Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people

Content note: This episode discusses abuse in a religious cult, gender dysphoria, body dysmorphia, and the negative impact of U.S. current events on marginalized people.

Tas The Artist is an autistic, queer, disabled and deaf graphic artist, illustrator, and advocate who blends storytelling with a passion for accessible design. Tas supports fellow members of their community through vocational coaching, developing adaptive curriculu...

Charis Hawkley is an award-nominated disability advocate with dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism. She enjoys discussing her experiences as a neurodivergent woman through writing articles, guesting on podcasts and speaking at events. She has been editor of the Dyspraxia Magazine since September 2024 and enjoys helping others to find their voice and tell their story. She was diagnosed later on in life at 18, and as result explores how la...

Preeti Kalra is a Hospital Clinical Pharmacist with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Masters in Health Administration. She is the Director of Partnerships and Communications and Chicago Network Lead for WE ARE SAATH, an organization dedicated to advocating for South Asian mental health and defying the stigma in the South Asian community when it comes to talking and seeking therapy for men...

Lisa Hurley is an Anthem award-winning activist and author of the new book, “Space To Exhale: A Handbook For Curating A Soft, Centered, Serene Life.” She is also the Founder of The Great Exhale, a serene virtual community focused on sisterhood and soft living, where Black women can relax, lay their burdens down—and exhale. Her advocacy converges at the nexus of self-care, community care, joy, and rest.

During this episode, you will...

Matthew Schwab is a 27-year-old North Carolina native with Down syndrome who has his own public speaking business, Matthew Schwab Speaks. In 2019, he gave a TEDx talk about the importance of employing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Matthew hopes to help change how the world sees Down syndrome.

Matthew is also an actor whose first movie “Horsegirls” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2025. He lo...

Abbie Hills is a UK-based talent agent, producer, writer, and passionate disability advocate with cerebral palsy. Abbie founded The Dazey Hills Company in 2019 to promote diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry, representing talent across the UK and Europe. Her writing has gained recognition with recent placements in film festivals, including the British Independent Film Festival, Lit Laughs, and the Palm Springs Dive...

Rylan Hoffman, the founder of Hoff Social, is a transmasculine and neurodivergent marketing strategist and content creator who has spent 14+ years building online communities. With over 100 million organic views, they know the power of visibility, but also its risks. After facing doxxing, harassment, and even extremist threats, Rylan made it their mission to help queer business owners navigate the internet safely while getting the ...

CW: Eating disorder, death of a parent.

Sunita Theiss is an autistic, ADHD and PDA* parent, writer, and advocate. A second-generation Indian American, she has a rich background in communications, marketing, and storytelling, and has found several ways to support and encourage families raising neurodivergent kids.

Sunita is passionate about creating opportunities for culturally responsive support in a way that helps families honor b...

Dr. Daniel P. Jones is a Creative Practitioner, Disability Scholar, and Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Sheffield in the UK. Daniel specializes in inclusive research methodologies, focusing on the embodied experiences of public spaces, kinship, and solidarity within Tourette syndrome communities. As someone who has lived experience of Tourette syndrome himself, he has been actively engaged in community facilita...

Content warning: This episode mentions physical and verbal abuse in school, suicidal ideation and a suicide attempt, and drug use.

Oladoyin Idowu is a pioneering dyslexia advocate and mental health professional dedicated to bridging the gap between neurodiversity, education, and mental well-being. Growing up in Nigeria with undiagnosed dyslexia, she experienced firsthand the challenges of navigating an education system that was not...

Lya Batlle-Rafferty, an MIT graduate with a degree in Cognitive Science, has had a career focused mostly on technology. She has often been a trailblazer as the only woman in a large company performing that type of work. She hosts her podcast, Memoirs of a Neurodivergent Latina, on her nights and weekends.

During this episode, you will hear Lya talk about:

• How she realized she is neurodivergent
• What it was like growing up as a ...

Trystan Reese is an award-winning author and facilitator dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with nearly two decades of experience in the trans community. He also has ADHD and identifies as neurodivergent. Trystan founded Collaborate Consulting to provide training on LGBTQ+ inclusion and has contributed to various anthologies on mental health and social justice. 

During this episode, Trystan and I talk about:

• How he...

This episode is part of the 3rd edition of Podcasthon: a global effort among 1000+ podcast hosts to raise awareness and support for important causes by highlighting a charity of their choice during the same week (March 15-21, 2025). 

Today’s episode features Samar Waqar, the Founder and Executive Director of Kind Theory, a neurodiversity-based nonprofit based in Texas. Using the insights and knowledge of neurodivergent people thems...

Jessica Birch is a national advocate and speaker living on the South East Coast of Australia. Since her late diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) at the age of 33, she has turned her attention to awareness building and education to create a better understanding of the prevalence and consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure in Australia.

Jessica shares her lived expertise in an effort to equip individuals, parents/ca...

Content warning: Death of a pet, mentions of institutionalization and electroconvulsive treatment

Beatrice Leong is a Malaysian entrepreneur and documentary filmmaker. After a lifetime of mental health challenges and misdiagnoses, she was diagnosed as autistic at the age of 35, bringing clarity to her lifelong struggles.

Beatrice founded AIDA (Autism Inclusiveness Direct Action Group), an autistic-led advocacy group based in Asia t...

Diagnosed with autism at age 2, Adin Boyer grew up struggling with being bullied, making friends and accepting himself. He finally began to flourish while attending a performing arts middle and high school, when he faced less bullying and leaned into his musical talent and training in classical piano, choir, opera and music theory.

Adin gained widespread international notoriety as a contestant on season 21 of American Idol, where h...

In this year-end solo episode, I celebrate some big milestones that Beyond 6 Seconds achieved in 2024. I also share my views on how major politicized social issues impact the disability community, some actions we can take to advocate for our rights (whether you're disabled or not), and how we can support ourselves and our communities as we head into 2025. 

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript, w...

Content warning: This episode discusses forced sterilization / removal of reproductive rights.

Shéri Brynard is the only person with Down syndrome in South Africa with a tertiary education diploma in Educare. She achieved this without any special assistance or amendments made to the coursework, and despite the fact that her lectures and study material were only provided in English, which is her second language. She is currently a f...

Content warning: This episode discusses suicidality, paranoia, hallucinations and delusions, and mentions drug use and homelessness.

Michelle Hammer is a schizophrenia activist who spends her time passionately fighting stigma. She is a New York City native who is featured in the WebMD documentary “Voices,” which was nominated for a Tribeca X Award at the Tribeca Film Festival. 

Michelle was diagnosed with schizophrenia at 22 after ...