Autism Knows No Borders

Celebrating Five Years, with Global Autism Community

Discover what’s possible when what you have to say matters.

Would you like to share your experiences with like-minded people who can relate to the same struggles? Are you looking for an easy way to form friendships and not feel isolated?

If so, you’ll want to listen to this episode, where members of our Global Autism Community talk about how being part of our online space has helped them feel support, connection, and a sense of belonging.

This week we are celebrating the 5-year anniversary of this podcast, as well as the 4-year anniversary of our online Global Autism Community! 

It’s been an eye-opening journey that continues to surprise, inspire, and move us. We’ve learned so much from self-advocates sharing their experiences, family members talking about acceptance, and professionals discussing best practices in the field of autism services. 

We’ve covered a wide range of topics, such as ableism, bullying, masking, the neurodiversity movement, intersectionality, disability rights, dating, communication, personal growth, cultural humility, and international collaboration, and even controversial topics like person-first vs. identity-first language, the puzzle-piece symbol, and ABA therapy.

Five years after launching Autism Knows No Borders, we are more energized than ever to keep going. There are still countless meaningful stories out there, and we want to bring them to you. We will continue to elevate autistic voices. We want their stories to keep traveling across the world, so that more and more people can join us in the cause for autism awareness, acceptance, and hope.

A huge thank you to all of our guests for educating us with their unique perspectives, as well as to our team members who keep making this podcast happen: our visual creator, social media manager, and community moderator, Danielle Terrell; our administrative associate, Aldjun Medenilla; and our sound designer and editor, Marc Aliana.

And, of course, many thanks to you, our dedicated listeners, for tuning in each week, sharing your takeaways, and ultimately giving meaning to what we’re doing. 

If you’re a new listener, we’d like to welcome you as well! 

Our online Global Autism Community has been growing over the past few years. This is a space where members have the possibility to share insights, listen to different perspectives, and create real change in their own communities – whether they’re autistic individuals, family members, or service providers. 

Special shout out to our community moderators, Danielle Terrell, Hattie-Angelys Fox, Adrian Sanchez, and Bob Schmus. Our moderators monitor posts daily to ensure that our online space remains safe and respectful. If you’re interested in joining our moderator team, you can send me a direct message in the community. 

Last week, some members of our community got together virtually to celebrate our anniversary and reflect on the podcast’s impact over the years. Today you’ll hear an excerpt from that special event, featuring our CEO Molly Pinney and Autistic Self-Advocates Hattie-Angelys Fox, Amira Collantes, Adrian Sanchez, Mary Johnston, and Corben Havener.

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Stress Management, with the Global Autism Community

Discover what’s possible when you put out the fire before burning out.

Are you looking for tips on how to alleviate stress? Stick around, because today’s episode is a Global Autism Community roundtable about Stress Management, featuring Autistic Self-Advocates Hattie-Angelys Fox, Adrian Sanchez, Mary Johnston, and Corben Havener. The CEO of the Global Autism Project, Molly Pinney, also joined us at the end.

Among other things, we discuss:

• Various stress triggers, including personal responsibilities, societal pressures, and the impact of social media
• Effective strategies for managing stress
• Engaging in self-care practices
• Creativity as a tool for stress relief
• Physical activities to improve mental clarity 
• Shifting your perspective through positive thinking
• The importance of sharing experiences with your community and feeling supported by them

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Defining Love with the Global Autism Community

Discover what’s possible when you love yourself first.

Do you struggle with expressing love for others, whether in friendships or romantic relationships? Do you ever feel pressure to live up to unrealistic ideas of love as represented in the media? How would you describe your own relationship with yourself?

If you’d like to hear about the many facets of love, particularly in the context of autism and neurodiversity, stick around for today’s episode. The following roundtable about Defining Love was facilitated by Global Autism Community moderator Bob Schmus, and it features Autistic Self-Advocates Hattie-Angelys Fox and Adrian Sanchez, as well as community member Danielle Terrell.

Among other things, they discuss:

• Personal definitions of love and its various forms
• Challenges of expressing love 
• The impact of media on perceptions of love
• Self-love as a foundation for healthy relationships
• The complexities of love in neurodivergent communities
• Wanting vs. needing someone
• Respecting differences in relationships
• Accepting one’s own autism
• Love from parents to children

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Encouraging Acceptance in Saudi Arabia, with Nora Alharbi | TBT

*THROWBACK EPISODE* 

This episode with Nora Alharbi was originally released on May 20, 2021.

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Neurodiversity in Popular Cartoon Characters, with Jeff Snyder | TBT

*THROWBACK EPISODE* 

This episode with Jeff Snyder was originally released on February 11, 2021. 

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Sibling Support and Physical Therapy, with Vanessa Lista | TBT

*THROWBACK EPISODE* 

This episode with Vanessa Lista was originally released on June 10, 2021. 

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New Year, New Routines, with the Global Autism Community

Discover what’s possible when you stick to healthy habits.

The start of a new year usually motivates people to realign priorities and establish new routines. Some even pick a guiding word for the year to provide focus. What intentions did you set at the beginning of 2025? Are you staying on track to reach your goals?

If you’d like to learn about creating and maintaining habits, stick around for today’s episode. The following roundtable was facilitated by Global Autism Community moderator Danielle Terrell, and it features Autistic Self-Advocates Hattie Angelys-Fox, Bob Schmus and Eren Neiderhoffer.

Among other things, they discuss:

• Strategies to set and achieve goals for the new year, which can actually be applied at any other time
• The importance of community
• Finding accountability partners and support systems
• Setting boundaries for well-being

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Therapeutic Tennis at Love Serving Autism, with Lisa Pugliese-LaCroix | TBT

*THROWBACK EPISODE* 

This episode with Lisa Pugliese-LaCroix was originally released on August 12, 2021. 

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Extending the Reach of Services in the Netherlands, with Catherine Verhoeff-Schauf, Enesa Muratovic, and Moji Swartjes | TBT

THROWBACK EPISODE* 

This episode with Catherine, Enesa and Moji was originally released on October 10, 2020. 

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The Diverse Butterfly, with Cassidy Hooper | TBT

THROWBACK EPISODE* 

This episode with Cassidy Hooper was originally released on May 27, 2021. 

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