S1: E3 “Narrative Resiliency: Latinx Literature, Sobriety, and the Atypical Path with Professor Lisa Quinones”

In Season 1, Episode 3 of the Queerstories of Recovery podcast, host Dr. Danielle (Dani) Bacibianco sits down with Lisa Quinones-Fontanez, a writer, advocate, and the creator of the blog Autism Wonderland. The episode provides an intimate and intersectional look at the journey of sobriety, identity, and resilience. Lisa Quinones is a prominent voice in the Bronx community and the neurodiversity movement. Beyond her blog, her work has been featured in various publications, focusing on the realities of parenting, sobriety, and life as a Latina in academia and recovery. Professor Quinones delves into the realities of being a mother to a son living with autism, illustrating how her advocacy for the neurodiverse community sits at the heart of her own sobriety and self-care. As a writer and blogger, Lisa highlights the transformative power of storytelling—or sharing one's "queerstory"—to dismantle the stigmas surrounding both addiction and disability while emphasizing the vital need for inclusive recovery spaces for people of color.  This episode moves beyond the typical "recovery narrative" to look at how life’s various responsibilities (how career, parenting, and activism) interact with the daily commitment to stay sober. Lisa discusses the profound "unlearning" and queering that is required to show up authentically and vulnerably in every area of her life.