Uploaded January 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this month's Writing Diversely interview I'm chatting with the founder of Awekids, Mariela Diaz, about Autism & ADHD.
Mariela is an Autistic/ADHD designer, illustrator and founder of Awekids, an inclusive ecommerce business that aspires to unite all children, of all abilities and differences, to go on magical adventures and educational journeys, to learn through play about inclusivity, representation and acceptance.
She is a Mama of four neurodiverse lil’ beans ranging from teens to a preschooler. In her spare time she enjoys being involved in her community and helping to advocate for children’s rights, inclusion and diversity. Mariela creates free educational resources for children, educators and parents that are available on her website.
Books/Resources mentioned:
ADHD & childhood trauma video: youtu.be/lYD0Q4oMYXw
The Reason I Jump (book): amazon.com/Reason-Jump-Inner-Thirteen-Year-Old-Autism/dp/081298515X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+reason+i+jump&qid=1643320555&s=books&sprefix=the+reason+I%2Cstripbooks%2C108&sr=1-1
Autism Spectrum website: https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/
Get updates about Alana's ADHD book, Talks Too Much: whatalanawrote.com/?fbclid=IwAR2xcTlhAaKaK8vCW5MdwJAEXV19e_4KXTkKM0bMHuhSELC3DiKzNgIclKM
Follow Mariela at:
IG: @awekids.au
facebook.com/awekids.au
Website: www.awekids.com.au
Want to watch the other interviews in the Writing Diversely series? Check out the playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY...
Want to learn how to write disabled characters? Buy my new book: books2read.com/u/m2lrYj
Want to learn how to write diverse characters? Get more info on my online course here: https://vanessamariebooks.teachable.c...
https://linktr.ee/vanessamariebooks
Newsletter sign-up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
Find me on:
Website: vanessamariebooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writervaness...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorvanes...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Timestamps:
Countdown Timer 00:00
Intro 01:55
Disclaimer 04:48
What is neurodivergent? 05:40
Autism & ADHD 06:28
What has your experience with it looked like? 14:43
What made you get your kids tested? 16:35
ADHD in reality shows like The Bachelor 21:54
What was it like for you to realize you're neurodivergent? 29:13
Do you think your life would have been different if you had gotten diagnosed as a kid? 34:18
Do you mask often? 36:40
Autism & love 41:28
How has autism & ADHD impacted your work & your parenting? 44:32
What ways do you think your autism and/or ADHD is the same as your kids & what ways does it look different? 52:12
Do you use any medications or therapies to treat your autism or ADHD? 57:20
Comorbidities 1:02:55
Person-first language or identity-first language? 1:11:18
What inspired your business, Awekids? 1:13:28
Stereotypes about autism, ADHD, or being neurodivergent 1:17:35
Books or resources to help with portraying neurodivergent characters? 1:24:31
Q&A Session 1:27:10
Closing 1:36:24
#writingdiversely #neurodivergent #autism #adhd #interview #writingneurodivergentcharacters #writingautisticcharacters #writingadhdcharacters #disability #representation #weneeddiversebooks #inclusivity
In this month's Writing Diversely interview I'm chatting with the founder of Awekids, Mariela Diaz, about Autism & ADHD.
Mariela is an Autistic/ADHD designer, illustrator and founder of Awekids, an inclusive ecommerce business that aspires to unite all children, of all abilities and differences, to go on magical adventures and educational journeys, to learn through play about inclusivity, representation and acceptance.
She is a Mama of four neurodiverse lil’ beans ranging from teens to a preschooler. In her spare time she enjoys being involved in her community and helping to advocate for children’s rights, inclusion and diversity. Mariela creates free educational resources for children, educators and parents that are available on her website.
Books/Resources mentioned:
ADHD & childhood trauma video: youtu.be/lYD0Q4oMYXw
The Reason I Jump (book): amazon.com/Reason-Jump-Inner-Thirteen-Year-Old-Autism/dp/081298515X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+reason+i+jump&qid=1643320555&s=books&sprefix=the+reason+I%2Cstripbooks%2C108&sr=1-1
Autism Spectrum website: https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/
Get updates about Alana's ADHD book, Talks Too Much: whatalanawrote.com/?fbclid=IwAR2xcTlhAaKaK8vCW5MdwJAEXV19e_4KXTkKM0bMHuhSELC3DiKzNgIclKM
Follow Mariela at:
IG: @awekids.au
facebook.com/awekids.au
Website: www.awekids.com.au
Want to watch the other interviews in the Writing Diversely series? Check out the playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY...
Want to learn how to write disabled characters? Buy my new book: books2read.com/u/m2lrYj
Want to learn how to write diverse characters? Get more info on my online course here: https://vanessamariebooks.teachable.c...
https://linktr.ee/vanessamariebooks
Newsletter sign-up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
Find me on:
Website: vanessamariebooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writervaness...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorvanes...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Timestamps:
Countdown Timer 00:00
Intro 01:55
Disclaimer 04:48
What is neurodivergent? 05:40
Autism & ADHD 06:28
What has your experience with it looked like? 14:43
What made you get your kids tested? 16:35
ADHD in reality shows like The Bachelor 21:54
What was it like for you to realize you're neurodivergent? 29:13
Do you think your life would have been different if you had gotten diagnosed as a kid? 34:18
Do you mask often? 36:40
Autism & love 41:28
How has autism & ADHD impacted your work & your parenting? 44:32
What ways do you think your autism and/or ADHD is the same as your kids & what ways does it look different? 52:12
Do you use any medications or therapies to treat your autism or ADHD? 57:20
Comorbidities 1:02:55
Person-first language or identity-first language? 1:11:18
What inspired your business, Awekids? 1:13:28
Stereotypes about autism, ADHD, or being neurodivergent 1:17:35
Books or resources to help with portraying neurodivergent characters? 1:24:31
Q&A Session 1:27:10
Closing 1:36:24
#writingdiversely #neurodivergent #autism #adhd #interview #writingneurodivergentcharacters #writingautisticcharacters #writingadhdcharacters #disability #representation #weneeddiversebooks #inclusivity
