Welcome!

In episode 72, the pod welcomes on Hadley! Hadley (she/they) is an audhd spicy gremlin, who we have had the pleasure of getting to know over the past couple years through our community meetings!

"My name is Hadley, a 20-year-old neurodivergent artist and cosplayer. My journey began with a severe case of MSPI, which led to a central line, a staph infection, and blood transfusions. These early medical challenges resulted in physical and occupational therapy for delayed milestones. At age five, I was diagnosed with combined-type ADHD—an early diagnosis for a girl. Ten years later, at 15, I finally received my autism diagnosis. While initially overwhelming, it provided the answers I lacked while being bullied. Today, I’ve found healing and a supportive, diverse community through cosplay and my creative passions."

This episode was so fun getting to know more about Hadley, about her journey with her development and getting diagnosed with autism at 15, to her sharing about her love for cosplay. Hadley's joyful energy is infectious!

Hadley will be competing in her first cosplay contest on March 28, wearing a costume that she's sewn (her first one ever!!) and crocheted rats for in KC at Planet Comicon Kansas City 2026. Let's all wish her the best of luck!!

Thanks for tuning in.

A+K

Connect with Hadley:

Tiktok/Instagram: @soul_fiddler.cosplay20 @smile._.sekai

Connect with us to share your stories, to join the community, or are in need of peer support-

Email: [email protected]

To be a guest: [email protected]

IG: @thespecialinterestpod

Join our Patreon: All tiers get access to monthly zoom events ~ patreon.com/TheSpecialInterestPodcast

Discord: https://discord.gg/vn6RGPdqrT

Need extra support? Contact us about 1:1 coaching!

New episodes biweekly

Credit:

Music:Peter Filippi

Shout out to our awesome team for all their support!