Kerrin Maclean is an Autism advocate from New Zealand. She vlogs at Aspie Answers, spreading awareness of Autism and invites viewers to witness the everyday life of an ‘Aspie.’ Maclean is also the author of Life of an Aspie and blogs at Life of an Aspie. This week she shared tips for spreading autism understanding and acceptance.
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James Sinclair is a marketer and autism advocacy blogger from the UK. He is the founder of the popular website Autistic & Unapologetic where he shares his exploration of what it means to be autistic and reframes the autism advocacy narrative to emphasize understanding and acceptance. He also tweets @AutismRevised and manages the Autistic & Unapologetic page on Facebook. This week he shared his personal experience developing an autistic identity, the wonderful supports provided by his family and fiancée, and stressed the importance of understanding the needs of the individual in any autism advocacy efforts.
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Jared Buck is a late-diagnosed college student studying History. He is also a member of the Deaf community and is passionate about disability advocacy. This week Jared discussed the lack of support he received growing up and how he has managed to find more helpful communities on the path to positive self identity and adult success.
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Robin M. Eames is a queercrip writer, artist, and historian living on Gadigal land (Sydney, Australia). They are currently working on a PhD in History at the University of Sydney. This week Robin discusses current and past representations of disability in literature and general society.
…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.
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