“Advocating for autistic children on “The Hill”
was an unexpected opportunity for me to see
what I want to do in life by helping me to overcome my fear of sharing personal problems
with strangers. Advertising my disability was
difficult, and I was submitting my opinions and
experiences for judgment by senators and other
autism advocates alike. I’ve tried so hard to
blend in with children my age who are “neurotypical,” and so far it has only led to depression.
Now that I’ve started to embrace who I am and
not who other people expect me to be, I’ve had
an opportunity to speak up about the injustice I
see in American schools towards other children
like me. Now that I live in the Washington DC
area, I wish to further advocate for other autistic
people in America. I hope to convince politicians to pass legislation to further benefit us.”
~ Thomas
“My son tried every sport in school and did not
like any of them. He struggled with the motor
skills part of the sport and the loud crowds. The
pushing and shoving in certain sports he cannot
handle. I got books and magazines that highlighted so many other men and their achievements in areas other than sports. School, at least
ours, puts so much emphasis on sports that it
was tearing him down. We are now finding
other avenues that perhaps my son will really
enjoy. He is trying computer groups, drama,
singing, and even mechanics. What surprised
me is that mechanics is what seems to be the
best match. He can fix cars and put together
models without instructions. He is now excited
to go to school, and hopefully soon he will even
have friends that he has something in common
with. Keep searching and never give up.”
~ Anna, Tucson, AZ
“My dysgraphia makes it hard for me to physically write even though I know what I want to
write. This made English class terrible for me
because I really enjoy the creative portion of
writing and have lots of great ideas. After much
frustration I was finally given the accommodation to use a computer or any typing device.
This meant I had to learn how to type. It was
hard at first, but soon I realized that typing was
much faster and easier than writing, allowing
me to type a paragraph thrice as fast as it would
take me to write. Now I get all A’s in English
and can type even faster than my mom can, and
she is a writer!” ~ Jacob, 15, Virginia
“For the last two months, my every thought and
effort has been to dig down deeper than ever to
finally type with no touch from anyone. To say
this is difficult is beyond me as communicating as one not two is against my nature because
I know the oneness of all as clearly as I know
gravity (typed the heavy autistic in the hard
world arena). Why now? Because I am told my
new Neurodiversity book will not reach its full
fun, healing potential without more validation,
and I am here to help fully. Like Quakers who
championed the abolition movement, I too sit
in silence to discern and now understand that
complacency is not part of compassion. One
must do what one can. I think for myself but not
by myself as I join you in denouncing the injustice of ASD discrimination. Pity free friends! ~
Barb Rentenbach, co-author of the new book, Neuro-
“I am a Mother of an autistic daughter, and
I am an Aspie. My challenge was, and is, not
passing my own feelings, my own needs to my
daughter. She is not me. Things I struggle with
she does not. Things she is experiencing, I have
never. Once I let go of Me and became simply
her mother, life got easier for both of us, and we
are now learning life together.”
~ Marilyn, Chicago, Ill.
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ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
diversity: A Humorous and Practical Guide to Living with
ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Dyslexia, Homosexuality and
Everyone Else
ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
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