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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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Making a Case for the IEP Diploma When It Comes to Employment
I was the girl who was afraid of her own shadow. I was afraid of a lot of things. I was afraid about what people might think. People always doubted me. I was too nervous to speak in front of people. I would never go on stage. I was afraid to do anything. A school social worker once told my...
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Increase Neuro-Inclusive Housing in Your Community: Here’s How!
For most people with autism, housing is not affordable. It is a myth that Medicaid pays for housing (unless the individual lives in an institutional setting). If a person with autism can access Medicaid Long-term Support Services (LTSS) that pays for staff, transportation or programs necessary to...
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Housing and Supports: Parents are Vital to Positive Post-Secondary Outcomes
Keeley is a 23-year-old college graduate who was diagnosed with autism at age 8. To all those acquainted with her, Keeley appears to navigate the community and manage her life independently. Despite her independence, Keeley experiences much of her day with communication breakdowns between herself...
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A Parent Advocate’s Hard-Fought Journey
Throughout Daniel’s life I have advocated for my intellectually challenged son on the autistic spectrum. My journey began early in Daniel’s life, as the parent of an adopted infant from Peru. I have learned throughout Daniel’s life that advocacy is an art that requires flexibility, networking...
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“Infinite Solution Finders:” AHRC New York City’s Educational Advocacy Guides Parents of Students with Disabilities
Rosemeri Linares embraced the challenges and the need for knowledge when she found out her son Adrian was on the spectrum. “Adrian was diagnosed with autism a little before he turned two. I had to quickly learn all the things that come with having a child with a disability,” she recalled. “I...
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#DisabilityStillTooWhite: A White Autist Examines Representation in the Disability Movement
I identify as White, non-binary, neuro-queer, autistic, and disabled. I believe it is crucial to be transparent as soon as possible about (my) positionality when discussing intricate and delicate concepts (and always starting with my Whiteness to highlight how my White privilege directly and...
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United States Senator Robert Menendez Honored by the Autism Society of America with the Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Leader in Adult Autism Award
On December 16th, the Autism Society of America and The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation awarded New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez as the 2020 recipient of The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Leader in Adult Autism Award. “I am deeply honored to accept this award and would like to thank my...
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What I Hope People Will Get Out of My Autism Memoir
I tried to “write” my first book (or more accurately, dictate a story to parents who wrote it down on the bottom third of blank sheets of paper, leaving room for me to add illustrations later) when I was four years old. I started discussing what would become I Overcame My Autism and All I Got...
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Basic Guidelines for Choosing an Advocate for Your Child
Working with your school district to ensure your child is receiving an appropriate education can be challenging. Often parents feel they are not equal members of their children’s educational team, and that decisions are not always made with their child’s unique needs in mind. Add the...
