4. S1, Ep4: Finding yourself through diverse communities

My guest today blew me away with their energy and drive to help marginalised communities flourish. Still only 25, they work full time in autism advocacy for an organisation in Washington, USA, and they are a writer, musician and playwright, as well as serving on the board of the Plus One Foundation, an organisation that funds life changing experiences for people with neurological disorders. They are also Executive Director and Co-Founder of a brand new inclusive theatre project, Rainy Day Arts Collective. In this conversation I talk with Jack Conley about going through school and university with undiagnosed autism, getting a diagnosis as an adult, strategies for managing job interviews as an autistic person, the intersection of autistic and queer communities, and the benefits of living with an emotional support animal. Jack says that they ‘absolutely love’ what they do, and that they are ‘passionate about advocacy being done by people connected to a cause’. As well as being autistic, Jack identifies as nonbinary, transgender and bisexual. Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I’m Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I’m now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn’t quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: Rainy Day Arts Collective: https://www.facebook.com/rainydaycollective/  Washington Autism Advocacy: https://washingtonautismadvocacy.org/    If you'd like to connect or get in touch with Squarepeg, you can find me on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  Or on my website: http://squarepeg.community/