Self-Advocate Sound Off

In April we’re asking for adults and self-advocates to speak out or sound off. The idea of our campaign, “𝐀𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰…” will hopefully allow for self-advocates to share their perspectives and what they want the public to know about them and autism.

First up is Mark Fleming, our Constituency Board Chair and owner of Equally Fit.

Are you a self-advocate and want to join our campaign? Please submit your perspective and/or quote to Adrian at Adrianr2@usf.edu.

Happy Autism (insert here) Month!

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We created these posters in 2013 and they continue to be very popular among school age children. You can download the PDF version here.

#LiftingTheLabel

At CARD, our campaign for the 2017 Autism Awareness Month is #LiftingTheLabel. We want to show that there is so much more to these great people than their diagnosis. “Label: n. A classifying phrase or name applied to a person, especially one that is inaccurate or restrictive.” Others see an adult or child diagnosed with ASD, and their minds typically go to one of two places; either the classic “anti-social, genius savant” as portrayed in films and TV shows such as Rain Man, Mercury Rising or The Big Bang Theory, or something far less flattering. When terms like “autist” have become insults in certain corners of the internet, now more than ever we need to strive towards removing the individual from the label.

CARD and The Learning Academy have documented many noteworthy cases throughout the years, highlighting the great contributions to society made by people on the autism spectrum. TLA has a page on their website, where several former students, myself included, have written about the success they’ve encountered since attending the class, and it serves as another testament to the fact that we can be just as successful as everyone else if we put our minds to it. Some of us may have to put in a little more effort than usual, but that only makes the eventual payoff all the more sweet.

Many with autism do have certain issues with social interaction, few will deny that. However, that does not mean that we don’t want to, or are incapable of doing so. I have several great friends who mean so much to me, and they never even mention the fact that I have autism because it’s irrelevant to our friendship. For those of us who struggle with being social, we’re not doing so because we want to be alone; quite the opposite in fact. Because it’s difficult for us to reach out, we yearn for companionship perhaps more than most. If you see someone with ASD in the cafeteria, or at the workplace, who’s sitting all alone, try approaching them, and you’ll discover that they can be some of the best, most loyal friends you can have.

#LiftingTheLabel is about reaching inclusiveness in a world that wants to put a label on any and everything. Lumping entire groups of people into a single category, a single stereotype, only ever leads to ignorance and segregation. Our poster for #LiftingTheLabel proudly states, “I am a daughter, sister, athlete, student and friend,” all of which are so much more important than the autism diagnosis. This year for Autism Awareness Month, let’s make sure to start seeing everyone, autism or not, as an individual, rather than a label.

• G. Sosso

Autism Awareness Month is Not Enough

As many of you might already know, April is Autism Awareness Month! All around the world, groups like CARD are doing their best to bring attention to the unique struggles people on the spectrum face on a daily basis. There’s even a special campaign every April 2nd called “Light it up Blue,” which, as the name implies, is a day to wear blue, the color that represents autism. As someone who realizes how generally underrepresented and unappreciated the ASD demographic is 11 months out of the year, I can at least be thankful there’s a month devoted to the cause of helping these people.

I’d like to include some pictures of some of the world’s famous landmarks that participate in Light it up Blue, it’s really a beautiful thing to see:

• Sydney Opera House
• Christ the Redeemer
• Empire State Building
• Eiffel Tower

There are many others, from famous Buddhist Temples in Asia, to the Eye of London and the White House; I suggest you look them up as well!

Anyways, the thing I would like to talk about is the idea of an Autism Awareness Month itself. Now, while I said before that I do love the idea, I (as well as many others), feel that it’s not enough. According to the Autism Society, there are more than 3.5 million Americans alone with ASD, or roughly 1 in 68 births, and that number seems to be climbing constantly. Too many on the spectrum are directionless, unable to find help, don’t have the necessary life skills to thrive in the world, and these things aren’t their fault. They just need the proper guidance, and an awareness month dedicated to them is a great first step, but we need more.

Autism awareness is something that should take place all year long, not just in April. The fact of the matter is, while many people who normally don’t think too much about autism are more cognizant of it for 30 days, once May 1st rolls around, they’re back to forgetting for another 11 months. This is how many feel about other dedicated months, such as Black History month or Women’s History month. Until the day where individuals on the spectrum are fully integrated into society (or at least as well as we can be), let’s focus on making Autism Awareness Month “Autism Awareness Year.”

• G. Sosso