Ep 029: As We See It and Autism
On today’s episode, we dive into the world of autism with Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt who is a writer, actress, and consultant/advocate for diversity, autism, and disability representation in entertainment.
We discussed how Ava got her autism diagnosis and what it meant for her, what stigmas she and other autistics often face, and how she would like to create inclusive autism representation on and off screen. We also talked about the representation of autism in television shows such as As We See It and Everything’s Gonna Be Okay.
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Music: Deppisch
Design: Perpetualnotion.ca
Mixing/ Mastering: Tony Bao
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Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt (she/her/hers) is a writer, actress, and consultant/advocate for diversity, autism, and disability representation in entertainment. As a Chinese, Jewish, autistic adoptee, she shares her intersectional lived experiences through writing and collaborating in writers’ rooms, consulting (largely with RespectAbility, a disability-advocacy nonprofit), speaking on panels, and publishing articles.
Currently, she’s a writer for the new Spiffy Pictures/PBS Kids animated series, “Carl the Collector.” She’s also the ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) Creative Consultant for How to Dance in Ohio, a Broadway-bound, coming-of-age musical that follows seven autistic young adults as they form connections and prepare for a formal dance. It premiered at Syracuse Stage in September 2022!
Previously, she’s written for other popular children’s tv shows, but can’t say what yet, and interned with the Nickelodeon Live Action Casting team. Ava is determined to educate and influence the entertainment industry, creating stories at the intersections of DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility).
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Find Ava on social media: LinkedIn
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