Sonido Reyes is an award-winning and bestselling author who is best known for tackling difficult topics through a hopeful lens. They write stories celebrating their own queer and Mexican identities, including The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School, The Luis Ortega Survival Club, The Broposal, and The Golden Boy's Guide to Bipolar. They also have contributed short stories to the anthologies Transmogrify! and For the Rest of Us.

Sonido is also the vice-president of My Galvanized Friend, a nonprofit focused on providing access to and amplifying LGBTQ+ writing, art, and creators.

During this episode, you will hear Sonido talk about:

• How they were diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder
• What life was like growing up with schizoaffective disorder
• How manic episodes have affected their writing
• What they want people to understand about schizoaffective disorder
• How they choose the topics of the stories they write
• The importance of representation in books
• How they became involved with the nonprofit My Galvanized Friend

Visit SonidoReyes.carrd.co for links to Sonido's website, writing and social media.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy my conversation about schizoaffective disorder with Sally Littlefield on episode 243 of this podcast.

This episode is sponsored by Tas Kronby, Accessibility Consultant & Designer: Parallax scrolling, scroll bar hijacking, flickering, and neon colors are ruining your design—they trigger dizziness, migraines, and vertigo. You've audited for vision and hearing compliance. But does your online content make people sick? Tas Kronby offers Vestibular Accessibility Audits that go beyond compliance. Learn what you need to make your business truly inclusive. Tas will help you Design with All in Mind. Visit TasTheArtist.com/design-services/ to schedule your free consultation.

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

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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. These episodes are for informational purposes only and do not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.*

This episode is a special collaboration between Beyond 6 Seconds and the Living with FASD podcast hosted by Patti Kasper. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are lifelong conditions caused by prenatal alcohol exposure that can impact physical, cognitive, and behavioral development.

FASD is a type of neurodivergence, but it's often left out of conversations about neurodivergence. This episode is part of a series that Patti is doing on her podcast to help bring FASD into those conversations.

We discuss what communication differences can feel like for people with certain types of neurodivergence, such as FASD, autism (including apraxia in non-speaking autism), ADHD, and schizophrenia. We also explore why communication challenges can happen, and how friends and loved ones can help provide understanding and support.

A quick caveat: This conversation is not medical or diagnostic advice, and it does not speak for every neurodivergent person. Instead, Patti and I are sharing our own experiences and some insights from the people we've interviewed on our podcasts.

You can find Living with FASD podcast on Apple, Audible, Patreon, Pocket Casts, Rumble and YouTube, and connect with Patti at dot.cards/yourfasdcoach.

Do the things we mention in this episode match your experience as a neurodivergent person? Do you have other experiences? Let me know what you think!

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

Follow the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast in your favorite podcast player.

Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes.

*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. These episodes are for informational purposes only and do not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.*

Nieta Greene is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Disability Community for Democracy, Inc., an organization focused on safeguarding the rights of individuals within the disability community and providing a platform for political engagement founded on intersectional disability justice.

She is a resilient and proud Disabled Puerto Rican, Black, gender non-conforming, gay woman. Nieta openly champions her identity as she advocates for inclusivity and belonging on behalf of those unable to voice their concerns.

During this episode, Nieta talks about:

• Her experience growing up with multiple disabilities in the 1980s, and becoming involved in disability and LGBTQ+ advocacy
• Founding Disability Community for Democracy, Inc. after the 2024 U.S. election
• Systemic challenges that disabled people face in the United States (employment, healthcare, housing, etc.) and how politics impacts those challenges
• The importance of coalition building
• How to increase the disability community's political power in the United States

Learn more about Nieta and Disability Community for Democracy at DisabilityCommunityForDemocracy.org, subscribe to Nieta's Substack Nothing About Us Without Us and find social media and other links on Linktree.

Contribute to Carolyn's tip jar to support the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast's disability advocacy.

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

Follow the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast in your favorite podcast player.

Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes.

*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. These episodes are for informational purposes only and do not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.*