Bella Santoyo on Advocacy, Access & the Mod Squad Movement
Episode 6: Bella Santoyo on Advocacy, Access & the Mod Squad Movement
What’s Inside This Episode
What’s Inside This Episode
In this incredibly moving conversation, Erin chats with Bella Santoyo, a bilingual autistic advocate and AAC user who’s reshaping what communication, access, and inclusion really mean. Bella shares her journey—from navigating college as the first AAC user on campus to speaking on national panels and traveling the globe with her advocacy squad. Together, they dive into the real meaning of presuming competence, the everyday strategies Bella uses to self-regulate, and how supported decision-making is changing lives. This episode is a celebration of autonomy, allyship, and showing up fully—however you communicate.
Episode Highlights
This week we talk about:
How Bella found her voice through AAC and advocacy
What it means to truly presume competence
The harm of low expectations and repetitive remediation
Bella’s experience in higher ed as a non-speaking student
Why traveling can be life-changing for sensory-sensitive systems
A sneak peek into Mod Squad’s mission and momentum
Bella’s goals for 2025—including a 10K and international travels
Connect with Bella
Guest Links
🔗 Follow Bella on Instagram → @bellamaya17
🔗 Follow Mod Squad → @modsquadforaccess
🔗 Visit the Website → Mod Squad 4 Access
Other Resources:
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