Shalese Heard is The Autistic Travel Goddess and she is absolutely a goddess.  I met Shalese in a webinar we were both panelists for and immediately we connected and have been friends ever since.  Shalese has an adventurous soul and sparks my JOY and I know she will spark yours too.

If you want to travel, get financially sound and make your dreams a reality when it comes to traveling then Shalese is your person.

Meet Shalese…

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

Shalese:  I specialize in Travel and financial freedom to empower Autistic people!

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

Shalese:  I began advocating for myself because I got tired of the society we live in where Autistic people are made to feel that something is constantly wrong with us. I grew up always being told that I needed to blend in with others that I needed to work twice as hard and overwhelm myself to meet Neurotypical standards. There was never a conversation about how society can be more accommodating, and accepting of neurodiversity. In my late teens, I had an epiphany:

If everyone else can feel safe to BE, and be accepted as they are then why can’t I as an Autistic person? Why is being Autistic wrong?!

At the beginning of my self-advocacy journey, I became obsessed with learning all about the Autism, and how it’s a super power for me. That was the game changed for me.

From that point on, meeting other Autistic people and promoting Autistic self-love became my mission.

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

Shalese:  Advocacy is a very individual thing. What one person feels to be strong advocacy might not suffice for another. It’s all about being open minded when advocating for others

Connect with Shalese:

Autistic Travel Goddess on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. https://linktr.ee/Autistictravelgoddess