Becca was diagnosed with autism as an adult and has focused her life as a neurodiversity consultant. She is advocating acceptance and addressing the issues faced by adults with autism to help them lead fulfilling and prosperous lives. Her advocacy endeavors include a monthly blog, “Live Positively Autistic” and a weekly YouTube news show and discussion group focused on neurodiversity which she founded and hosts called "Neurodiversity Newsstand". Becca is the Assistant Editor/Feature Writer for Spectrum Women Magazine where she has published numerous articles about life on the autism spectrum, advocating acceptance and promoting self-advocacy. After spending four years supporting the autism community through grass-roots organizations in the non-profit sector Becca earned dual certifications as a Certified Autism Specialist (CAS) and Cognitive Specialist (BCCS) and has now opened an autism consulting business. She also co-authored the book, "Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism".

You have worked with individuals on the autism spectrum. What are the common concerns? How can we, as a society, address these?B: Not only have I worked with individuals on the spectrum, but I am one. My focus in on autism in adulthood and teaching autistic adults how to not just survive but thrive on the spectrum. Many of our concerns involve daily living such as finances and employment but other issues at the forefront are quality of life challenges such as access to proper mental and physical health care, bullying in the workplace, and lack of information on aging on the spectrum. We are also very much concerned with the effects of continuous trauma and extended periods of masking. All of these concerns can be better addressed by speaking with adult autistics and then taking action of the information that we are sharing.

Can you tell us more about your YouTube news show Neurodiversity Newsstand?B: Neurodiversity Newsstand is a news and discussion group focused on neurodiversity that I founded and host. It began as a neurodiverse book club of like-minded, forward-thinking, individuals interested in neurodiversity. We quickly realized that there were more than books to be discussed in the world of neurodiversity and, in response, we reformatted the group to cover all things neurodiversity, including the news, stand-out blogs, memes, books, events, and more. Our little Facebook group quickly grew in popularity and soon a LinkedIn version was requested. Now with two versions of the group up and running, one on Facebook and one on LinkedIn, it was time to expand to YouTube.
Since there is so much to share and read through in a week, and sometimes you just don't have the spoons, I created a weekly vlog on YouTube, also called Neurodiversity Newsstand. In about twenty to thirty minutes, I give you your weekly neurodiversity news in a nutshell; the highlights of the week in neurodiversity, links to everything I discuss, and I even adds in a little personal news with the occasional bit of advice from an adult autistic.

What day to day challenges do you face as the assistant editor at Spectrum Women Magazine?B: Not many, if I am honest. I absolutely LOVE working on Spectrum Women Magazine. We are a group of women that wanted to create a platform for more autistic women so that we could share our insights and challenges with each other. Our Editor-in-Chief, Barb Cook, pulled us all together and we are now a very tight knit team. So much so that we wrote a book together called, Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism. That is not to say we don’t face some challenges but as a group we are brilliant problem solvers.

How do you balance personal and professional life?B: It is definitely a struggle. Afterall, autism is personal to me and I am the face of my business. It was very difficult in the beginning to not want to give myself away for free to help everyone that asked but that is not a sustainable way to exist. Afterall, thank you notes don’t pay the bills. I had to learn to value myself, my knowledge and experience, and, more than anything else, my time. I set very clear boundaries around my time and how much of that time I will give away. Those boundaries also keep me clear about how much time I give to Autism, the community, and autism, my personal struggles.

What are your other hobbies?B: I am a huge tv/movie junkie. It has been my enthusiasm for a very long time. I am a big fan of a good Netflix binge. I also love animals, cats in particular. My husband and I have 6 indoor cats, 4 outdoor barn cats, 3 dogs, and 2 snakes. A lot of my time and energy is spent with them. I also love the outdoors and spend as much time as weather will allow out in nature. I’m hoping to learn to snowshoe and ice fish this year.

What is your favorite place to visit? What do you love about that place?B: My favorite place to visit used to be Colorado but now that I live here, it’s just home. I guess that means my favorite place to visit is Scotland. I just love the history, the views, and the gin.

What is your suggestion for families of children with disabilities to empower their children?B: VALIDATE THEIR EXPERIENCES. Please do not say things like, ‘we all feel that way sometimes’ or ‘everyone is a little autistic’. It belittles our experience and ruins the trust in any relationship, parent-child included. Learn to really listen to them. Play detective, not drill sergeant. Be on their team no matter what. You know them best. When all else fails, trust your gut.

What tips/advice do you have for those in our community who are interested in writing and publishing their work?B: Just do it. Our voices need to be heard. The more of us that write, the louder we are. Numbers make change. Stand together and share a common voice. There is no easier time to get your work out there. Thanks, interweb.

Any special message for our community?B: Please stop being so cruel to each other. We should be supporting each other as if there are no other options, because there aren’t. If we let ourselves be divided as a community, via labels, abilities, or social conformity, we have already lost.