Autism Knows No Borders

COVID-19 Relief Fund, with Molly Ola Pinney

Discover what’s possible when we extend a helping hand and truly make a difference. 

The CEO and founder of the Global Autism Project, Molly Ola Pinney, is back on the show. 

The Global Autism Project partners with autism centers around the world. Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, our partners have been adapting their services to support some of the most vulnerable children and their families. These dedicated changemakers continue to inspire us with their perseverance and flexibility. 

In previous episodes, we’ve featured our partners from China, Ecuador, Kenya, and Tanzania, among other guests. We’ll continue to bring you community leaders from all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Czech Republic, and Indonesia, to name a few. 

All of our partners are doing the best they can, yet their schools are in danger of permanent closure. In this episode, Molly shares an important announcement in response to these unprecedented circumstances. Watch Molly's video message to see our partners at their schools. 

You can take bold action right now by making a donation here: COVID-19 Relief Fund. 

If you’d like to learn more about the history of the Global Autism Project and the mission that drives our work, please listen to my conversation with Molly in episode 2. 

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Global Autism Project: Our Mission, with Molly Ola Pinney

Discover what’s possible when the answer to how is YES. 

Molly Ola Pinney is the CEO and founder of the Global Autism Project. She is also the #1 supporter of this podcast. 

In this episode, you’ll hear Molly give a history of our organization, highlighting important turning points over the last 17 years. As an employee, it’s always fun for me to hear about how the organization has evolved — from the heart of a 23-year-old with a mission to change the world, to a global movement involving almost 20 countries. 

Molly tells us of her early years in Ghana and also reflects on how the understanding of autism in Africa has changed since then. Although the stigma is still real, there has been an increase in the awareness that autism is not caused by evil spirits.

Molly explains how our SkillCorps® volunteer program works and why it differs from voluntourism. Watch Molly's TEDx Talk to learn why doing things for others doesn't help. 

We describe the relationships we have with our partners and share stories from our first Global Summit held in August of 2019. Check out our Global Summit video to see our partners in action. 

Molly illustrates how decisive action in leadership helped her to respond appropriately to the coronavirus crisis back in January. We discuss the impact this has had on the work we do as an organization, and why she sees this pause as an opportunity. 

We also talk about how traveling internationally with SkillCorps® has actually prepared some of our volunteers to better cope with the current climate of uncertainty. 

For more information about our work, please visit: globalautismproject.org. 

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An Introduction, with Rachel Harmon

Discover what's possible for the Global Autism Community. 

In this brief introduction, I want to give you an idea of what the Global Autism Project is, who I am, and what this podcast is about. For more information about our movement, please visit globalautismproject.org. 

I recorded this episode on April 18th, 2020. Of the first five episodes released for the launch, this one just happened to be recorded last. It was done on a Saturday night, at around 8:15 pm. We had just come back from clapping alongside our neighbors on our balcony. Every night at 8:00 pm, all of Spain cheers for the healthcare practitioners working on the frontlines during this coronavirus pandemic. The homage also serves as a daily reminder that we are all in this together. 

I waited for silence in the streets to record one last take. By this point, I was exhausted from a long day of editing. I gathered some energy and powered through, knowing that this introduction would be important. It would set the tone for the whole podcast, and our message needed to be delivered clearly. 

As I was recording the last couple of minutes, I couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional. All of the months of preparation were soon coming to fruition. I was suddenly very aware of the impact this show may have on our community. I thought of my colleagues, our partners, our SkillCorps® family. I was inspired by the fact that, even though we have all been affected in different ways by the current global crisis, we still remain united to encourage compassion for the autistic population. This podcast is our platform in the world at this crucial moment in history. 

You may hear me choke up at some point. I was torn about giving it another try, to present a cleaner ending without my voice quivering, but I decided to leave this take as is. This is me, raw and exposed. As you listen, I invite you to sense what I was feeling in those last couple of minutes. I hope you find inspiration through my story and understand why this mission means so much to me. 

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