There are so many challenges we face when it comes to employment and none of them have to do with our skills or abilities, but the environment and the beliefs about what being autistic really means. 

Today’s Autistic Advocate Spotlight is on a woman who is doing work in a field where it is still not always safe to disclose your neurotype, the workforce.  She is speaking on corporate stages and around the globe to companies who want to be neurodiverse, who are seeking to learn how to do it well. 

Jessica Michaels works in Learning and Development for one of the largest tech firms in the world and she is making a huge impact on corporate culture.  She is not only one of the most passionate and brilliant strategists I know, she is also one of the kindest and most generous people you will ever meet.  Did I mention she has a wicked quick wit?

Meet Jessica…

Social Autie: What is your specialty or focus area of Autism Advocacy?

Jessica:  I am a public speaker, consultant, and trainer focusing on making workplaces neurodiversity-friendly. 

Social Autie: Why did you begin advocating for yourself and others?  What makes this personal to you and Your Big Why? 

Jessica:  I began advocating for myself and others when I struggled to get my own job to recognize the advice I was being given was impossible for me to take because of my autism and ADHD.  I have been so lucky that even though I have struggled throughout my career, I have still found professional success in a job I truly love.  When I found out that 80% of autistics are un-or-under employed, I knew I had to do something more to help.  No matter what else, I know I have been an asset to the companies I have worked for.  There are so many others out there that could do the same if the workplace was tweaked the slightest bit to accommodate them.  From recruiting to training to performance reviews there are so many barriers put in front of neurodivergents that can so easily be taken down.  I want any neurodivergent who wants a career to be able to have one.

Social Autie: What is/are the top tip(s) or insight(s) you have discovered for advocating for a) others and b) yourself?

Jessica:  I am in a position to be open about my diagnosis when so many others cannot do so safely.  For that reason, I am in education mode all the time - raising my own voice because there are people that can't.  I encourage anyone else who can speak up safely to do so - which allows you to advocate for yourself and others at the same time.  Whether you are speaking up for yourself or others, it can be easier to get what you want when you present both the problem and the solution you want at the same time. Many companies and colleagues do not know how to support neurodiversity but are willing to do so if you tell them how.

Connect with Jessica Michaels:

 https://coachjessicamichaels.com/