We were lucky to catch up with Alyssa Salter recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alyssa, thanks for joining us today. How’s you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?
When I first began advocating for disability and neurodiversity rights, it was very scary. I had worked previously in non-profit spaces but I had always led myself. I was coming into a role that was newly created specifically for me to do my best work, with a team and leadership that was behind me and with me 100%. I was nervous to mess up, to do it wrong. But there was so much grace from my team that it made the leap worth it. I had been doing theatre work, a form of activism itself, but I was looking to do more. To be specific.
I had a friend who was looking for advice on a consulting basis and that was when I took my leap. I had to believe I knew myself best, my experience, and my strengths to jump into the unknown.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I work as a neurodiversity and disability specialist for a company called Bened Life. My main job is content creation and curation, which means I do a lot of reading and online surfing for information. I also create content to reduce stigma and misinformation–because it is rampant. Bened Life is a biomedical company that created a probiotic called Neuralli. The probiotic Neuralli is backed by years of science, 12 clinical trials, and is meant to support conditions such Autism and Parkinson’s.
I am most proud of our culture and team. We thrive on prioritizing neuroinclusivity, science, community, support, diversity, and more. It is one of the first times in my life where I felt like I was authentically invited to be myself. I do a lot of writing, content creation, media opportunities, and conferences. I think working in a space like the one I am in helps people learn to grow and learn from other professionals with the support to try things that are new.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
One of the skills I am grateful to have is self expression. I had experience expressing myself through song, dance, movement, and performance but was challenged in graduate school to put my pen where my mouth was (metaphorically). I wrote a piece about feminism and why it benefits all to support it, but through comedy and story telling. It was this push while training for my master’s degree that I think allowed me to begin enjoying sharing stories and writing down my thoughts in different ways.
I often now write personal essays with educational spins or ways to relate to the subject matter. Story telling is human and I now get to share my experiences with others to reduce misinformation, prejudice, and judgement about neurodiversity and disability. Being able to share in a way that people connect to is so powerful and I am grateful I am able to do that.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Authenticity. When I show up, you receive the complete package of who I am. I communicate clearly and concretely and stand up for what I believe in. I am authentically myself and my beliefs with my heart on my sleeve. I find that being myself allows people to approach me and be authentically themselves. As an autistic person, it is very freeing to feel like I can (at least) partially unmask and be myself even if that means a lack of consistent eye contact or needing to use a fidget tool.
Being myself authentically and genuinely may not be for everyone but it will be for the right people. The people open to my experiences and thoughts, who care about community and justice, will find it because they search for it.
I also think being able to listen has been so valuable in the market I work with because storytelling is two ways. The same way I want to be seen for who I am and the work I do, others also are seeking to be heard an acknowledged. Humanity craves connection, and I think by being able to give people space it has bettered my reputation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alyssajsalter.wixsite.com/website
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssajean/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-salter
Image Credits
Bened Life, Angie Mandl.
Paula Luna