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Beyond a Minute: Changing Our Perspective Towards Autism Takes Time
A few months ago, an educator working in the field of autism shared a video titled Nazar Ka Fark (Difference in perspective). It was promoted with a powerful message: watch this one-minute video and see how your life changes. I watched it. As the father of a 17-year-old son on the autism...
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I Was 63 When I Learned I Was Autistic. Suddenly, My Entire Life Made Sense
When I was a little girl, I often played alone. While other children instinctively understood the social dance of the playground, I hovered at the edges, unsure of the rules. Teachers described me as bright but socially awkward. Report cards noted that I did not always "play well with peers." I...
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Dear Younger Me: What I Wish I’d Known About Being Autistic
One of the questions I always hear being asked is, "What words of advice would you tell your younger self?" Such a question seems very cliché to me. However, just because something is cliché doesn't mean it's boring. In fact, our thoughts on this evolve through our life experiences. This is...
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Building an Autism-Supportive City: Training Municipal Staff and First Responders
I have learned so much when working and interacting with people who have autism and neurodivergence. They offer such a unique perspective and taking the time to better understand the world through their lens, is an opportunity to better ourselves. A truly inclusive environment, in my opinion, is...
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Brilliance in Motion: How Autistic Students Navigate Unpredictable School Environments
The high school where I worked operated without the basic structures most people associate with education. There were no bells, no traditional classes, no grades. Students moved between community internships and loosely defined independent projects, navigating spaces filled with noise, movement,...
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Autistics, Law Enforcement, the Law, and Unfortunate and Tragic Encounters
I am not an attorney, nor do I have any legal background. As such, I claim to have no knowledge of the law, and do not offer legal advice of any kind. What I am writing here is strictly my own opinion and impressions and is based entirely on personal experiences and stories I have heard from others...
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With Greta Thunberg in Time’s Spotlight, Those on the Spectrum Seeing “a Profound Moment”
In just several months, Greta Thunberg, 16, has flayed international leaders, electrified climate advocates and served notice that her generation will bring new urgency to saving the planet. Her voice is forceful, her intensity unapologetic and her expressions candid. She’s also on the autism...
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To Be or Not to Be (Autistic) – The New Generation of Kids Who Are Almost Autistic, But Not Quite
Parents of children diagnosed on the high functioning side of the Spectrum confront the quandary of whether concealing their kids’ diagnoses in avoidance of discrimination, or disclosing them to educate others on the many layers of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). There is, however, a...
