Discover what’s possible when people connected to autism inspire change and build community
Episodes
Saturday Apr 27, 2024
Saturday Apr 27, 2024
Discover what’s possible when humans connect.
Do you want to feel a sense of belonging and express yourself freely and without judgment? Are you looking for a safe space where people accept you for who you are and support you on your journey of advocacy?
If so, you’ll want to listen to this episode, where members of our Global Autism Community talk about how being part of our online space has helped them grow.
This week we are celebrating the 4-year anniversary of this podcast, as well as the 3-year anniversary of our online Global Autism Community!
It’s been an eye-opening journey that continues to surprise, inspire, and move us. We’ve learned so much from self-advocates sharing their experiences, family members talking about acceptance, and professionals discussing best practices in the field of autism services.
We’ve covered a wide range of topics, such as ableism, bullying, masking, the neurodiversity movement, intersectionality, disability rights, dating, communication, personal growth, cultural humility, and international collaboration, and even controversial topics like person-first vs. identity-first language, the puzzle-piece symbol, and ABA therapy.
Four years after launching Autism Knows No Borders, we are more energized than ever to keep going. There are still countless meaningful stories out there, and we want to bring them to you. We will continue to elevate autistic voices. We want their stories to keep traveling across the world, so that more and more people can join us in the cause for autism awareness, acceptance, and hope.
A huge thank you to all of our guests for educating us with their unique perspectives, as well as to our team members who keep making this podcast happen: our visual creator, social media manager, and community moderator, Danielle Terrell; and our sound designer and editor, Marc Aliana.
And, of course, many thanks to you, our dedicated listeners, for tuning in each week, sharing your takeaways, and ultimately giving meaning to what we’re doing.
If you’re a new listener, we’d like to welcome you as well!
Our online Global Autism Community has been growing over the past few years. This is a space where members have the possibility to share insights, listen to different perspectives, and create real change in their own communities – whether they’re autistic individuals, family members, or service providers.
Special shout out to another one of our community moderators, Christina Kaspersen who monitors posts daily to ensure that our online space remains safe and respectful. If you’re interested in joining our moderator team, you can send me a direct message in the community.
Last week, some members of our community got together virtually to celebrate our anniversary. We played games and got to know each other in a more casual setting. Today you’ll hear an excerpt from that special event, featuring Autistic Self-Advocates Sara Bradford, Stephanie De Kremer, Adrian Sanchez, and Christina Kaspersen, as well as fellow community members Cheryl Albright, TJ Larum, and Danielle Terrell.
Are you a self-advocate willing to share your experiences and educate others? Are you a professional seeking to hear directly from autistic voices and improve your practice? Are you a family member hoping to support and empower your loved one? Whatever your role related to autism is, you can join our online Global Autism Community to connect and collaborate with people all over the world.
Sign up today at community.globalautismproject.org. Let’s work together to transform how the world relates to autism.
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Thursday Apr 18, 2024
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
Discover what’s possible when you lean into curiosity.
Do you feel trapped in your daily routine and want to feel inspired again? Do you think there's something more you're meant to be doing in the world for the autistic community? Are you a self-advocate or professional looking to develop as a leader, build confidence in your own abilities, and help others do the same?
If so, you’ll want to listen to this episode because our SkillCorps® volunteers share how they reconnected with their passion in the field from going on their trip to Kenya.
Just a recap, in case you missed part 1 from last week, SkillCorps® is carefully curated 10-day journey includes developing culturally-relevant and sustainable training with our partner staff, listening to local Autistic Self-Advocates and family members to learn about their lived experiences, sharing meals with community members to brainstorm ideas and solutions, and executing a high-impact project to build on existing work being done in the country.
Last October, we sent a SkillCorps® team to visit our partners at Kaizora in Nairobi, Kenya. In part 2 of this special SkillCorps® Journey episode, you’ll hear Team Kenya talk about:
- Personal growth
- Professional development in the field of autism services
- How traveling with the Global Autism Project inspired the team to create change in their own communities
- Tips for future SkillCorps® travelers
As you probably know if you follow our work closely, we’re also sending teams out in the field this July, and we’re currently taking SkillCorps® applications for travel in October!
Join us today at skillcorps.globalautismproject.org and use the coupon code “AUTISMPODCAST” to waive the application fee.
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Friday Apr 12, 2024
Friday Apr 12, 2024
Discover what’s possible when collaboration inspires change.
Do you have a personal or professional connection to autism? Are you looking to collaborate with others and help the autistic community in a meaningful, sustainable way? Do you want to share your insights and make a positive impact on a global scale but don’t know where to start?
If so, you’ll want to listen to this episode because our SkillCorps® volunteers share how they collaborated with a global team of autism professionals and advocates on their trip to our partner site in Kenya.
SkillCorps® is a carefully curated 10-day journey that includes developing culturally-relevant and sustainable training with our partner staff, listening to local Autistic Self-Advocates and family members to learn about their lived experiences, sharing meals with community members to brainstorm ideas and solutions, and executing a high-impact project to build on existing work being done in the country.
Last October, we sent a SkillCorps® team to visit our partners at Kaizora in Nairobi, Kenya. Kaizora offers comprehensive services for families, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, vocational training, special education, and social skills.
In this episode you’ll hear from Maureen Gathogo, or “Moh” for short, the Operations Manager at Kaizora, Jessie Sheahan, our staff member who led the SkillCorps® team, and the SkillCorps® volunteers themselves. Next week, you’ll hear the team talk about their personal growth and takeaways.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
- Clinical training and outreach initiatives completed during the trip
- Collaboration between professionals from different backgrounds
- The Global Autism Project’s model Do With Not For
- Cultural humility
- Sustainable practices in international development
As you probably know if you follow our work closely, we’re also sending teams out in the field this July, and we’re currently taking SkillCorps® applications for travel in October!
Join us today at skillcorps.globalautismproject.org and use the coupon code “AUTISMPODCAST” to waive the application fee.
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Friday Apr 05, 2024
Friday Apr 05, 2024
Discover what’s possible when you belong.
Have you ever heard the phrases, “You don’t look autistic,” or “Everyone’s a little bit autistic,” or “You can’t (fill in the blank) because you’re autistic”?
If you or anyone you know has ever felt that their autistic experiences don’t matter, this is one episode you’ll want to listen to.
We’re kicking off Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month with this roundtable discussion about overcoming prejudices and breaking the stigma around autism, facilitated by community moderator Danielle Terrell, and featuring Autistic Self-Advocates Thomas Iland, Brian Middleton, Corben Havener, Mary Johnston, Bob Schmus, Sara Bradford, and Amy Smith, as well as fellow community members, Rosetta Walker and Tj Larum.
Among other things, we discuss:
- Ableism in the form of gaslighting
- Masking as a defense mechanism
- Breaking stereotypes
- The Medical vs. the social model of disability
- Autism in legal situations
- Limitations set by some medical professionals
Would you like to share your own perspectives by participating in roundtables like the this one? Join our online Global Autism Community, a safe and judgment-free space where all kinds of people connected to autism regularly discuss important topics like autistic identity, dating on the spectrum, coping strategies, and many, many more.
Let’s work together to transform how the world relates to autism.
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Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Discover what’s possible when you let the creative juices flow.
Have you ever experienced a flow state when using music or visual arts as a creative outlet? Or maybe you’ve been inspired by someone else’s work?
If you like music and art, stick around, because today’s episode is a roundtable discussion where we talk about all things creativity, facilitated by community moderator Danielle Terrell, and featuring Autistic Self-Advocates Andrew Bennett, Stephanie De Kremer, and Christina Kaspersen, as wells as fellow members of our online Global Autism Community, Melissa Badertscher and Tj Larum.
Among other things, we discuss:
- How creative projects can enrich lives
- Different outlets for creativity
- Interpretation vs improvisation
- Using creativity to accentuate autistic strengths and develop areas of need
- Challenges of self-promotion
- How to overcome imposter syndrome when showcasing work in front of others
Would you like to share your own perspectives by participating in roundtables like the this one? Join our online Global Autism Community, a safe and judgment-free space where all kinds of people connected to autism regularly discuss important topics like autistic identity, dating on the spectrum, coping strategies, and many, many more.
Let’s work together to transform how the world relates to autism.
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Thursday Mar 21, 2024
Thursday Mar 21, 2024
Discover what’s possible when you come to life.
Are you looking for ways to share your story and make a difference for others, but you get nervous speaking in front of a crowd? Or maybe you already have the confidence but don’t know where to start looking for paid speaking engagements?
If so, you’ll really want to listen to today’s episode where our guest shares his tips on public speaking.
This episode with Thomas Iland was originally released in April 2021. We’re re-releasing it today to highlight some of Tom’s recent accomplishments.
Tom is an Autistic Self-Advocate, Toastmasters International Accredited Speaker, Certified Human Potential Coach, Professional Diversity & Inclusion Consultant, and TEDx speaker. He’s the author of two books, Come To Life! Your Guide to Self-Discovery, and My Glass Is Full: Stories of Putting Mental Health First. Tom also holds a unique Guinness World Record as "The Oldest Person With Autism To Finish a Full Ironman Triathlon," emphasizing his commitment to transcending limits.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Strategies for delivering a good speech
- How autism influences can influence public speaking
- The importance of parents accepting their child’s autism diagnosis
- How autistic people can learn to empathize with others
- Tips for other self-advocates who may want to pursue a career in public speaking
Are you a self-advocate willing to share your story and educate others? Or a professional seeking to hear directly from autistic voices and improve your practice? Or are you a family member hoping to support and empower your loved one?
Whatever your connection to autism is, we’d love to hear your takeaways from this episode in our online Global Autism Community, where hundreds of people from all over the world come together to support each other and know that they’re not alone.
Join us today at community.globalautismproject.org. Let’s work together to transform how the world relates to autism.
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Friday Mar 15, 2024
Friday Mar 15, 2024
Discover what’s possible when quality care is cultivated from within.
Have you ever looked for a service provider in a rural area, and had a hard time finding just one professional near you with a certification established by a board? How would you know if those other, non-credentialed service providers have completed proper, systematic training?
In today’s episode, we address these topics and much, much more.
This episode with Maricarmen Hazoury, or Kaki for short, was originally released in July 2020. We’re re-releasing it today to emphasize the need for a set of professional standards in order to protect families and individuals receiving autism services.
When this conversation was recorded, the Behavior Analysts Certification Board had just announced that they would discontinue international certification for behavior analysts. Although the decision initially caused some upset, confusion, and disappointment, other organizations like the IBAO and QABA have since stepped up to fill the space.
Maricarmen Hazoury is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the co-founder of Centro ACAP, an autism center in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Global Autism Project partnered with Centro ACAP in 2018, and we have since sent three SkillCorps volunteer teams to provide sustainable hands-on training.
In this conversation, among other things, we discuss:
- Autism awareness in the Dominican Republic and the types of autism services currently available
- How Kaki became involved in the field and why she is passionate about using Applied Behavior Analysis to help families
- The need for a Spanish-speaking certification board
- Why the current Code of Ethics for Behavior Analysts is not completely relevant to Dominican culture
- What Kaki has learned from partnering with the Global Autism Project
- Which aspects of Dominican culture she is most excited to share with our SkillCorps volunteers when they visit
If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review. You’ll be helping us to continue spreading autism awareness and acceptance around the world.
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Thursday Mar 07, 2024
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
Discover what’s possible when you trust your gut.
Has anyone close to you needed support after receiving their child’s autism diagnosis? Or maybe you yourself are the parent of a child with autism? If so, you might have felt overwhelmed or isolated when trying to decide what’s best for their future.
Professionals like today’s guest, Kathryn Petersen, empower parents to recognize that they are the true experts of their children so that they can confidently make the best decisions for their family.
Kathryn is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the Founder of 2 Steps Forward Consulting, a company offering early-intervention coaching to help parents navigate the system.
In this second half of this conversation with Kathryn, we discuss:
- How Kathryn determines her client’s success
- Kathryn’s involvement with the Global Autism Project, and what she’s learned about leadership
- How she applies the Global Autism Project’s motto “Do With Not For” in her current practice
- Tips for families starting their autism journeys
Do you know anyone else who might benefit from this episode? For instance, a parent in the early stages of receiving an autism diagnosis for their child?
We encourage you to share this episode with at least one other person. By doing so, you’ll help them feel supported, and help us improve access to services worldwide.
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Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Discover what’s possible when someone holds your hand.
Have you ever tried to look for autism services and found the process long, stressful, or confusing? If you’re the parent of a child with autism, you’ve probably found that the path to available resources is often far from clear.
However, professionals like today’s guest, Kathryn Petersen, are committed to making this journey easier.
Kathryn is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the Founder of 2 Steps Forward Consulting, a company offering early-intervention coaching to help parents navigate the system.
In this conversation, among other things, we discuss:
- Why Kathryn decided to start her consulting company
- What the autism-diagnosis process typically looks like for parents (from recognizing early signs in their children to receiving services)
- Common struggles parents face within the system
- How parents can collaborate in setting and prioritizing goals
- What to look for in a service provider
Do you know anyone else who might benefit from this episode? For instance, a parent in the early stages of receiving an autism diagnosis for their child?
We encourage you to share this episode with at least one other person. By doing so, you’ll help them feel supported, and help us improve access to services worldwide.
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Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Discover what’s possible when accessibility goes beyond a checklist.
Have you ever come across a website that was difficult to navigate? Were you frustrated that you couldn’t accomplish what you wanted to do, whether it was pay a bill, schedule a doctor’s visit, or attend a zoom call?
Well, you’re definitely not alone. It’s not uncommon for neurodivergent people to feel left out of digital spaces. The good news is accessibility guidelines already exist to ensure websites can be easily navigated.
If you want to know about how these standards are upheld, listen to this conversation I had with Maxwell Huffman and Jen Goubeaud, where we delve deep into the work that they do at Aspiritech, a quality-assurance company with over 90% of autistic employees.
Maxwell is Autistic himself and oversees operations across all of Aspiritech’s program lines, including software quality assurance, accessibility, and data services. And Jen, who has ADHD, is the program manager for the company’s accessibility program line.
In this conversation, among other things, we discuss:
- Accessibility criteria that websites needs to meet
- Using screen readers for the visually impaired
- How a neurodiverse team can help to assess user experience
- Moments that make Maxwell and Jen feel proud to be working at Aspiritech
- Tips for employers wanting to increase neurodiversity in the workplace
Do you know anyone else who might find value in this episode? Maybe your boss or coworkers would also like to learn how to make your workplace more neurodivergent-friendly.
If you’d like to help improve employment conditions for autistic individuals, please take just a few seconds to share this episode with one person who you think will appreciate it.
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