Living with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities – with Aashna Parikh
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
Release Date: 06/10/2024
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) – with Jessica Birch
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
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/carers, educators and health professionals with the information they need to create successful interventions and support. She believes awareness and action are key to...
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Chinese New Year, filmmaking and autism acceptance with Beatrice Leong
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
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 that promotes inclusion and self-representation of the autistic community. She actively participates in shaping policies to improve the lives of autistic individuals....
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Adin Boyer - American Idol, autism and anti-bullying advocacy
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
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 he advanced to the top 55. Now Adin performs locally and on tour, with solo and full-band indie rock performances, and speaks to audiences about autism acceptance,...
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2024 year-end episode
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
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. which also contains links to some of the other podcasts and resources I mention in this episode. Support or sponsor this podcast at ! *Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes...
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Inclusive education and Down syndrome advocacy – with Sheri Brynard
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
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 full-time qualified teacher’s assistant at a Primary School for learners with special educational needs and presents motivational speeches to advocate for the...
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Fighting stigma about schizophrenia - with Michelle Hammer
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
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 a misdiagnosis of bipolar at age 18. At 27, Michelle decided to use her artistic talents and fearless personality to do something that could benefit the...
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Inclusive education – with LeDerick Horne, dyslexic poet and advocate
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
CW: Mentions of suicidality. In the third grade, LeDerick Horne was labeled as “neurologically impaired” – a label that followed him through his schooling until he was eventually diagnosed with dyslexia. Today, LeDerick is a dynamic spoken-word poet, a respected author, and a passionate advocate for people with disabilities. He has performed at prestigious venues such as the White House and the United Nations. His workshops, speeches and poetry open doors to discussions on inclusive education, equal opportunity, systemic change, and hope for individuals with disabilities. During this...
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Work experience in an autism employment program -- with Jack Pabich
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
Jack Pabich is a Quality Assurance Support Analyst who found his current job through an autism employment program run by CAI Neurodiverse Solutions. He is responsible for processing requests of potential conflicts of interest, ensuring parties are correctly assigned to the location within the database, and rearranging information to improve database efficiency. Jack’s attention to detail is his biggest strength and he uses it to proactively streamline tasks. In his free time, he enjoys being active with various sporting activities and spending time with friends. During this episode, you will...
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Epilepsy advocacy
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
Amee is a dedicated health care provider known for her expertise and compassionate care. Beyond her professional achievements, she is a passionate mental health advocate and openly shares her personal journey living with epilepsy on her Instagram @behindthebindis. She is a powerful voice for those who feel they cannot speak up for themselves, working to raise awareness and foster understanding about mental health and invisible illnesses in the South Asian community and beyond. During this episode, you will hear Amee talk about: What was it like growing up with epilepsy, but not really...
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Autistic-led autism research - with Dr. Kana Grace
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
Dr. Kana Grace is a research psychologist, advocate, Specialist Mentor, and educator, specializing in the mental and physical health of neurodivergent people. Currently, Kana is an Honorary Research Fellow at the Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE) at the Institute of Education, University College London (UCL), where she completed her PhD. Kana has lived experiences with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Tourette syndrome, dyspraxia, hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). She founded...
info_outlineAashna Parikh is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) consultant and inclusive marketing specialist based in India. Living with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities, she has consulted and collaborated with Forbes-listed and Fortune 500 companies across diverse sectors such as Fintech, Sustainability, Agriculture, and Technology. A strong advocate for neurodiversity, disability, and gender, she examines these issues through an intersectional lens.
During this episode, you will hear Aashna talk about:
- What was it like growing up and going to school with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities
- Living with disabilities in a world where people tell her she “doesn’t look disabled”
- The type of work that she does as a DEI consultant
- Her thoughts on DEI through an intersectional lens
- How DEI is addressed in different countries
- Her advice for requesting accommodations at work and in job interviews
Connect with Aashna on LinkedIn or via email at aashnacparikh at gmail.com .
Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.
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*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.*