Episode 205: Supporting the Hispanic Tourette’s community – with Claudia Scott

The episode transcript is below.

Carolyn Kiel: Welcome to Beyond 6 Seconds, the podcast that goes beyond the six second first impression to share the extraordinary stories of neurodivergent people. I’m your host, Carolyn Kiel.

Today I’m speaking with Claudia Scott. Claudia is a dynamic and accomplished professional with substantial experience in capital access management, member engagement, and advocacy. She is the Capital Access Manager for Kiva Northwest Arkansas at Startup Junkie, where she is responsible for connecting small business and minority entrepreneurs to the resources and capital they need to thrive.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Strategic Communication from the University of the Ozarks and a Master’s Degree in HR and Workforce Development from the University of Arkansas. Claudia is a native English and Spanish speaker, which has proved invaluable in building relationships and connecting with diverse communities, specifically in advocacy settings.

Claudia, welcome to the podcast.

Claudia Scott: Thank you so much. I’m really excited to be here. That was a beautiful bio. You did great.

Carolyn Kiel: Perfect. Yeah. I’m really excited to talk with you about all of your advocacy work and your experiences.

One of the big reasons that I’m so happy that you’re here to share on my show is that part of your advocacy is around Tourette’s syndrome and you have Tourette’s yourself. So I’d love to learn more about that. Just going back to the beginning,

Claudia Scott: Yeah!

Carolyn Kiel: How did you discover that you have Tourette’s?

Claudia Scott: Yeah! So I’m originally from Costa Rica. So that was, that’s where my family lives. That’s where I was born. That’s where I was raised. I think I started developing symptoms when I was probably seven or eight years old. So like first, second grade. And at first I remember it was very much like eye blinking, like nose scrunching. So all my teachers were like, she just has allergies. We need to just get with her mom and like, figure it out.

I got a very late diagnosis. Not super late compared to other people, but I didn’t get formally diagnosed until I was 12 or 13. My mom took me to several neurologists before that, and most of it is, “she’s probably just anxious or she has simple tics, nervous tics, she’ll be fine, she’ll grow out of it,” is what they always said. When I was 12, they kept getting, I would, I hate using the word worse, but they were getting progressively worse. So they took me to a neurologist in Costa Rica. And that was probably my third or fourth one. He was like, “this is clearly Tourette’s. I don’t know how anyone missed it but it is clearly Tourette’s.”

So, for me, it was easier to have a diagnosis to have, like, an answer. Especially when you’re in elementary school, kids can be ruthless. Especially, so they can be ruthless in general, and then you have something tacked up on top and there’s no answer. Like, I didn’t have an answer of what to tell them. So, for me, it really was a relief. At least I had an excuse or just an answer for people when they asked.

I think my parents took it the hardest, especially my mom. And I, and I do think that’s very normal, but my mom was, you know, she’s still very involved in my life. So is my dad. It was easier for my dad to just like, joke about it. My mom just took it very personal, like “what if I’ve ever made you feel bad? What if I told you to stop biting your nails?” We all took it differently in my family, especially my mom. And she still gives herself a hard time. So, but from there she became, and I love to say that she became like, she advocated like a mom, which is a totally different type of advocacy. She was so strong and so resilient and persevering, especially back, I think it was early 2000s probably 2001, 2002. And it was in, in a country where, you know, Information gets a little later, especially back then and especially about something that was even weird here that it was Tourette’s. So that’s how we found out. And then that’s how the story began.

Carolyn Kiel: Oh, wow. So, yeah, it was, it’s interesting that, you know, cause you went through, it sounds like a series of misdiagnosis. I think a lot of people maybe who don’t know as much about tics and Tourette’s syndrome think that it’s like anytime you have consistent tics like that’s Tourette’s syndrome. Or it’s, so it’s interesting the whole concept of like simple tics, because there’s other tic disorders besides Tourette’s.

Claudia Scott: Yeah. And I think that was the only thing they knew at the time. They were like, you know, “it could be, it can be simple tics,” which I’m guessing at this point, we would call it a tic disorder, to just, “she actually has a neurological issue.” So it took a little while.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah, yeah. So it sounded like you in some ways maybe were relieved or that it was helpful in some way just to have that diagnosis. So sort of like an explanation for what was going on after not knowing for so long.

Claudia Scott: Yeah. And I still believe so strongly in just having information. I think information is such a key for so many things. So even as an adult, when I have a friend or someone I know, they’re like, you know, “why should I get diagnosed now?” You know, and it can be so many things. Autism, bipolar disorder. And people say, “why do, why do I need to get diagnosed now? I’m an adult. I’ve coped with this my whole life.” It’s like, yes, but there is so much that comes with actually having a formal diagnosis. You get so much information and you learn how to, you learn that the patterns that you’ve had your whole life have a reason of being, and even at 29, I still do things that I’ve never thought were normal or okay. And then I still, I’m still realizing things. Oh, no, that’s just the way my brain works. It’s just different.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah, absolutely. And so once you had that diagnosis, you were, you know, still like a preteen or young teenager still in school. So what was the reaction of people in, in school? Like, did it make a difference having the diagnosis, or did it just sort of make you approach things in school differently after that?

Claudia Scott: So, and I always find that. So, elementary school, I went to 2 different schools, 1 for elementary and 1 for high school. That’s the way it’s just kind of divided in Costa Rica. Definitely elementary school was a little harder, and I do chalk it up to the fact that I didn’t know how to answer most of the questions thrown my way. But once I had a formal diagnosis, I think disclosure became my best friend. I was never afraid to tell people, I was never afraid to just do research. And, and it’s, it’s weird because I do think I have a different experience than most people as a preteen. Most of my friends were incredibly accepting in, in school, at church, like community groups. I was always incredibly lucky to find good human beings. And even now, I do think the good, the good outweighs the bad. So in, in high school, there was really no, like, teasing or bullying. There was some of that when I was in elementary school. But I think, I think disclosure for me was, was a big deal.

Carolyn Kiel: Right. That’s great. Yeah. Having that, as you said, having that knowledge and that information is really helpful and really powerful. Yeah.

Claudia Scott: Absolutely. And it, it helps you advocate for other people. Especially when I was in high school, I was like, I understand myself so much more now that I can help other people that way.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah. That’s awesome. All right. So, you know, you, you grew up in Costa Rica. When did you move to the United States?

Claudia Scott: Yes, I grew up in Costa Rica until I was 19, about to turn 19, and right out of high school, I knew that I wanted to study abroad. Like, that was something I was very passionate about. I didn’t have my heart set on anywhere in particular. But the Walton Family Foundation, which is the people that created Walmart, you know, years ago, they have a scholarship program called the Walton National Scholarship Program. So they pick about six students from every Central American country yearly to come to Arkansas and study. So I applied my senior year of high school and I got that scholarship right out of, right out of high school. So it was a full ride to University of the Ozarks. Everything was included like room, board. They even gave us plane tickets to go visit our families in the summer. So it was, it was a great experience. And my English did not sound like this. I had a very thick accent that I think being here for so long has just, you know, I’ve worked it out.

But when I was in college, I met my husband. He was a basketball player, and his jersey’s hung up there. And I was the big nerd that was very focused in school. So we started dating towards the end of our college time and we eventually got married in Costa Rica. So it is different. It’s, it’s interesting to see still now I get cultural shocks in the U. S., but I’ve been gone for so long that when I go home and see my parents, I still get that cultural shock too.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah. Yeah. And in terms of the difference between culture or like public reaction or knowledge of Tourette’s syndrome, like, do you notice a difference in how people in Costa Rica in general versus Arkansas react to your Tourette’s or other ideas they have about Tourette’s?

Claudia Scott: Yes. So it’s interesting. I do feel like in Arkansas, especially because, you know, it’s the South, people try to be very inviting, very, you know, People don’t hesitate to ask me questions. Whether that question starts with, “are you sneezing? Bless you.” You know, whatever that is that, which I love, I mean I don’t love, but I’m okay with, because it, most of the times it does lead to that conversation like, no, I have Tourette’s, blah, blah, blah.

I think in Costa Rica, people notice you and they just like, try their best to not look at you, because they’ve always been told that that’s rude. So it’s not, it doesn’t like, there’s not as many awkward moments. But again, I don’t live there anymore. So it might have changed, especially the information side of things. When I was, you know, 12, 13, 18 even, the information that Costa Rica had was so minimal compared to what they have now, which is incredible. Like, I remember someone asked my mom that, you know, “you need to take her to church, you need us to pray over her.” Or “I don’t think it’s Tourette’s. I think she’s too stressed out. She’s a teenager.” So there was a lot or I would say misconceptions, you know, especially. I don’t ever think people do things just ill-intended, but there was still a lot of misinformation.

But then the flip side of that is we believe the U.S. is this incredibly, you know, futuristic and advanced country, but I’ve had horrible experiences here too. You know, I was in a plane one time and this lady was like, “I’m going to pray for you and God’s going to heal you.” I was like, “if you want to pray for me, if that will make you feel better, go ahead.” And she did. She kneeled down in the middle of the plane. The people, they couldn’t pass with the snack cart. But that made her feel better. It was a fiasco. I think that’s one of the funniest stories I have.

But you know, discrimination is still so rampant in the workplace, you know. And I think Tourette’s is such a different disability because we don’t like match it to other kinds of like physical disabilities that are more visible. And especially for me, like, I’ve always had a full time job. I’ve always gone to school full time. So people see that and they’re like, “well, she does, she, no, she’s fine. She doesn’t need any extra accommodations or, you know, any, any type of, of help.” So it’s definitely been an educational journey to teach people what Tourette’s really is. That, you know, if I go through a 12 hour day, the same way you do, for me it feels physically, mentally emotional, like a 48 hour day.

So, yeah, it’s just, it’s different, but at the same time, I think both spaces need to learn a little more about Tourette’s.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah, and that’s one thing that I’ve learned from talking to other guests on my podcast who have Tourette’s is that just so many of the stereotypes and the misinformation, you know, a, a lot of my guests are in the United States, so I’ll say in the United States, but probably elsewhere in the world as well, about what Tourette’s is. And just, you know, really people, I’m like, people I think just get it from like really bad movies in terms of their ideas about it, and then that’s as far as people go!

Claudia Scott: Yes! That is so funny because when I meet someone, especially younger, like in their early twenties, either in their early twenties or really like late fifties and sixties, there’s like, two generational groups that when I’m like, oh, I have Tourette’s, usually they will both say, “so do you curse?” No, I don’t. You know, like, so I have to explain, you know, that there’s so much that we don’t see about Tourette’s.

But the 1 thing, and it gives me a lot of, like, hope and faith for humanity. Most of the people around my age and even younger have really learned, and probably that happens because they’ve been, you know, immersed and exposed with people of different kinds, they, I very rarely have to deal with like rudeness or, you know, lack of acceptance. So I’ve, I’ve been very blessed to find people that, you know, take me as a person with or without the Tourette’s and just, you know, who I am and my personality.

Carolyn Kiel: Right. That’s great that you’ve had that experience. And yeah, I think there’s just so much more information out there now about Tourette’s that we don’t have to just learn about it from bad movies. It’s like the internet and just like the ability to connect, connect with other people who have that lived experience and just learn what it’s really like. Yeah.

Claudia Scott: Yeah. No, I think that’s awesome. Even TikTok now, there’s a bunch of creators with Tourette’s and, you know, TikTok can go both ways. But I do think that, you know, if you wanna get educated, you can find good information about anywhere. So it’s, it’s a, it’s about willpower too.

Carolyn Kiel: In terms of, yeah, finding out that information, it’s out there and you just have to go, you have to go find it and learn. Yeah, exactly.

Part of your advocacy, as we said, is around Tourette’s and you do a lot of Tourette’s advocacy in the Hispanic community. So I would love to learn more about your experiences with that. So I guess, you know, what kind of perceptions of Tourette’s have you experienced within the Hispanic community?

Claudia Scott: Yeah, and I love that. I am, I’m so very passionate. I mean, I’m passionate about Tourette’s and I’m passionate about the Hispanic community. So it really is, it’s the best of both worlds for me.

I think it was a few years ago that the Tourette’s Association of America, which is also headquartered in New York, had shot me a message and said, “Hey, we need someone to do these interviews, but we don’t have anyone that speaks Spanish.” I was like, of course, I’ll do it. And that happened three, four, five times where I was like, okay, clearly there is a need. Because I know for a fact, I’m not the only Hispanic example of a woman with Tourette’s in the US. So there was definitely just a lack, I think part of it is a lack of reach. You know, you can’t reach these communities because you don’t speak like them. You don’t look like them. So it’s harder for them to build like a relationship based on trust. So, the access of information, the economical status of people. Like, if you’re scraping by, which a lot of Hispanic families here are barely making it, you don’t have the money to spare on going to a neurologist, a therapist, you know.

So, so I’m very passionate about getting information in Spanish to as much Hispanic communities as I can. And whether that is 1 person a year, 300 people a year, I think they’re all worth it. I still get messages sometimes because I’m very involved with the Tourette’s Association in Costa Rica too, and they’ll send me a message and be like, “this mom is going to lose it. Like her kid’s acting up. We don’t have anyone like a good mid 20s role model.” I was like, send them my way.

So I’ve been, I think people around me know that I’ll always be willing to talk to anyone. So that’s been really cool to see just people referring others like, “hey, they just got diagnosis. They, they just want to talk.” Most of the time it’s, it’s really that. You just need to vent, especially right after.

And I do think there is a difference, especially when I talk about Hispanics in the U. S. compared to Hispanics elsewhere, I think it’s very different. Like, especially in Northwest Arkansas, it is a lot of, like, working families that have, like, factory jobs or, you know, plant jobs. So it’s hard for them to be as involved as, for example, my mom was. You know, she had a very good job, but she was able to be there for me constantly. And I don’t think most families, especially in the US are able to do that if they’re, you know, immigrants and are trying to figure it out. So I think there is, there is that lack of, you know, ability and privilege to take your kids to a neurologist. Healthcare is, you know, as we know, just increasing in price.

And then there’s also the perceptions that I think are more ingrained in the Hispanic community that in, in the U. S. because clearly, you know, you guys have more exposure to information, like we said. So I do think that Hispanics around here can be, you know, they see it as a bad thing. Like, “oh, I don’t want my kids to get diagnosed with anything. Like, I don’t want to put them in medication. They’ll be fine. You know, I don’t have time for this. I don’t have money for this.” So there is the spiritual aspect to like, a very Catholic culture meets a disability that almost seems mental, but it’s neurological. So I think that it’s, it’s just a, it’s a mess, but it’s a fun mess. We’re figuring it out.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah, there’s a lot. And in terms of specific challenges that you’ve noticed, I mean, you mentioned a lot of the perceptions and the experiences within the community. Are there challenges with, say, getting a diagnosis or getting support after a diagnosis when it comes to Tourette’s?

Claudia Scott: This is really interesting. So, for a few years, when I was in, in college, I would bring my own medicine from Costa Rica. Because I, you know, I was still in college. I hadn’t figured out, I haven’t yet figured out the health care system. So then when I was probably a senior, I, I saw a neurologist that was close to where I lived and he put me on Orap, which is, I believe it’s pimozide. Fast forward 3 or 4 years. I’d just gotten married. A lot of like personal changes, you know, you’re living in a new place with a husband. My tics just skyrocketed, to a point where I was like, I am 20 what, 25, I was like, at the time. I was like, there is nothing that I don’t know about my Tourette’s. And the moment I felt like that, it decided to do a whole 180, like, got horribly bad. And I was like, oh, clearly, I need, I need to see a doctor, like the medicine’s not working. I’m a very sociable person. Like, I love hanging out with other people and being out. And not, like, not being able to go outside without getting badgered, I was like, something’s got to change.

So I decided to start calling neurologists in Northwest Arkansas, which is, you know, we’ve been living here for 5 or 6 years. And a lot of them said, “we don’t see movement disorders.” Or “we have a eight month wait.” Or “sorry, we don’t see people with Tourette’s.” I’m like, you can’t. What is happening? And I’d never in my life experienced that, where the access to a medical professional was, you know, excluded because of the type of disability. And eventually my mother in law was, I think she was like browsing the website or something, and she saw there was a professional in Little Rock, which is about three hours away, and you know, he specialized solely in Tourette’s. So I, I saw him, even my parents flew up, my dad flew up to go with me. So, because it was, it was a difficult time for me in my Tourette’s journey. And he was like, “You are not taking Orap. That’s just gonna mess up your heart.” And I was like, Oh, that’s why it beats so fast when I’m laying down! So we had to change all the medicines, basically start from scratch.

But I think that is the biggest thing for me. I think that challenge of finding a good medical professional was so hard. I was like, if it’s hard for me who, you know, yes, I live in a different country, but I manage my English perfectly. I have a job. I have health care. So many people don’t have any of those things. They only speak Spanish. They don’t have a health care. They might be illegal. If it was that hard for me to get a doctor to see me, how is it for them? Do they get any health care at all?

Carolyn Kiel: Wow. Yeah, that, that really is astounding to think that there would be so many neurologists who would turn down people with Tourette’s. Yeah,

Claudia Scott: I know!

Carolyn Kiel: Like, it’s like, where do you go from there? Yeah.

Claudia Scott: It was, at one point I was just like, I’m just going to sit here and cry until someone fixes this for me because I don’t know where to go at this point. That’s why I’ve always tried to have my contact at the Tourette’s Association because I’m like, especially, you know, there is a big movement in the East Coast, big movement in the West Coast, but I think the South really gets, and not at fault of anyone, it’s just, you know, geographically, that’s all where they are. So I think they, there’s, you know, there’s such a need in here and surrounding states. So I always want people to, you know, feel free to, you know, contact me. You know, and I, if I would have had that when I was 25 and going through a hard time and I would have been able to text someone and be like, where can I go? That alone would have changed a lot for me.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah, absolutely. And you’ve actually also started a national support group for Tourette’s in Spanish. So, yeah, tell me about what inspired you to do that and what that looks like now.

Claudia Scott: Yeah. So we actually, you know, and I do a lot of one on one Zooms. We realized quickly when I was talking to someone that, yes, the need for education with Tourette’s is very big all over the country. It’s incredibly big in the South, but then tack on to that the language barrier, and there is no resources. So I was like, someone’s got to do something. And usually when you find a problem and you ask yourself that question, you have to be that someone.

So, there was that big need in, yeah, I was actually just talking to Liz Barker at the Tourette’s Association because I was like, you know, I’m not getting, you know, as much people as I wanted to reach out. I was like, is there a way that you can just, anytime someone contacts you, I said, I will drive to Little Rock. I will drive to, you know, south Arkansas. The formal group and in the meetings and, they’re good, but I think it’s just so important to have like the option to ask for help. You know, I think a lot of people don’t want to go to something weekly, especially when they’re dealing with Tourette’s and they’re dealing with lives and school. But just having that option, like, Hey, I can text this person. I could call this person at any time when I’m struggling. I think that was a need, especially with the language barrier that was not being met.

Carolyn Kiel: So in terms of your support group, is it like, text or call based, or how is that structured?

Claudia Scott: My idea of it was just starting weekly Zoom meetings. Then we quickly realized just how much we’re in, that was also mid COVID, and just how much people were dealing with a lot of their own problems. Like, you know, finances, COVID, Tourette’s. You know, people didn’t have as much time and they didn’t have this, you know, the, the opportunity to keep this, like, attendance list. So, yes, you know, right now, it’s if you want to call me, you want to text me, if you feel more comfortable, never tell me your name and just want to send me a voice note and talk things through, that’s basically what I do. I always try to be there for people that are either, you know. That’s the thing. It’s like, it doesn’t have to be either or. Like, I will be glad to talk to someone that just got in a diagnosis and as a Spanish speaker only. But if there is someone in the US who, or like in Arkansas, who doesn’t speak Spanish, but also needs just someone to vent, you know, that that’s what I’m here for.

I. I have met this girl who, I met her when she was like 12. I think she had just gotten her diagnosis around my age and she’s about now 15, 16. And I’ve gotten to see her, you know, grow in her journey with Tourette’s and, you know, meet her mom. We talk sometimes via text or, you know, go walk at the park. So I think just having that outlet to have someone there for you.

Carolyn Kiel: That’s amazing. As you said, yeah, just having someone to contact with your questions or when you need support sounds, yeah, incredibly valuable. That’s really awesome that you offer that to people. Very, very cool.

Claudia Scott: I enjoy it.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah! And you do so much around Tourette’s advocacy. What kind of goals do you have around your advocacy?

Claudia Scott: Yeah! I do, I do love it. And I think people think it’s so weird, but I love talking about Tourette’s. And that’s part of what I say when someone asks me like, “Oh, are you coughing? Or do you need a glass of water?” And then I say, I have Tourette’s. And they’re like, “I’m so sorry.” Don’t apologize. You don’t know what you don’t know. Like, you, especially us, as people that have Tourette’s, we complain about the lack of education, about the lack of people not knowing how to act. But the moment someone asks us, what’s wrong? We go into fight mode, you know, instead of just being like, this is what we’re asking for. We’re asking people to ask questions. We can’t get mad when they do.

So I really try to work on that: first of all, the education portion and then the approachability. Because I think a lot of time, people just don’t feel comfortable asking questions like, oh, if I have, if I don’t have Tourette’s, I can’t ask questions. So I’ve done, I’ve done a couple podcasts. I did one for, with the Oliver Sacks Foundation. That was really fun. So I try to, you know, put my face out there and my story as much as I can. And then for June, during Tourette’s Syndrome Awareness Month, I’ve done a post on the first day of the, of Awareness Month every year for 10 years. So every year I post this whole picture, and it’s been cool to see, you know, the people that have followed the journey and just myself as I’ve gone through. So like the first one I was in college and then, you know, the first time I bought a house, I had like my little sign.

So I’ve, I’ve tried to use social media, you know, just to, to teach people and to educate, but also keep my channels open for anyone that has questions. You know, I, I learned very quickly that I can’t get mad when someone doesn’t know that I have Tourette’s, because if I didn’t have Tourette’s, I probably wouldn’t know either. So, so my goals are probably just abstract. They’re just educating people and being here for people and supporting people. So there’s no, you know, number of of people I need to talk to, or there’s no special timeline or schedule. It’s just, I’m here to help whenever I’m needed.

Carolyn Kiel: That’s awesome. It’s sometimes such a fine line to walk between being open and educating and providing that education that is so needed about what Tourette’s is really like, and the exhaustion that I’m sure some people feel about, like, constantly being asked. So it’s, it’s awesome that you’re so open to answer those questions and maybe take some of the heat off people who may not be as comfortable talking about it publicly.

Claudia Scott: I totally get that. And it’s so interesting because I do get like that sometimes. I’m like, oh, my God, if someone asks me one more time if I am sneezing, I’m going to lose it. But I was recently, me and my husband love traveling, so we travel a lot. And I actually started a blog that’s called the Tourette Traveler. So it just kind of shares a little bit about our travels and having Tourette’s.

But I was, we were in the Pacific Northwest and we were, I think it was a museum in Seattle. My tics were, had just been so bad, you know, they hadn’t been bad like that in probably two years, but I’d gone to a couple concerts and I’ve recently learned that when I am very overstimulated, my tics get bad. And this was something that I found out at 28 after having Tourette’s for 16 years, but I’d never make, like, I’ve never made that connection. But I was there, tics were horrible. And probably over 50 or 60 people were asking me, like, “are you sneezing? Are you okay? Do you need water?” And I answer and I answer, no, it’s fine, I have Tourette’s. No it’s fine, I have Tourette’s. And I think it was like three or four o’clock, and I was just about to cry, like just sit and sob. And I told my husband, I said, we got to go. Like, I don’t think I can stay here. So one more person asked and I said, I’m done. Like, let’s go loop around this last part and go back to our BnB. I can’t do this.

And when we were there, this mom and her two daughters come up to me and they’re like, “I’m so sorry to bother you, but we heard you tell all these people that you have Tourette’s.” And they’re from Ireland, yes, Scotland? And they were like, “my daughter has Tourette’s. And the moment she heard you say that, she was like, please let, please introduce me to her.” And the mom was like, “I don’t know how to do that. I don’t know if you were okay with this.” Like, oh my gosh, I said, I was about to throw in the towel on the day, on the trip. And, you know, and I talked to this girl, she’s in high school and, you know, doesn’t meet a lot of people with Tourette’s. Was having a really hard day herself.

So I’ve realized, you know, yes, it’s okay to, like, feel frustrated. And yes, it’s, you know, I allow myself to feel the feelings. But usually when I’m about to quit, something like this happens where I’m like, what we do is important. Being open is important. You don’t know who’s looking at you or who, who needs that presence. You know, and it was, it was so, it was kismet for me. I hadn’t felt so frustrated like I did that day in years. In the moment, I was like, I’m not doing this. This beautiful mom and her 2 kids come, you know, and they’re like, “oh, this is so great.” I’m like, you don’t know what just happened, like, you don’t know what you coming up to me meant. Like, it was, it was really one of those times where we both kind of held each other together.

Carolyn Kiel: Wow. That’s amazing. Yeah. And that’s another, another piece of of advocacy is just answering questions and being open. So that’s amazing that that you’re able to make those connections like that. Wow.

So, yeah, Claudia, how can people, you know, get in touch with you or follow your social media and learn more about your advocacy?

Claudia Scott: So like I said, I just started TheTouretteTraveler.com where I share a little bit about everywhere we go and just how, not only just like my tics were good or bad, but I share about like places that made me feel extremely special or, you know, situations like the one that happened in Seattle. So I, I share that crossover between Tourette’s and travel and also how to adjust. Because it’s hard. Some people don’t travel because they don’t know like, how’s it going to be in the plane? How am I going to deal with security or TSA? So after doing it for so long, I’m like, this is a niche area, but it’s also so important. You know, we deserve to experience and hold as much space as anyone else in this world. So how do we hold that space and do the things that we love? So that’s The Tourette Traveler, a little bit of it.

I am on Instagram. I am Claudia, C L A U D I A. P. S C O T T. Claudia P. Scott. I kept my, I made my last name my middle name now. And then same thing on Facebook. Claudia Porras, is P O R R A S. and Scott. S C O T T. I don’t share uniquely Tourette’s. I share a little bit about my life and I do enjoy recording all of it. And I enjoy a lot when people DM me randomly go, “I have Tourette’s too.” I’m like, yay! Let’s be Tourette friends! I have like this girl in Houston that I’ve, we’ve known, “known” each other for years, but we’ve never met each other. We just talk sometimes when our days are really bad.

Carolyn Kiel: That’s awesome. Wonderful. Yeah. I’ll put links to your blog and your social media in the show notes so people can just click on it from there and connect with you.

Claudia Scott: I appreciate that. I think it’s so important to hold these spaces for neurodivergent Individuals of all types. You know, like I said, I’m still learning. I’m still making connections on why are my tics bad today? Or, oh, my brain’s not super weird. I, this is a similarity that me and so many other people have. So I think holding these spaces, podcasts, interviews, all of that, I think it’s so, so valuable.

Carolyn Kiel: Awesome. Well, I really appreciate you coming to share your story on my show.

You know, as we close out, is there anything else that you’d like our listeners to know or anything that they can help or support you with?

Claudia Scott: I think, when you ask, ask with respect. When you want to know an answer, chances are people do want to respond. Just don’t, you know, don’t be condescending in your line of questioning, which is one of the biggest ones for me. Yes, I will answer all of your questions, but don’t be rude. I still have a neurodivergent heart that gets hurt easily. So, yeah.

Carolyn Kiel: Yeah. Well, that’s, yeah. Great advice for anyone, and for for life in general, I think, so that’s, that’s awesome. Yeah. Thank you for that. Yeah. Thank you so much, Claudia. It was so much fun talking with you on the podcast and thank you so much for sharing your story.

Claudia Scott: I appreciate that. I appreciate the space you’re holding and inviting me over. I’m excited.

Carolyn Kiel: Thanks for listening to Beyond 6 Seconds. Please help me spread the word about this podcast. Share it with a friend, give it a shout out on your social media, or write a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. You can find all of my episodes and sign up for my free newsletter at beyond6seconds.net. Until next time.