Jen Msumba's guest appearances

Jen Msumba

Shark Tank Effect Show

Uninvisible Pod with Lauren Freedman

Shifting Perspectives on Autism

Vicky Westra

Dan Siegel

Steve Greenberg

Todd White

Tom Ross

Sean Murphy

Robert Bear

Andrew Gurza

David Mitchell

Kimberly Jackson

Chris Krimitsos

Thomas Smith

Matt Cohen

Jared Haw

Adam Levine

OwlTail

Vicky Westra is the Founder of Autism Shifts, a 501(c)3 Non-profit Foundation and Artistas Café, a unique Social Enterprise whose mission is to employ individuals diagnosed with Autism. Prior to her current entrepreneurial role, Vicky worked at Tampa Electric Company for 22 years in various roles. Her last role prior to leaving TECO was Director of Customer Services and Marketing. Vicky has a B.S. in Business Marketing from The University of Tampa. She is married to Pier and has one child, Gabrielle (Gabbi). Gabbi was diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when she was four years old. Through their journey with her own daughter, as well as her experience providing training and employment for individuals with Autism, Vicky has developed a very comprehensive and unique understanding of the diagnosis. Vicky is now on a mission, through Autism Shifts, to provide greater education and understanding about the diagnosis and help communities re-imagine a new world for Autism. Autism Shifts’ programs serve the four groups that are key to making this happen, which include: 1) individuals diagnosed with ASD 2) Parents/Caregivers/Families of those diagnosed 3) Businesses who want to become Autism Employment Ready and 4) the broader population. Vicky believes the timing is right and Tampa Bay is the perfect place to create the first Autism Ready Community model!

Vicky Westra is the Founder of Autism Shifts, a 501(c)3 Non-profit Foundation and Artistas Café, a unique Social Enterprise whose mission is to employ individuals diagnosed with Autism. Prior to her current entrepreneurial role, Vicky worked at Tampa Electric Company for 22 years in various roles. Her last role prior to leaving TECO was Director of Customer Services and Marketing. Vicky has a B.S. in Business Marketing from The University of Tampa. She is married to Pier and has one child, Gabrielle (Gabbi). Gabbi was diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when she was four years old. Through their journey with her own daughter, as well as her experience providing training and employment for individuals with Autism, Vicky has developed a very comprehensive and unique understanding of the diagnosis. Vicky is now on a mission, through Autism Shifts, to provide greater education and understanding about the diagnosis and help communities re-imagine a new world for Autism. Autism Shifts’ programs serve the four groups that are key to making this happen, which include: 1) individuals diagnosed with ASD 2) Parents/Caregivers/Families of those diagnosed 3) Businesses who want to become Autism Employment Ready and 4) the broader population. Vicky believes the timing is right and Tampa Bay is the perfect place to create the first Autism Ready Community model!

EP 7: Vicky Talks with Jen Msumba founder of Rebranding Autism

ASs1e4 - Vicky Westra Talks with Jen Msumba founder of Rebranding Autism

If Jen Msumba of Rebranding Autism isn’t a staple on your social media feed, then take our advice and get her good vibes on your radar. Jen lives on the autism spectrum, and has been through hell and back in her journey to comprehensive care and self-realization. Much of her success has been in facing personal challenges, and seeking the joy in all things to live a full and varied life. An accomplished musician, she has risen to prominence in the patient leadership community through her YouTube channel, where she posts videos of herself playing piano versions of pop music. As her confidence has grown, she has become more outspoken about her daily struggles, and works to inspire others to increase their confidence, get out of their comfort zones, and try new things — something that can be a real challenge for many on the spectrum. Living in residential schools and state hospitals from the age of 15, she survived abusive situations (she readily advocates against electric skin shock, a therapy used to punish adverse behaviors, which she endured daily for 7+ years), and has worked to successfully curb her own self-harming, impulsive, and aggressive behaviors in a healthy way. She now lives in a caring, largely independent-living facility, where she is happy, healthy, and in control of her own destiny. It has been hard won, but worth the fight…and she’s here to serve not only the autism community, but also those looking in from the outside. Team UP: meet Jen. She’s as bright a light as there is, and she deserves our attention. Tune in as Jen shares…  that she’s been in hospital and residential school care since she was 15, and wasn’t aware when she was first diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that for a long time, doctors and caregivers didn’t inform her about her diagnosis and treatment because they incorrectly assumed she wouldn’t understand that she didn’t become aware of her diagnosis until she was a young adult, and this realization was a relief because it validated her, explaining so many of her own behaviors and allowing her to release judgment and self-criticism what her early emotional reactions looked like — including self-harming reactionary behaviors that she originally thought all people on the autism spectrum were nonverbal how awareness (via diagnosis and proper care) has improved her confidence and self-esteem — and allowed her to be herself that she responds well to routine, and works to challenge herself to change things up (and share with others how she feels, and that her feelings are valid and relatable!) prejudice she’s experienced in the medical system: doctors often addressing her carers and not her directly — without first consulting on address that her YouTube channel started with her posting piano videos — and grew from there a description of some of the darker moments in her treatment — in state hospitals and psychiatric facilities, where electric skin shock was used for behavior modification that until recently, she continued to have nightmares about her violent past the role her faith plays in her healing the sage advice her mom gave her that changed her life  This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit uninvisiblepod.substack.com/subscribe

If Jen Msumba of Rebranding Autism isn’t a staple on your social media feed, then take our advice and get her good vibes on your radar. Jen lives on the autism spectrum, and has been through hell and back in her journey to comprehensive care and self-realization. Much of her success has been in facing personal challenges, and seeking the joy in all things to live a full and varied life. An accomplished musician, she has risen to prominence in the patient leadership community through her YouTube channel, where she posts videos of herself playing piano versions of pop music. As her confidence has grown, she has become more outspoken about her daily struggles, and works to inspire others to increase their confidence, get out of their comfort zones, and try new things — something that can be a real challenge for many on the spectrum. Living in residential schools and state hospitals from the age of 15, she survived abusive situations (she readily advocates against electric skin shock, a therapy used to punish adverse behaviors, which she endured daily for 7+ years), and has worked to successfully curb her own self-harming, impulsive, and aggressive behaviors in a healthy way. She now lives in a caring, largely independent-living facility, where she is happy, healthy, and in control of her own destiny. It has been hard won, but worth the fight…and she’s here to serve not only the autism community, but also those looking in from the outside. Team UP: meet Jen. She’s as bright a light as there is, and she deserves our attention. Tune in as Jen shares… <ul> <li>that she’s been in hospital and residential school care since she was 15, and wasn’t aware when she was first diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)</li> <li>that for a long time, doctors and caregivers didn’t inform her about her diagnosis and treatment because they incorrectly assumed she wouldn’t understand</li> <li>that she didn’t become aware of her diagnosis until she was a young adult, and this realization was a relief because it validated her, explaining so many of her own behaviors and allowing her to release judgment and self-criticism</li> <li>what her early emotional reactions looked like — including self-harming reactionary behaviors</li> <li>that she originally thought all people on the autism spectrum were nonverbal</li> <li>how awareness (via diagnosis and proper care) has improved her confidence and self-esteem — and allowed her to be herself</li> <li>that she responds well to routine, and works to challenge herself to change things up (and share with others how she feels, and that her feelings are valid and relatable!)</li> <li>prejudice she’s experienced in the medical system: doctors often addressing her carers and not her directly — without first consulting on address</li> <li>that her YouTube channel started with her posting piano videos — and grew from there</li> <li>a description of some of the darker moments in her treatment — in state hospitals and psychiatric facilities, where electric skin shock was used for behavior modification</li> <li>that until recently, she continued to have nightmares about her violent past</li> <li>the role her faith plays in her healing</li> <li>the sage advice her mom gave her that changed her life</li> </ul> This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://uninvisiblepod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">uninvisiblepod.substack.com/subscribe</a>

066: Life on the Autism Spectrum with Rebranding Autism’s Jen Msumba