Autism Knows No Borders

Discover what’s possible when someone lifts her mask and embraces true beauty. 

Rachel Barcellona is an Autism Self-Advocate, model, author, singer, actress, and pageant winner. She is also a SkillCorps Alumni, having traveled with the Global Autism Project on a volunteer trip to the Czech Republic in 2018. 

Since getting diagnosed at three years old, Rachel tried to fit in with neurotypical society. However, she always felt that she was different. Encounters with bullies throughout her life, and many years of suffering from depression, motivated her to create an online platform called The Ability Beyond Disabilities. Rachel encourages others to focus on what they can do rather than on what they can not. 

As a multi-title beauty queen, Rachel wants to change people’s views on pageantry, from the image of brainless barbie dolls to that of strong women striving to make a difference. 

In this episode, Rachel and I discuss some of the different perspectives within the #ActuallyAutistic movement. We also talk about the appropriateness of the puzzle piece symbol, the use of person-first or disability-first language, and the media’s portrayal of autism. 

To learn more about Rachel Barcellona, you can follow her on Instagram @rachelbarcellona and visit her website: rachelbarcellona.com.

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Discover what’s possible when communication is made available. 

An educator, designer, and social entrepreneur from Sydney, Australia, Chris McDonald is the Founder and CEO of PicSeePal, a light-tech communication tool for all ages, abilities, and settings.

In today’s conversation, we discuss:

• The level of autism acceptance and inclusion in Australia 
• Why Chris is passionate about working with the autistic population
• PicSeePal’s mission and overall vision
• Communication as a human right
• Limitations of high-tech devices
• Some do’s and don’ts of using Augmentative Alternative Communication, or AAC
• Advice for parents and teachers who feel stuck when their students aren’t progressing

To learn more about Chris and his work, please visit picseepal.com.

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Discover what’s possible when you learn to accept yourself. 

Mary Johnston is a 21-year-old Autistic Self-Advocate from New Hampshire. She hosts a blog called Autistic Rainbow 15 where she shares LGBTQ+ and disability-friendly tips, as well as information about inclusion and disability rights. A long-time member of our online Global Autism Community, Mary recently joined the moderator team to help ensure our space remains safe and respectful.

In today’s conversation, we discuss: 

• Mary receiving her diagnosis at 12 years old
• Receiving occupational therapy and speech therapy in school
• Coping with bullying and how she processes her feelings
• Her autistic strengths
• A poem she wrote titled “A Letter to My Autism”
• Service animals and our shared love for dogs
• Sensory struggles related to lights, sounds, and close proximity to other people
• Challenges with finding employment
• Her dream job
• Derealization, anxiety, and depression
• What she likes about being a community moderator for the Global Autism Community
• Puzzle piece representation 
• Advice for other autistic women 

To learn more about Mary, please visit Autistic Rainbow 15. 

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Discover what’s possible when the learning environment is set up for growth and success. 

Sasha Long is a former special education teacher, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and the Founder and President of The Autism Helper, a company that shares resources and strategies online for parents and teachers of children with autism. Sasha has a unique perspective with experience on both sides of collaborative efforts. 

In this conversation, we discuss:

• How to improve communication between teachers and specialists
• Her leadership style as a business owner
• Some of the common challenges faced by teachers
• The importance of empowering paraprofessionals in the classroom

For more information about Sasha Long and her work, please visit: The Autism Helper. 

This conversation with Sasha Long was originally released on October 8, 2020. 

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Discover what’s possible when you’re ready to have fun. 

This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events!

The topic of this roundtable discussion was Summer Travel and Holidays. It was hosted by community moderator Corben Havener. Corben is an Autistic Self-Advocate from Indiana who joined our moderator team this last June. 

Participating in this event were community members Danielle Terrell, Liz Castillo, and myself. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss:

• Dealing with hot weather and changing temperatures 
• Amusement parks and roller coasters
• Accommodations such as sensory-processing break areas
• Tips for traveling by plane and car
• Challenges with fireworks during holidays
• Interruptions in routines
• Summer camps 

Round-table discussions like the one you’ll hear today are open exclusively for members of our online Global Autism Community. We select a different theme each month, and our moderators monitor posts daily to ensure that our online space remains safe and respectful. If you’d like to attend and participate in any of our future events, you can sign up today at community.globalautismproject.org. 

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Discover what's possible when you're on the inside looking out. 

Sara Bradford is an Autistic Self-Advocate, children’s book author, and the CEO of SJ Childs LLC, an autism-consulting business that supports families. She also hosts her own podcast, The SJ Childs Show. Her husband and their three children are also on the spectrum. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss:

• Sara’s recent discovery of her autism and how it affects her everyday life
• Masking and learning to unmask
• Having a deeper connection with her husband and children post diagnosis
• How autism might present differently for men and women
• Important considerations when teaching non-autistic children about autism
• Ideas to promote inclusion and acceptance
• What Sara’s learned about autism advocacy from doing her podcast
• The 1 in 44 Tour Virtual Summit
• Advice for other newly diagnosed autistic women 

The 1 in 44 Tour is a virtual summit hosted by Sara Bradford and Maria Daniels. This event will be a great way to hear different perspectives on important topics from a variety of speakers. We’ll be hosting our next community roundtable discussion live at the summit on August 12th at 12:45 pm EST. 

If you would like to participate in the community roundtable and go live with us at the summit, please join our online community at community.globalautismproject.org and RSVP to the event. 

To learn more about Sara and her work, please visit sjchilds.org. 

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Discover what’s possible when stigma is shattered by courage. 

Evas Kyomugisha is the founder and owner of Silver Bells, an autism center in Kigali, Rwanda. Silver Bells offers comprehensive services for families, including Applied Behavior Analysis, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Music Therapy. 

The Global Autism Project partnered with Silver Bells in April 2019. We have since sent two SkillCorps volunteer teams to provide hands-on training to their staff. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss: 

• The stigma around autism in Rwanda
• The lack of services in her community
• Having to turn away families who cannot afford to pay for services
• Rwanda’s progress in social reform since the genocide in 1994
• What Evas has learned from working with autistic children
• How she leads her multidisciplinary team
• How the COVID-19 crisis has affected services at her center

For more information about Evas Kyomugisha and her work, please visit: Silver Bells. 

This conversation with Evas Kyomugisha was originally released on October 15, 2020. 

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Discover what’s possible when you choose acceptance. 

This week’s episode is a recording of one of our Global Autism Community exclusive events. 

The topic of this roundtable discussion was Inclusion and Acceptance. It was hosted by community moderator David Sharif, just a few days before his sudden passing last April. I was unable to attend this event, so I had asked David to fill in for me. He did an amazing job facilitating this discussion, and I’m glad he had the opportunity to step up in this way. 

Participating in this event were autism self-advocates Jeff Snyder, Mary Johnston, Corben Havener, Olivia Hops, Scott Edgar, and Michelle Vinokurov, as well as community members Danielle Terrell, Ben Sharif, Karen Shapiro, and Liz Castillo. 

In today’s conversation, they discuss: 

• Coping with different situations
• Teammates or other people that helped the participants feel accepted
• Bullying perseverance 
• School assemblies and fire drills
• Teaching non-autistic children about inclusion from a young age 

Round-table discussions like the one you’ll hear today are open exclusively for members of our online Global Autism Community. We select a different theme each month, and our moderators monitor posts daily to ensure that our online space remains safe and respectful. If you’d like to attend and participate in any of our future events, you can sign up today at community.globalautismproject.org. 

Related episodes:

104. Honoring the Memory of David Sharif, with the Global Autism Community

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Discover what’s possible when curiosity sparks creation. 

Today Cassie Harden Scott is back on the show. You may remember her from episode 23 with Rusty Hornig-Rohan and episode 42 with the rest of the Global Autism Project staff. 

As our Director of Outreach, Cassie works closely with our international partners to help spread autism awareness and acceptance in their communities. She also designs all of our organization’s branding to make sure our messaging is consistent across our programs. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss: 

• Why logos are important
• Different iterations of the Global Autism Project’s branding over the years
• The puzzle piece controversy
• Cassie’s creative process designing our new logo and the meaning behind it
• Two upcoming series of this podcast led by Molly and Cassie 

To learn more about Cassie and her work, please visit globalautismproject.org. 

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Discover what’s possible when all notes are heard. 

Today we’re featuring two members of the ASD Band, lead vocalist Rawan Tuffaha and drummer Spenser Murray, joined by their manager, Andrew Simon. 

Comprised of musicians on the autism spectrum, the ASD Band was formed by Canadian charity Jake’s House to raise awareness and highlight strengths related to autism. If you’d like to learn more about Jake’s House, please listen to episode 44 featuring its co-founder, David Bodanis: Support Across the Lifespan at Jake's House in Canada. 

The ASD Band has performed with Roger Hodgson of Supertramp, and their covers of Shawn Mendes, Sonny & Cher, and Marvin Gaye are available on streaming platforms. In the intro, you'll hear a short sample of the band performing “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” 

In today’s conversation, we discuss:

• The serendipitous creation of the ASD Band
• Rawan and Spenser's musical influences
• How autism helps their musical abilities
• Misconceptions about autism
• Tips for people on the spectrum who may be interested in joining a band 

For more information about the ASD Band, please visit:

Jake's House  

ASD Band “I Got You Babe” 

Spenser's Band: Lime Ricky 

Spenser’s YouTube: PlayerPunk6 

Rawan’s YouTube: Rawan Singer 77 

This conversation with ASD Band was originally released on March 4, 2021. 

The band's story has been made into a feature-length documentary called OKAY! (The ASD Band Film). 

The film premiered at the Hot Docs International Festival last April, where it came in 2nd place for Rogers Audience Award for Best Canadian Documentary, and was also accepted and presented at Doc Edge Festival in New Zealand. 

Since then, ASD Band has been performing in a Canadian-wide tour thanks to one of the festival’s sponsors.

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