Building Belonging Through Games: Social Cipher’s Mission for Neurodivergent Youth with Lucy Stevens and Vanessa Castañeda Gill

Oct 8, 2025

Vanessa Castañeda Gill, CEO of Social Cipher and an autistic/ADHD Latina, teams up with Lucy Stevens, the Creative Director, to create engaging social-emotional learning games for neurodivergent youth. They discuss how their lived experiences shape game design, focusing on authentic representation and strengths-based approaches. The duo highlights feedback from players, emphasizing the importance of belonging in mitigating youth anxiety. They also explore the integration of their curriculum in schools, making a significant impact on students' self-advocacy and connection.

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ANECDOTE

Founding From Personal Experience

Vanessa started Social Cipher from her own experience being diagnosed autistic and ADHD at 14 and lacking representation and support in school.
Her research and finding connection led her to build games that give neurodivergent youth agency and representation.

INSIGHT

Designing Nuanced Neurodivergent Characters

Social Cipher uses a majority-neurodivergent team to layer multiple lived experiences into character design and behaviors.
They document how each character's neurodivergence exhibits to create nuanced, realistic responses and interactions.

ANECDOTE

Players Deeply Identify With Ava

An eighth grader left a note saying the game mattered because it's hard to make games for people who aren't you, urging the team not to give up.
Girls in playtests sometimes replaced the protagonist's name with their own and deeply identified with Ava.

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Vanessa Castañeda Gill, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Cipher and Lucy Stevens, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Social Cipher, lead a majority-neurodivergent team creating social-emotional learning video games that help neurodivergent youth build self-understanding and connections; inspired by Vanessa’s experiences as an autistic/ADHD Latina, their games and curriculum are now used in 200+ schools and therapy centers across 8 countries, earning recognition from Forbes 30 Under 30, MIT Solve, and the LEGO Foundation.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

Using games to build belonging and self-advocacy for neurodivergent students
Authentic representation and storytelling in SEL game design
Insights teachers and therapists gain from playtesting
The impact of a majority-neurodivergent team on product and mission
Connecting SEL games to IEP goals and today’s mental health needs

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:03:08] Vanessa on founding Social Cipher from her autistic & ADHD experience
[00:06:05] Lucy on designing nuanced neurodivergent characters
[00:12:37] Feedback from students and educators that changed the game
[00:18:21] Lessons from managing a majority-neurodivergent team
[00:26:25] Pairing the game with SEL curriculum in schools
[00:33:52] Why schools adopt games to solve urgent SEL challenges
[00:41:55] Tackling youth anxiety through meaning and belonging
[00:47:15] How Social Cipher views AI in education and gaming
[00:48:50] Using SEL games to support IEP goals

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