Rashidah Cartwright wins Podcaster of the Year at IMA 2026

Rashidah Cartwright received the Podcaster of the Year Award at the Influencer Magazine Awards E2 in London on July 1, 2026. The honor recognizes her Autism for Badass Moms podcast, which has built a global audience around autism motherhood, advocacy and lived experience.

Why it matters: - Cartwright’s win spotlights a growing audience for podcasts centered on autism parenting, mental health and advocacy. - The award also underscores how personal experience can translate into media platforms that build community and practical support.

What happened: - Rashidah Cartwright was named Podcaster of the Year at the Influencer Magazine Awards E2 on July 1, 2026, in London. - Cartwright is the founder and CEO of Autism for Badass Moms. - The platform combines media, education and advocacy. - Cartwright said the award reflects the power of authentic storytelling to create change.

The details: - Cartwright has more than 19 years of professional experience in mental health and substance use disorder work. - In her senior leadership role at CPC Integrated Health, she oversees adult crisis behavioral health services and community-based crisis response. - Autism for Badass Moms Podcast is streamed internationally. - The podcast has more than 34,000 downloads. - Listener engagement averages 53 minutes per episode. - The show has a 40% conversion rate from listener to follower. - Cartwright uses the podcast to address the emotional realities and systemic challenges of autism motherhood. - Her work has also included a Webby Award nomination and a Signal Award for impactful storytelling. - Cartwright created and hosts the first International Global Autism Mom Awards. - That event was designed to celebrate the leadership, resilience and advocacy of autism mothers worldwide.

Between the lines: - Cartwright’s recognition reflects a wider shift toward niche audio communities built around identity, caregiving and lived expertise. - Her background in crisis behavioral health gives the podcast a clinical perspective that pairs with personal experience. - Cartwright said she wants to create spaces where no mother has to feel alone. - Her public profile has expanded beyond podcasting through features in Women Who Podcast Magazine, Becoming Her Magazine and Magnate View Magazine. - Magnate View Magazine named her one of the Top 5 Pioneering Leaders Shaping the Future in 2025. - She also received the Canadian Global Award for Top 20 Community Hero in 2025, the HerStory Award from the Women’s Federation for World Peace of New Jersey, the 2025 National Parents of the Year Award for Parental Empowerment from Universal Peace Federation USA and recognition from Rep. Christopher Smith of New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District. - As a mother of four, including two children diagnosed with autism, Cartwright’s advocacy is rooted in direct personal experience.

What's next: - Cartwright said the recognition reinforces her commitment to building support spaces for autism mothers. - Autism for Badass Moms is likely to continue expanding its audience and its advocacy footprint through podcasting and related initiatives. - Cartwright’s next focus remains elevating autism mothers as leaders, advocates and changemakers.