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Sex Education for Autistic People: Why It’s Not Too Much to AASK
One of the most vivid memories I have of growing up is when I had my first period. I was 12 years old, and I can still see my mother standing in the bathroom doorway, her face filled with amazement and delight. “Amy, you’re a woman now!” Confusion etched itself in lines across my...
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Marriage Proposal Carries Consequences
Jayson Valles recalls the first time he saw Cecilia Primera. That was 12 years ago during AHRC New York City’s Sunday Trip program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He knew immediately that Cecilia was different than other women. He introduced himself to her and...
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Robin Davies-Small Named Yes She Can Executive Director
Yes She Can Inc., a White Plains, NY-based non-profit dedicated to providing job training, mentorship, and life skills for young women with autism, is pleased to welcome Westchester County resident Robin Davies-Small as its new Executive Director. Davies-Small takes the reins of the organization...
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The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Transition and Adult Programs at UM-NSU CARD: Creating Employment Through Community Collaboration
The University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (UM-NSU CARD), established by Florida statute in 1993, currently serves over 14,500 families in South Florida. Our program offers a variety of programs and services at no cost to our constituents and...
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Autism, Technology, and Older Adults: Facing an Unexpected Set of Challenges
As an engineer who has been involved with technology his entire life, and an older adult on the autism spectrum, I have always felt that, in my case, there was always a strong connection between the two. Although the notion that autistics are generally inclined towards technology has become a...
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Developing Confidence and Standing Up for Myself
After I lost my mom to dementia, I had very little confidence in myself. I had no voice. People would express their opinions and I would never tell others my perspective because I had no confidence. I could not stand up for myself. If I tried, I would wind up crying instead. I let myself get...
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What Autistics Can Contribute to Technology
Technology can support autistic people in many ways, but autistic people also have so much to offer in the field of technology. Autistic people with an interest in STEM-related fields (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), combined with their natural cognitive and character strengths,...
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Inappropriate Behaviors in Adult Autistics: We Mean No Harm
During my long involvement with the adult Asperger Syndrome / autism spectrum community, I often make the disclaimer, when criticizing inappropriate behaviors of other autistics, that I have probably been guilty of similar behaviors, at least to some degree, at some earlier time in my life. Also,...
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Autism @ Work: Insights From a World-First Global Study on Employing Autistic Adults
Since the emergence of Specialisterne, a growing number of multi-national organizations have implemented neurodiversity hiring programs including SAP, JP Morgan, Microsoft, IBM, and several others. Alongside them are the innovative pioneers within the social enterprise and...
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Networking for Good
Most people find employment opportunities through a network of people they know, and it is well documented that professional networking is an important investment in time to begin and grow one’s career (Augustine, Top Resume). In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that “85% of...
