October is Disability History Month. Nicole talks about the 30th Anniversary of ADA and what she hopes for the next 30 years. By Nicole LeBlanc This year the Disability Community will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that was signed into law on July 1990 …

Poetry by Sophie Dutsch-Zdanowic Into the Black Pound in my head, chill in my skin Rattling breath stuck in my lungs Into the black Full moon in full glow, but does not Shine to where I stand Into the black Abandoned street, broken windows Hustle and bustle of maintown Muffled by distance and an eve…

“I’m often the first to hear alarms. I can differentiate sounds quickly and more easily. My sensitivity to touch helps with palpation during a nurse exam. I can feel if something is different or off.” An interview with Ron Sandison Like many women, Nurse Jackie Anne Blair was diagnosed w…

“No diagnostic manual can truly explain the multi-faceted experience of autism,” Elisabeth Wiklander By Ron Sandison Elisabeth Wiklander was raised in a musically talented family. Her dad is a pianist, organist, and composer and mom a conductor, singer, and clarinetist. When Elisabeth w…

By Dana Trick Sinking like a stone— You’re human, Not a rock, And you have the limbs to Swim towards the surface. Curiosity killed the cat— There are trillions of things that could have Killed the cat as well as you. Why do you promote foolish ignorance When knowledge is essential? Blind as a bat—…

James Reed shares his experiences attending different colleges in California. As a Freshman, I began attending college at the University of California, Santa Cruz. I requested single room accommodations in the first week of classes and received them in the third week. During those initial weeks livi…

By Matteo Musso Hi, I am a 15 year old guy with autism. I have been silent most of my life, at least regarding using spoken language as a primary way of communicating. I was introduced to the letter board when I was 11½ years old. To live in this society without the use of spoken language is so cha…

By Austin John Jones For me, purpose is subjective; it’s based on how I feel. If I feel like I have a specific purpose in life, that motivates me. But sometimes I think purpose is a human idea someone made up to give me comfort. From what I can tell, people who feel like they have purpose get up eve…

5th in the ‘Happy Sawyer’ series By Nikki Mann In the 6-week break before Sawyer was due to start reception class, I was anxious about how he would cope and whether he would be able to fit in with his peers. Uniform and books started to arrive, along with the stark realisation that I was about to r…

Disability empowerment … can bend the moral arc of a neurotypical universe into one which supports the idea that initiative and hard work is valuable in and of itself, in whichever way it chooses to manifest. By Nils Skudra A little prefatory material is perhaps in order before I engage in a bit of …

I will never stop listening. By Marisa Leon After 20 years of serving autistic children, teenagers, and adults, I know one thing for sure: Autism is a mystery that requires us to change. My journey into the world of autism began as a speech therapist. The expectations I had when I embarked on thi…

“I want to see a world where people with disabilities achieving things is a norm rather than an exception. It isn’t a surprise when you see a person with autism practicing law or doing something amazing in the world.” By Ron Sandison This last June I met Haley Moss at the Milestone Autism Conferenc…

This writing is dedicated to those who understand the autistic people of this world to be unique and special, and who would not want them any other way. The Autistic Plea for Understanding Why do you look upon me the way you do, you who see me as a standout. When you look upon me, you see s…

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself,” Oprah Winfrey By Nils Skudra Over the course of my life, I’ve found having a close mentor is extremely valuable since a mentor is an individual that I can confide in and who offers important lessons. During the two and…