Austin Jones is an Autistic artist, art teacher, gamer, storyteller, and advocacy writer. He graduated with an illustration degree from the Art Center College of Design. He loves Magic the Gathering, Spiral Knights, and Mexican Food. This week he shared advice for helping to advocate for individuals on the spectrum and encouraging safe socialization.
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The following article was written by writer and public autistic advocate Jamie Knight. Many autistic individuals speak of the fatigue they experience navigating a neurotypically-dominant society on a daily basis and the stress sudden changes can cause. In this post, Jamie offers a unique representation of how he handles the stress that comes with the inevitable changes and unpredictability of life. This post was originally published on his blog Spaced Out & Smiling on July 6, 2017 and is reprinted here with his permission.
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Photo by Jo Farrell
This post is a continuation of last week’s interview with Jo Farrell. Jo is a British caucasian and UK-based mother (to an adult son), blogger, marketeer, amateur photographer, and practitioner of Nichiren Buddhism. Last week she shared some of her work experience, how mutism has affected her, and the benefits of practicing Buddhism. This week she revealed some of the nuances of her social anxiety and offered advice for parents of autistic children in similar situations.
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Marie is a published poet, writer, translator, puzzler, and artist who lives on the South Coast of Australia with her handsome cockatiel. She advocates for individuals on the spectrum, and believes she owes her creativity to having Asperger’s. This week she shared some of her advocacy work and how she finds ease in social situations.
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Sara is a 27-year-old Autistic woman with a degree in Intercultural Communication who taught English in Japan from 2014-2017. She was officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2017 after several years of self-exploration and research. She now writes her blog, “Seeking Sara,” where she explores life on the Spectrum. She enjoys reading, writing, swimming, and music. This week she shared her experience receiving her Autism diagnosis, her socialization preferences, and how she’s adjusted to her new Autistic identity.
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A campaigner for Autistic rights, Kieran Rose has turned his passion for writing to good use, focusing on Advocacy and Acceptance for Autistic and Neurodiverse people, with his blog The Autistic Advocate. The freedom for Neurodiverse and Neurodivergent people to speak for themselves and be heard is paramount for Kieran, mostly due to the fact that he has spent his whole life immersed in Autistic life and culture as an actually Autistic person, with Autism diagnoses for much of his immediate and wider family; and now two Autistic children of his own.
Kieran lives in Durham, England, with his wife, Michelle, where they run their Marketing Consultancy: www.custardandbear.com (With a little help from their three children, Quinn, Albie and Olivia). The whole family all live in a happy bubble of Sensory overwhelm and underwhelm.
This week Kieran shared some of his personal experiences as an autistic individual as well as important advocacy tips for parents and families who live with or near autistic individuals.…