UN Young Leader Siena Castellon Celebrates Neurodiversity

Spring 2021 • Spotlight • Kids Corner

Siena Castellon wants to celebrate our differences. Through her platform Quantum Leap Mentoring, she is changing the narrative on learning challenges.

By Alana Blumenstein

18-year-old Siena Castellon is proud to be autistic. The UN Young Leader talks openly about her experiences with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and anxiety, to help others celebrate what makes them different. Through her platform Quantum Leap Mentoring, Castellon aims to change the narrative on neurodiversity.

At just 13-years-old, Castellon began to see a problem in her local community in London. Those around her seemed to only focus on the negative aspects of learning differences. “Every single time I was told what I couldn’t do,” Castellon says of her diagnosis. “I was never told the positives.”

She hoped to provide empowering support and mentorship for kids like her. “I found that there was a real lack of resources for children with learning differences,” she says. While there was access to information for teachers and parents, Castellon says the same wasn’t true for kids. At the time, she wished to find tips for the little things, such as paying attention with ADHD or acing a spelling test with dyslexia.

Frustrated, Castellon spent hours searching for advice to no avail, finding sprinkles here and there. One day, she had an epiphany. She realized there was a need for a central hub, which gathered all of the information in one place. Castellon decided she would build it herself, and QL Mentoring was born.

Castellon shares her story to show others that they are not alone, no matter their struggle. On QL Mentoring, you can find information on a range of learning challenges as well as Castellon’s personal advice. She provides tips on many topics, including bullying, which she says is common for kids with autism.

In childhood, Castellon recalls her own experience of being called stupid and lazy. “When I was younger, and I was being bullied, I would take what I would hear as the truth,” Castellon says, adding that the bullying negatively affected her self-esteem. Though she initially felt defeated, she learned to brush off hateful comments. “I would tell my parents afterwards, and we would just laugh about it,” she remembers. Castellon explains that when it comes to bullies, the best thing to do is reject their view entirely.

Soon after launching QL Mentoring, Castellon began receiving messages from kids like her. “People started to contact me and share their stories,” she says. Many of them had one thing in common: they felt limited by the outside world.

“They’re trying to be inspired by the difference, but the wider community isn’t allowing them to do that,” Castellon says. She believes many people have their own narratives of what it means to have a learning difference, whether it’s autism or dyslexia. Unfortunately, misconceptions like these are everywhere, including our school systems.

Castellon explains that this limiting perspective can make neurodiverse students feel less than their classmates and incapable of the same achievements. “You’re not made to feel empowered,” Castellon says – something she strives to change.

This misconception drove her to start Neurodiversity Celebration Week, a movement she hopes to spread to schools worldwide. The program, which encourages schools to recognize and celebrate neurodiverse students, reached over half a million students and 720 schools in its first year. “They got to hear all the positives of learning differences,” Castellon says. This act of celebration is just one way Castellon aims to change the narrative. Her book, which was a gamechanger for autistic girls, is another.

In The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Guide: How to Grow Up Awesome and Autistic, Castellon shares personal tips on friendships, body image, bullying, and more. “I started thinking about this disconnect in the way girls present and the way boys present,” she says, adding that she could only find advice written by men. “While I was writing it, I realized that it was going to be the first book written for autistic girls by an autistic girl.” From the illustrator to the author to the foreword, Castellon ensured that her team was made up entirely of autistic women.

Castellon’s advocacy led her to be nominated to the United Nations Young Leaders Class of 2020. When she heard the news of her acceptance, she couldn’t believe it. “I was just so happy,” she says. “I felt like I was going to be able to make a difference in the community and get a message out there that's important and that needs to be heard.”

Though neurodiversity attracts bullies, Castellon has gained strength from her experiences. “When I was younger … I was very into people-pleasing,” she says, adding that she didn’t want to be perceived as difficult. Today, Castellon has learned to stand up for herself, and she encourages others to do the same. “Make a distinction between what's helpful and what's harmful,” she advises. “Don't take criticism from people you wouldn't take advice from.”

To become a changemaker, Castellon suggests utilizing social media and sharing your own stories. She explains that her advocacy is stronger because she’s able to connect with her audience on a deeper level. “Because I was able to relate to the people that I was talking to … there was a personal element to my advocacy,” she says. 

Being neurodiverse can be difficult, she admits, but Castellon happily celebrates her differences. “I'm lucky that I'm autistic, dyslexic, dyspraxic, and have ADHD,” she shares. Thanks to her neurodiversity, Castellon is an excellent problem solver, is naturally creative, and sees the world through a unique lens.

From acing a spelling test with dyslexia to focusing with ADHD to managing anxiety, Castellon has conquered nearly every problem. Looking back at her life, she feels nothing but gratitude for her journey. “If you do something for 10,000 hours, you become an expert at it,” she says, citing a common rule-of-thumb. “With my whole life, it's just one big problem-solving session.”

Castellon grew from a young girl in need of advice into a fearless advocate for others like her. “Never be ashamed of being different,” her book reads. “Where others see limitations, we see possibilities. We are the innovators, the problem-solvers, the pioneers, the visionaries, and the trailblazers of tomorrow.”

Above all else, the most important thing is to believe in yourself. In her words, “As far as I am concerned, you’re amazing and I’m thrilled to be part of your journey.”

Get your own copy of The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Guide: How to Grow Up Awesome and Autistic HERE.