Businesses hiring autistic people

There is a trend among businesses requiring a specific kind of attention to detail and focus, to hire autistic people to fill the need. This is because of special traits which tend to be present in autistic people. Below is a fantastic, exciting and inspiring example of this, in SAP Germany. Be sure to check out the thinking behind all of this in the video from the SAP web site.

Diversity and Inclusion Video from SAP web site:
http://www.sap.com/asset/index.epx?id=c95ce76c-fd87-4664-a8ad-420cf927d8b4

SAP is embarking on a global program to hire people with autism as software testers, programmers and data quality assurance specialists, the company announced Tuesday. Autistic employees can offer competitive advantages, according to SAP, while helping the individuals secure meaningful employment.
http://scn.sap.com/community/business-trends/blog/2013/05/24/video-sap-is-hiring-hundreds-of-autistic-workers
May 24, 2013


MSN News: German company seeks to hire 650 autistic people
http://news.msn.com/world/german-company-seeks-to-hire-650-autistic-people
May 22, 2013


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Barb Rentenbach- An Inspiration and an Important Lesson for all of us

This article, written by Ariane Zurcher, describing Barb Rentenbach's book I Might Be You: An Exploration of Autism and Connection, proves you simply can not know what your child - yes, even an autistic mute - might later achieve in life.

To me this is a powerful lesson in not placing limitations on autistic people.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ariane-zurcher/living-with-autism_b_3299197.html

Barb Rentenbach (left)

Autism Acceptance Month

April is known as "Autism Awareness Month", but historically the messages spread during April have been damaging to autistic people, so something different has popped up. Created by autistic people in response to the problems seen in the former, "Autism Acceptance Month" is a more positive way to celebrate those autistic people you know.

Will you take the pledge? (click to do it)
"I pledge to only attend, speak at or otherwise participate in autism panels, conferences and events that meaningfully involve Autistic people. I choose not to give my business or my time to settings that fail to include Autistic voices in conversations about autism."

Here are some of the reasons why awareness doesn't quite cut it:

Autism awareness - teaches people autism exists. I think we all know this.
Autism acceptance - teaches people autism is something worthwhile.

Autism awareness - seeks interventions to eradicate autism.
Autism acceptance- looks for ways to work with strengths. 

Autism awareness - wages war on autism. 
Autism acceptance - calls for a peace treaty and asks to work together.

Autism awareness - focuses on spreading messages of fear.
Autism acceptance - focuses on spreading messages of love. 

Autism awareness - falsely tells people that autism is an epidemic.
Autism acceptance - points out that autism is not new or out of control.

Autism awareness - says that families living with autism are miserable.
Autism acceptance - focuses on the joy of living with an autistic person.

Autism awareness - describes autism as a disease.
Autism acceptance - describes autism as a diversity issue.

Autism awareness - searches for a cure.
Autism acceptance - says autism is a good thing with no need for a cure.

Autism awareness - looks for a way to prevent autism before birth.
Autism acceptance - sees this as a hateful eugenics movement. 

Autism awareness - seeks donations/funding.
Autism acceptance - asks only for a welcoming smile and a supportive hand.

Autism awareness - aims to find ways to make the individual more "normal".
Autism acceptance - first embraces the strengths of the individual.

Autism awareness - shares hard parenting experiences to get its message across.
Autism acceptance - listens to autistic people.

This list could go on forever- feel free to leave more of these in the comments.

I have spent the last 15 years talking the talk, and walking the walk of autism acceptance, as a parent of an autistic boy who has raised him to be proud of his autism. Sadly, in all of those years, I don't think I have met any other parents who truly accept that autism is a positive part of their child. I would like to see that change. Sometimes I think parents see acceptance as being equivalent to giving up. But if acceptance is giving up, then it begs the question, what are they giving up on? It's an important point to consider.

I am thrilled that my son is proud of who he is, loves his autism and knows his strengths. I would like other parents to know that feeling too. I would like to see more parents embrace their child as a whole person and start working with autism instead of waging war on it. Because when you wage war on autism, no matter which way you look at it, you are waging war on your child.

So this April, when you think of autism awareness, try switching out the words and thinking about acceptance as a primary motivator instead.

Firework

The above lyric excerpt sums up how I feel about autism, and what this blog is really about. To me, autism is not a list of deficits to be fixed or cured, but is instead a range of unique strengths that neurotypicals like myself are highly unlikely to have. The world is a richer place as a result. I just wish more people would take the time to identify and work with those strengths.

As 2013 draws near, I am finding loads of inspiring autism stories out there. Here's the most compelling one I've seen of late. Grab a tissue, if you're anything like me you'll probably need it. :D

Autistic girl Jodi Di Piazza sings "Firework" with Katy Perry live at Night of Too Many Stars

Katy Perry tweeted this was "the most important moment thus far of what I do.” 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX-xToQI34I

 

Changing Minds

It's long, but an excellent article, well worth the effort of reading it:

Changing Minds - Advocates Change How We Think About Autism

Fairy Tale Forgotten: I don't want to change...

Fairy Tale Forgotten: I don't want to change...

Excerpt:

"So, I stopped seeing my therapist. I didn't like break up with him or anything. I just cancelled my last appointment and I haven't been back in a month or more.

He gave me homework. Like little projects to work on and then report back to him. His most frequent one was my eye contact. He wanted me to look everyone in the eye. Strangers, family, friends, coworkers, people in cars, people who were prepping to jump off bridges, whatever. Anyone.

I can't do that.

He asked me what happens when I look someone in the eye. When I asked what he meant, he said does anyone give you mean looks, say mean things to you, or get angry when you look them in the eye? I said, well, no. He then concluded that nothing bad happens if you look someone in the eye.

Here's where he was wrong. Bad things do happen. To me. Inside me."

Click on the link above for the full story.

Rethinking Autism

You think it's a tragedy? Maybe it's time to think again.

Please take a moment to watch this short video and rethink autism.

Respecting Autism

Respecting Autism  

An interview with Julia Bascom.

"It's important to me that people I interact with respect my stimming and echolalia as purposeful, meaningful, and communicative--celebrating my differences. It's also important to me that people remember that I am fundamentally a person, and that while autism is a fundamental and inextricable part of who I am, I'm still, by virtue of being a person, more like you than I am different. If you don't think of me as a person, you won't have any reason to value the particular ways I do humanity."

For the complete article, click here.

Jacob Barnett - Extraordinary!

Check it out...

Jacob Barnett speaks on TEDxTeen (Youtube video)

"Jacob Barnett is an American mathematician and child prodigy. At 8 years old, Jacob began sneaking into the back of college lectures at IUPUI. After being diagnosed with autism since the age of two and placed in his school's special ed. program, Jacob's teachers and doctors were astonished to learn he was able to teach calculus to college students.

At age nine, while playing with shapes, Jacob built a series of mathematical models that expanded Einstein's field of relativity. A professor at Princeton reviewed his work and confirmed that it was groundbreaking and could someday result in a Nobel Prize. At age 10, Jacob was formally accepted to the University as a full-time college student and went straight into a paid research position in the field of condensed matter physics. For his original work in this field, Jacob set a record, becoming the world's youngest astrophysics researcher. His paper was subsequently accepted for publication by Physical Review A, a scientific journal shared on sites such as NASA, the Smithsonian, and Harvard's webpage. Jacob's work aims to help improve the way light travels in technology.

Jacob is also CEO and founder of Wheel LLC, a business he started in his mom's garage, and is in the process of writing a book to help end "math phobia" in his generation.

Jacob's favorite pastime is playing basketball with the kids at his charity, Jacob's Place. It is a place where kids with autism are inspired every day to be their true authentic selves...just like Jacob.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations."