Autism for Badass Moms

In this episode of Autism for Badass Moms , host Rashidah sits down with Teresa Martinez , a Latina mother of four fromNew Mexico, for an honest conversation about culture, motherhood, advocacy, and navigating the emotional complexities of raising autistic children. Raised in a large Mexican family in rural New Mexico, Teresagrew up surrounded by strong family connections and always dreamed of hav...

In this heartfelt episode of Autism for Badass Moms ,host Rashidah Cartwright sits down with Essence “Essie C.” Myrick, a mother of three who opens up about the emotional journey following her youngest son Damair's autism diagnosis at just two years old. Essie shares how feelings of guilt, self-blame, anddepression led her to question whether she was a good mother. As she struggled to process...

In this powerful and eye-opening episode of Autism forBadass Moms , host Rashidah sits down with Jillian Eisloeffel, autism advocate and founder of Bobby's World – Profound Autism Advocacy , for an honest conversation about the realities of raising a child with profound autism. Jillian shares her journey raising her 11-year-old son, Bob,who was diagnosed with autism at just one year old. With...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Gerri Tennyson—autism advocate, author, interior designer, and domestic abuse survivor—for a raw and deeply personal conversation about survival, motherhood, and reclaiming her life. As a mother of fraternal twins, including her son Dwight, who was diagnosed with autism at age three, Gerri spent 17 years navigating an abusive marriage while advocating for...

In this episode of Autism for Badass Moms, Rashidah sits down with Maria DeVoe, a Baltimore native now living in Atlanta and mom to two teenagers on the autism spectrum—Princess Brianna, who is turning 17, and Robert Jr., 14. Maria opens up about a journey that began nearly two decades ago, when autism awareness, resources, and conversations looked very different than they do today. Maria speaks c...

In this episode of Autism for Badass Moms, host Rashidah sits down with Andrea Jordan, a Chicago-area mom of three whose 8-year-old daughter, Zuri, was diagnosed with Level 3 autism shortly before turning three. Andrea opens up about receiving Zuri’s diagnosis during an already difficult chapter in her marriage, the loneliness she experienced, and what life has looked like since her divorce. She s...

In this episode of Autism for Badass Moms, host Rashidah sits down with entrepreneur, mentor, and autism mom Chastity Hankins for an honest conversation about what happens when the demands of the entertainment and beauty industries collide with the realities of raising a child with autism. Chastity shares her journey from noticing early signs in her son Kobe, through the diagnosis process, and int...

In this episode of Autism for Badass Moms, host Rashidah sits down with Lekana Williams, a wife and mother of two sons, ages 26 and 14. Her eldest son received his autism diagnosis at 23, while her youngest was diagnosed at 11. Lekana opens up about raising two sons with very different autism journeys and the unique challenges of navigating diagnosis, motherhood, and acceptance through the lens of...

This week on Autism for Badass Moms , Rashidah sitsdown with Erin S. L. Jackson for a powerful conversation about autism motherhood, domestic violence, survival, education, and what it takes to rebuild your life when walking away feels impossible. Erin opens up about something many women experience but may be afraid to say out loud: sometimes leaving an abusive relationship is not as simple as wal...

Host Rashidah sits down with Prue for a candid conversationabout raising her son Jock, who has both autism and ADHD, from the early signs and long diagnostic wait times to daily life on a remote Australian cattle ranch. Prue opens up about grief, anxiety, celebrating small wins, and the community that has rallied around her family, offering heartfelt, hard-wonwisdom for any parent navigating a new...

On this episode of Autism for Badass Moms , host Rashidah sits down with Lexus Sheffield , a 29-year-old mother of four from Texas. Lexus is the mother of 4-year-old twins, Journie andJamarion, Jr. , who were both diagnosed with autism in May 2025. As she navigated developmental concerns, services, and learning how to advocate for both of her children, Lexus was also facing a life-changing diagnos...

Rashidah sits down with Ashley — model, brand ambassador,life coach, rideshare entrepreneur, soon-to-be nursing school grad, and mom of two (with baby #3 on the way!) for a raw, honest conversation about motherhood, autism, healing, and showing up unapologetically.   In this episode, we discuss: 0:00 — Meet Ashley 1:11  — Raising two kids with differing needs 2:49 — Amir's autism diagnosis  5:...

Host Rashidah introduces a raw episode of Autism for BadassMoms on grief, autism parenting, divorce, and coping, featuring guest Emily Fell, a 45-year-old Wisconsin mom to 15-year-old Grace, diagnosed with autism at 2.5. Emily recounts the 2008 pregnancy and birth of her first daughter,Katie, who had hydranencephaly, was delivered by C-section with Emily suffering severe blood loss and transfusion...

In this powerful episode, host Rashidah sits down with Julia Faith Parker, a single mom from Memphis, Tennessee, who opens up about navigating her son Shamar's autism diagnosis, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and what it truly means to pour from an empty cup. Julia's story is raw, relatable, and full of gems for every autism mom who's ever felt alone in the journey. In this episod...

In this powerful international episode, Rashidah sits down with Dalisse — originally from Honduras, now living in Barcelona — who is raising two boys on the autism spectrum: Adrian and Guillermo. Both boys were diagnosed around 17 months old, but while Dalisse was learning to navigate autism evaluations, therapies, and advocacy for her children, she was also beginning a life-changing journey of he...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Kaylyn Vega — a Puerto Rican-Dominican mom from the Bronx, now raising her four-year-old autistic daughter in Florida alongside her Jamaican husband. Kaylyn opens up about spotting the early signs of autism, pushing back against family denial rooted in cultural stigma, navigating a resistant pediatrician, and ultimately becoming a fierce advocate for her...

Rashidah sits down with Wendy Ernzen — mom, podcaster, and fierce advocate for families raising loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Wendy's daughter Nicola (Nic), 23, has profound autism and bipolar disorder. Wendy shares her decades-long journey through early diagnosis confusion, relentless school battles, a family crisis that spilled into the community, and ultimatel...

In this powerful episode, host Rashidah sits down withChristina Bell, a mom, special education graduate student, and fierce advocate for her 5-year-old son Joshie, who was diagnosed with autism at 3.5 years old. From the moment Christina suspected something was different, she didn't hesitate — she Googled, she asked questions, and when the diagnosis came, she met it with clarity and courage in...

In this deeply moving episode of Autism for Badass Moms, Rashidah welcomes Kecia Johnson, a 42-year-old mother, 5-year colorectal cancer survivor, autism advocate, and an eight-time author from Denver, Colorado. She shares a journey that is almost impossible to imagine. Kecia shares the unimaginable journey that began in early 2020 when severe rectal pain was repeatedly dismissed during the height...

In this powerful episode, host Rashidah sits down with Karidiatou Coulibaly (known as Kadi), founder of Moussa Unfolded Hope Initiative (MUHI), to discuss her family's autism journey and the unique challenges many African families face when navigating disability, stigma, and cultural expectations. Raised in an African community where autism was rarely discussed, Karidiatou found herself search...

In this episode of Autism for Badass Moms , host Rashidah speaks with Eugenia Woods, a mother, grandmother, and advocate from Long Island, New York, whose autism parenting journey was shaped by bullying, grief, homeschooling, and a difficult encounter with Child Protective Services. After her son Juan received an autism diagnosis at age 9,Eugenia found herself fighting for his educational needs wh...

In this heartfelt episode of Autism for Badass Moms, hostRashidah sits down with Nykyta "Kyta" Arnold, a Georgia mom of three, to share the story of her youngest son Omry's autism journey. After the infection resulted in hearing loss, speech therapy was recommended to support his development. It was during those therapy sessions that the possibility ofautism was first raised. Nykyta...

In this episode of the Autism for Badass Moms Podcast, host Rashidah sits down with Maryland autism mom and advocate Quanisha Mitchell to discuss her family's journey to an autism diagnosis and everything that came after. Quanisha shares how her son, Amir, was initially diagnosed with a speech delay and sensory processing disorder before receiving an autism diagnosis in October 2025. She opens up...

In this episode of Autism for Badass Moms, host Rashidah sits down with autism advocate and certified autism coach Roshenna “Ro” McHaney for a powerful conversation about rethinking how we support neurodivergent children. Together, they discuss the importance of shifting away from deficit-based thinking and focusing instead on children’s strengths, emotional safety, and individualized support need...

In this powerful episode of Autism for Badass Moms, host Rashidah speaks with Jessica Pereira from the Bronx, NY, about raising her daughter Ja’Niyah, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2.5. Jessica shares how her bond with her sister, Chasity, evolved into a deeply connected co-parenting partnership rooted in unconditional love, advocacy, and autism acceptance. Together, they have created a hom...