights on advocacy, community building, and finding hope beyond the diagnosis. In this episode, we discuss: 00:00 - Welcome and episode introduction 02:00 - Recognizing early signs: speech and gut issues 06:15 - Initi...
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In this episode of Autism for Badass Moms, Rashidah sits down with Betsy Matthews — proud autism mum, university careers consultant, advocate, marathon runner, and host of The Diary of an Autism Mum podcast — to have an honest conversation about navigating puberty with a neurodivergent daughter. Betsy shares how watching her daughter Sienna move through monthly hormonal patterns was eye-opening — and how her own fears sometimes spo...
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In this episode of 'Autism for Badass Moms,' host Rashidah welcomes Kanisha, a 40-year-old registered nurse in Houston and mom to five-year-old Zoë (diagnosed at 2.5, verbal with limited communication), shares her journey from early concerns and self-referral for evaluation to an ADOS-based diagnosis and the therapies that followed. She opens up about balancing full-time work, navigating limited support, starting full-day ABA, and ...
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In this solo episode of 'Autism for Badass Moms', host Rashidah Cartwright explores the myriad challenges faced by mothers of children with autism, including the impact of social media, anxiety, and the mental load of parenting. She discusses the importance of community support, coping strategies for stress, and the ongoing journey of managing personal health and family dynamics. Rashidah emphasizes the need for self-care, groundin...
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In this episode of 'Autism for Badass Moms,' host Rashidah delves into the unique challenges of raising a daughter with autism, focusing especially on milestones like puberty and menstruation. Rashidah is joined by Tiffany Jackson, a single mother of a 14-year-old autistic girl, Daisy. Tiffany shares her personal journey, from Daisy's diagnosis at age four to navigating uncharted territories of autism with limited support. She disc...
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In this episode of 'Autism for Badass Moms,' host Rashidah welcomes Chantel, a resilient mother from Maryland, who shares her heartfelt journey of raising Mulan, her 7-year-old daughter diagnosed with autism. Chantel talks openly about the initial guilt and emotional struggles following Mulan's diagnosis, her advocacy efforts, and how she transformed her challenges into purpose, eventually embracing entrepreneurship. The conversati...
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In this heartfelt and informative episode of 'Autism for Badass Moms,' Rashidah welcomes DeAngela from Louisiana, who shares her deeply personal journey. DeAngela discusses navigating life as a mother to a child with DeGeorge syndrome and severe autism, dealing with the challenges of FMLA, and facing unreasonable workplace discrimination. She recounts the traumatic loss of her youngest child and the subsequent grief, her battle wit...
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In this episode of Autism for Badass Moms, host Rashidah welcomes Meagan, a special education teacher and mother of an autistic daughter, to share her family's journey with neurodivergence. They discuss the importance of early autism diagnosis, Meagan's personal and professional experience navigating the educational system, and how understanding her own neurodivergence has impacted her life. Meagan also talks about her nonprofit, L...
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In this episode, Danielle shares her emotional journey of raising her son Chandler, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. She discusses the challenges and fears she faced, especially as a Black mother, and the vital support system she relied on, including her family and close friends. Danielle also recounts her own experiences of feeling a connection to her son's symptoms, leading to her ADHD diagnosis. Emphasizing the i...
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In this episode, Rashidah interviews Susanna, who shares her deeply personal journey of parenting a daughter diagnosed with autism at a young age. Susanna discusses the emotional challenges and the process of seeking a diagnosis while advocating for her child. She highlights the cultural nuances of dealing with autism within her Taiwanese and American family dynamics, as well as the lessons she's learned about self-care, advocacy, ...
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