Shannon Hughes is a writer, designer, and autism advocate with a special interests in autism research. Shannon currently co-hosts the podcast Not Weird, Just Autistic with fellow advocate J.R. Reed where their goal is to promote autism acceptance by removing the barriers – practical, ideological, legal, and social – that marginalize and isolate those with…
J.R. Reed is a late-diagnosed autistic blogger and advocate. J.R. currently co-hosts the podcast Not Weird, Just Autistic with fellow advocate Shannon Hughes where their goal is to promote autism acceptance by removing the barriers – practical, ideological, legal, and social – that marginalize and isolate those with autism. This week he shared some of the different facets of his advocacy work.
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Connor Ward is a speaker, consultant, and vlogger. His popular YouTube channel features autistic expertise on a variety of topics and promotes autism acceptance and understanding. This week Connor discussed some of his advocacy efforts, how he uses technology to manage anxiety, and his recent experience in the hospital following a car accident.
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Jon Adams is the founder of Flow Observatorium, a national project initially granted funding from Arts Council England and now a Charitable Incorporated Organization. Flow Observatorium’s aim is to become a hub for neurodivergent artists, providing peer support and campaigning for recognition, parity of opportunity, and funding. This week Jon shares his passion for art despite a lack of support throughout his childhood. He also discusses his mission to ensure other autistic artists have the opportunity to create in their own space on their own terms.
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Maxine Share is a Canadian writer, advocate, workshop creator, and presenter working hard to try to change understanding so that we can change the actions of those working and living with people on the spectrum. In Part One of her two-part interview, she shared her diagnosis story, discussed her work as an autism consultant, and offered recommendations for supporting autistic children in the classroom.
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Drew Sullivan is an autistic writer and journalist who looks for opportunities to amplify silenced voices through his work. He currently attends school at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and writes for the Amherst Wire. This week Drew shared some common autism misconceptions and how he learned to develop a positive autistic identity by connecting with the autistic community.
…Maxine Share is a Canadian writer, advocate, workshop creator, and presenter working hard to try to change understanding so that we can change the actions of those working and living with people on the spectrum. Last week, she shared her diagnosis story, discussed her work as an autism consultant, and offered recommendations for supporting autistic children in the classroom. In Part Two of her interview, Maxine discusses how many overlook the strengths of those with high support needs, and some fundamental “musts” for raising children with a positive autistic identity.
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Sarah Kathryn is a cisgender autistic woman, blogger, and Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP). This week she shared her experience practicing as an SLP and the ableism she encounters, as well as ideas for helping hospitals become more accommodating to people on the spectrum.
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Nic Laughter is a developer and public advocate with a new podcast called Autistic AF that focuses on autism in adults. He writes and speaks about issues related to autism with a special interest in eliminating the barriers many autistic face to entering the workforce. This week he shared his diagnosis story and discussed different ways society can be more accommodating to autistics in social and professional settings, and his goals for improving autistic access to meaningful work.
…I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Ben Kartje, a contributor to What Your Child on the Spectrum Really Needs: Advice From 12 Autistic Adults. He talked about his interest in the project, previewed some of his advice, and discussed his hopes for readers. What Your Child Really on the Spectrum Really Needs is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and several online retailers in paperback form. It will also be available as an e-book soon. The video transcript can be found below.
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