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Autistic Advocacy

Empowering Autistics to live authentically, thrive boldly, and challenge the status quo


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  • 1. How Sarah Claimed the Title of Neurodivergent Baddie

    51:09||Ep. 1
    Welcome to the first official meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club — the podcast for anyone who discovered their neurodivergence later in life.Hosted by Dr. Angela Kingdon, this episode features artist and activist Sarah Davies, who shares how she went from a dyslexia diagnosis in childhood to discovering her autism at 34.Together, Angela and Sarah discuss identity, unmasking, self-advocacy, and what it means to call yourself a “neurodivergent baddie.”🪑 AttendeesChair: Dr. Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocateGuest: Sarah Davies — Autistic and Dyslexic artist, campaigner, and community organiser from WalesYou: The Listener!🗒️ Meeting AgendaOpening remarks from the ChairMember introduction: Sarah’s late diagnosis storyDiscussion: Life before and after diagnosisKey learnings from the meetingClub announcements🧾 Minutes from the Meeting1️⃣ Opening RemarksAngela welcomed listeners to The Late Diagnosis Club — a space where Autistic and Neurodivergent adults can find community, connection, and conversation.“We’re not here to fix ourselves — we’re here to find each other.”2️⃣ Member Introduction: Sarah’s StorySarah shared how she first identified as Dyslexic in school, but didn’t receive her autism diagnosis until age 34. She described years of masking, burnout, and finally, the relief of understanding her neurotype.“It wasn’t that I was too much — I was just trying to fit into the wrong room.”3️⃣ Discussion HighlightsDopamine Dressing: Using bright colours and creative expression as self-regulation and joy.Hyperfocus for Healing: How her curiosity about GLP-1 science helped her reconnect with her body.Activism & Advocacy: From campaigning against the UK “bedroom tax” to founding Wrexham’s local Autistic meetup group.Community as Medicine: Why Autistic friendships feel grounding, not draining.4️⃣ Key LearningsLate diagnosis is an act of self-compassion, not correction.Autistic joy thrives in community, not conformity.Humour and authenticity are radical tools for survival.Self-advocacy begins with knowing what you need — and believing you deserve it.🔗 LinksWrexham Adults Autism Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1JjoEtEwcg/?mibextid=wwXIfr%0A📣 Club Announcements🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

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  • Introducing the Autistic Culture Podcast Network

    01:54|
    🎉 Introducing the Autistic Culture Podcast NetworkWhat started as one show — The Autistic Culture Podcast — has grown into something bigger: the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, the first podcast network created by and for autistic people.Across our shows, we celebrate autistic voices, stories, and culture — because being autistic isn’t just a diagnosis, it’s a community, a worldview, and something worth celebrating.🎙️ Current Shows:Autistic Culture (OG)Autistic Advocacy (OG Fridays)Neurodivergent NarrativesAutistic Culture 101Late Diagnosis Club — launching Halloween 🎃And that’s just the beginning. In January 2026, a new edition of The Autistic Culture Podcast premieres — exploring the creativity, history, and heart of autistic culture.💫 Support Autistic-Led MediaJoin Autistic Culture Plus for ad-free listening, early access, and an exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes.Every membership helps:🎧 Fund neurodivergent creators🌍 Amplify autistic voices💡 Build culture, not pathology🤝 Support accessible, sensory-friendly storytellingFor less than the price of a coffee, you can help sustain a growing network that’s 100% by and for neurodivergent people.🎙️ Pitch Your ShowHave a podcast — or an idea for one — that celebrates autistic or neurodivergent life?We’re now accepting pitches for new and established shows created by autistic and neurodivergent people.Whether you’re an experienced podcaster or just starting out, we’ll help you bring your vision to life with technical support, mentorship, and promotion through the network.📩 Pitch your show: info@autisticculturepodcast.com💜 With GratitudeA huge thank-you to our founding supporters of Autistic Culture Plus, who believed in this network before it even launched.Our Executive Producers make this work possible — funding neurodivergent creators, amplifying autistic voices, and helping build a media ecosystem rooted in pride, creativity, and community.These members form the foundation of the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, and you’ll see their names credited at the end of our shows and on our website.Executive Producers:Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.💫 Join now to be credited as a Producer on our shows — and help fund autistic-led media that celebrates our voices, stories, and culture.
  • The Late Diagnosis Club - Coming October 31!

    01:42|
    Welcome to The Late Diagnosis Club, a brand new show from the Autistic Culture Podcast Network!The Late Diagnosis Club is a podcast by and for adults who found they were neurodivergent later-in-life. Hosted by Story Steward Dr. Angela Kingdon, this show features honest conversations with neurodivergent guests navigating the identity shock of late diagnosis or self-identification. Each episode explores neurodivergent traits through a cultural lens, debunks stereotypes, and offers solidarity for those processing family dynamics, unmasking, and reclaiming long-buried SPINs. Whether you’re self-identified or medically diagnosed, this club has been saving you a seat and helps you feel at home in your neurodivergent self.Autistic Culture is now the Autistic Culture Podcast Network — five shows live, more on the way — all created by and for neurodivergent people.We’re also launching Autistic Culture Plus on Supercast, where you can listen ad-free, get early access, binge full series, and unlock our exclusive archive of earlier episodes.Founding Listener Offer:Join now for £0.99/month (80% off) and be listed as an Executive Producer on our site and show credits. You’ll keep that price as long as you stay subscribed!On 24 Oct, the price moves to £2.50, and on 31 Oct (Halloween) the standard rate begins: £5/month or £50/year.Included with Autistic Culture Plus:• Ad-free listening (sensory-friendly)• Early access to every episode• Binge-able themed series• Exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes• Executive Producer credit for founding membersKey Dates:🗓️ Now — Founding offer live (£0.99)🗓️ 24 Oct — Trailer drops, price rises to £2.50🗓️ 31 Oct — Virtual Halloween launch + Late Diagnosis Club premiere🗓️ Jan 2026 — New Autistic Culture series launches (members binge early!)Current Shows:Autistic Culture (OG)Autistic Advocacy (OG Fridays)Neurodivergent NarrativeAutistic Culture 101Late Diagnosis Club - Interview show launching Halloween🎉 Join Autistic Culture Plus: autisticculture.supercast.com🎃 RSVP to the Halloween party: autisticculture.substack.com📧 Pitch us your show: info@autisticculturepodcast.comThanks for supporting independent, neurodivergent-affirming media. We’re saving you a seat. 💜
  • Introducing the Autistic Culture Podcast Network and Autistic Culture Plus

    28:28|
    We’ve grown into a network! 🎙️Autistic Culture is now the Autistic Culture Podcast Network — five shows live, more on the way — all created by and for neurodivergent people.We’re also launching Autistic Culture Plus on Supercast, where you can listen ad-free, get early access, binge full series, and unlock our exclusive archive of earlier episodes.Founding Listener Offer:Join now for £0.99/month (80% off) and be listed as an Executive Producer on our site and show credits. You’ll keep that price as long as you stay subscribed!On 24 Oct, the price moves to £2.50, and on 31 Oct (Halloween) the standard rate begins: £5/month or £50/year.Included with Autistic Culture Plus:• Ad-free listening (sensory-friendly)• Early access to every episode• Binge-able themed series• Exclusive archive of ~100 classic episodes• Executive Producer credit for founding membersKey Dates:🗓️ Now — Founding offer live (£0.99)🗓️ 24 Oct — Trailer drops, price rises to £2.50🗓️ 31 Oct — Virtual Halloween launch + Late Diagnosis Club premiere🗓️ Jan 2026 — New Autistic Culture series launches (members binge early!)Current Shows:Autistic Culture (OG)Autistic Advocacy (OG Fridays)Neurodivergent NarrativeAutistic Culture 101Late Diagnosis Club - Interview show launching Halloween🎉 Join Autistic Culture Plus: autisticculture.supercast.com🎃 RSVP to the Halloween party: autisticculture.substack.com📧 Pitch us your show: info@autisticculturepodcast.comThanks for supporting independent, neurodivergent-affirming media. We’re saving you a seat. 💜
  • 36. Autistic Advocacy: Autism and Grief With Mady Synder

    01:10:21||Ep. 36
    💔 CW: This episode includes discussions of death, suicide, and self-harm.In this episode of Autistic Advocacy, Dr. Angela Kingdon is joined by neuroaffirming therapist Mady Snyder to explore the complexity of autistic grief. From the loss of people to the loss of routines, expectations, or identity, autistic grief shows up differently—and that difference deserves compassion, not correction.This isn’t a clinical take on the “5 stages.” It’s a deeper dive into the ways grief, sensory processing, and special interests all intersect in the autistic experience.🎧 What You’ll LearnWhat ambiguous loss is and why traditional grief models often miss the mark for autistic peopleHow grief can show up as a nervous system overload, not just emotional sadnessWhy special interests can serve as powerful tools in grief processingHow internalized ableism and social invalidation complicate the grieving processWhy creating personal rituals—and yes, grieving a grilled-cheese sandwich—is valid and necessaryStrategies for supporting your own unique grieving style👤 Featured Guest: Mady Snyder, LMFTMady Snyder is an autistic, ADHD, PDA, OCD, and cPTSD-identified therapist in private practice in Pasadena, California. She specializes in Autism, parenting, mixed neurotype relationships, and creating truly neuroaffirming spaces. Mady is also a passionate educator and consultant—and in her downtime, she sings to her cats.🌐 Visit Mady’s websiteRelated Episodes:Autistic Sleep ProblemsAging and Executive FunctionAutistic Affirming Social Skills🌟 Connect With Us📱 Follow us on Instagram🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com
  • 35. Autistic Advocacy: Justice For Victor

    01:06:38||Ep. 35
    In this powerful and sombre episode of Autistic Advocacy, Angela is joined by Black autistic advocates Faith Clarke and Darren Calhoun to confront the tragic police killing of 17-year-old autistic Puerto Rican teen Victor Perez—and the systemic failures that made it possible. Centering voices from the Black neurodivergent community, this conversation demands a reimagining of autistic justice beyond white-centred narratives.🎧 What You’ll LearnVictor’s story — On April 5th, Victor Perez was shot by police in his own front yard. A non-speaking, autistic, disabled Puerto Rican teenager, Victor’s life was cut short, leaving his family to grieve in a system that failed him at every level.Intersectional perspectives — Darren Calhoun, a justice advocate, worship leader, and photographer based in Chicago, shares his work bridging communities across race, gender, and neurodivergence. Faith Clarke, business owner, author, and mother to a non-speaking autistic son, reflects on her lived experience and the urgent need for systemic change.The impact of advocacy — How Tiffany Hammond’s (@fidgets.and.fries) public response to Victor’s death sparked deeper reflection on the role of autistic spaces in BIPOC justice.Connecting the patterns — Victor’s killing is not isolated. We remember Stephon Watts, Elijah McClain, Ryan Gainer—and the growing list of Black and Brown neurodivergent lives lost to police violence.What needs to change — From community safety to dismantling ableist and racist systems, we explore what justice for all autistic people truly requires.Related Episodes:Monster High Is Autistic🌟 Connect With Us📱 Follow us on Instagram🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com
  • 34. Autistic Advocacy: Navigating Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) with Jess Lewis

    01:03:46||Ep. 34
    In this episode of Autistic Advocacy, Dr. Angela Kingdon and Matt Lowry LPP are joined by Jess Lewis — a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming functional medicine advocate — to explore the deeply intertwined connections between Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), autism, and POTS.This conversation blends science, systems thinking, and lived autistic experience to unpack how chronic stress, sensory overload, and a dysregulated nervous system can trigger and worsen MCAS symptoms — and what we can do about it.🎧 What You’ll LearnHow sensory overload, chronic masking, and autistic nervous system differences can contribute to MCAS.Why mold exposure and infections like COVID often trigger mast cell activation in neurodivergent bodies.The overlap between MCAS, autism, and POTS — and why these conditions often coexist.How to advocate for yourself in medical settings, even in the face of dismissal or gaslighting.Practical strategies for mast cell stabilization, including calming protocols and low-histamine diets.How functional medicine offers a holistic, neurodivergent-affirming approach to managing complex chronic illness.🎤 Featured Guest: Jess LewisJess Lewis (she/they) is a former Chief Technology Officer turned MCAS researcher, functional medicine advocate, and founder of the Mast Cell Support community. After reversing a severe case of MCAS triggered by mold exposure and COVID-19, Jess now supports others through an evidence-based, neurodivergent-affirming approach rooted in functional medicine and trauma-informed care.🔗 Follow Jess:Threads, Instagram, Substack → @jesslewis💻 Website → jesslewis.com🤝 Community → mastcellsupport.comResources:MCAS-Friendly Food Guide: Food Guide Pharmacy – subscribepage.io/MCASfoodlist🌱 What Is Quercetin? Learn more about Quercetin, a plant flavonoid known for its natural antihistamine and mast cell stabilizing properties, often used as part of MCAS and allergy support.📚 Quercetin on WikipediaRelated Episodes:Autistic Medical NeedsMeat Body MaintenanceAutistic Medical Needs, Part 2🌟 Connect With Us📱 Follow us on Instagram🎧 Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify🛍️Our Autism-affirming merch shop🌐 Learn more at www.autisticculturepodcast.com