Celebrating Autism Candles and Nathan Young

This post honors the success of a determined adult with severe autism named Nathan Young.  Having been placed in segregated workshops at a young age, Mr. Young was determined to change his destiny.  And instead of letting his autism limit him, he has gone on to form his own non-profit company called Autism Candles. The purpose of creating this company is two fold:
1. to demonstrate the full capabilities of autistic adults to the wider society and challenge stereotypical assumptions about autistic people
2. to provide employment opportunities for autistic adults.

He has a sophisticated understanding of marketing and has developed his own strategies for expanding the range of opportunities for autistic people.  His concept is called D2W, which stands for disability to working. The goal of the disability to work idea is to help autistic adults transition away from segregated workshops and into more rewarding professional opportunities that allow them to express and maximize the full range of their talents, skills, and abilities.  Having suffered the negative effects of segregated workshops, he is a strong advocate of integrating autistic adults into the mainstream workforce as much as possible. He is working hard to change a system which has been designed to segregate, exclude, and stigmatize adults with disabilities.  He will not take no for an answer, and he is a change-maker.

In the past few weeks, I have interacted extensively with Mr. Young on Facebook.  I have found him to be a refreshingly honest, kind, and compassionate young man.  He speaks his mind freely and expresses his opinions openly without beating around the bush.  He also has the ability to reach straight to the heart of complicated issues and to see through the many sophisticated ways that society tries to deceive and suppress adults with disabilites. He is a role model for adults with severe autism, and I have learned a lot from him in a short time.

Segregated Education and Employment are Wrong

I did some research on the limited career options open to adults with intellectual disabilities.  I discovered that in the past, students with intellectual disabilities were often placed in segregated special education classrooms that did not allow them to receive the same educational opportunities as typical children.  In addition, students with intellectual disabilities were often denied the opportunity to interact with typical children.

Sadly, segregation in the education system often prepared them for segregation in the workplace.  As a result, adults with intellectual disabilities are usually placed in segregated and sheltered workshops which have several important disadvantages.  First, they are typically paid less than minimum wage and thus denied the opportunity to support themselves financially on even a partial basis.  Second, they are deprived of the chance to develop the skills necessary to function in better forms of employment that should be much more widely available to adults with intellectual disabilities.  They are denied access to the resources needed to prepare them for work in supported, competitive, and self-employment options.

These practices continue even though a recent study showed that 63% of adults with intellectual disabilities who were participating in sheltered workshops wanted to work outside segregated work environments.  38% of their family members wanted to see their loved one with an intellectual disability work outside a sheltered workshop, and 29% of relatives might want to see their family member with an intellectual disability work outside a sheltered environment.  Thus, the study indicated that continued placement of adults with intellectual disabilities in sheltered workshops denies the wishes of a majority of adults with intellectual disabilities and a significant proportion of their loved ones.    

I also realized that I have suffered similar experiences in the workplace as an autistic adult with a high intellect.  As a result of my undiagnosed autism, I was deliberately prevented from participating in the mainstream workforce in business and accounting over a 12 year period.  Thus, I have also suffered the same financial and psychological effects of being segregated and excluded in the workforce as more severely impacted adults with intellectual disabilities.

The only difference for me is that the workplace segregation began at a much later age for me and thus was much more shocking to me.  Having participated in gifted classes in middle school and high school and having graduated from an Ivy League college, I was integrated all my life into the  most elite parts of the mainstream educational system.  Integration in the education system gave me unfulfilled dreams and expectations of participation in the mainstream workforce. I planned my career based on the assumption that society was planning to include me in the workforce. And thus I was stunned when society repeatedly chose to exclude me from the mainstream workforce after college.

But I am grateful to the autism and disability advocacy community for offering me the opportunity to participate fully and freely in your world. In the past few months, my involvement with the autism and disaiblity world has offered me a wide range of opportunities that I never thought possible.  I have been in the embrace of people who worked hard to include, encourage, nurture, and support me rather than finding excuses to suppress and exclude me.  I have found a caring and compassionate movement full of autistic adults, parents of autistic children, and autism and disability professionals who are committed to the vision of including disabled and autistic people in the workplace and society.  And most of all I have found a group of people who accept and embrace me for who I am and who do not try to force me to conform to the social norms of neurotypical society.  Thanks to your support, I am writing articles and book ideas and feeling emotionally safe in the workplace for the first time in my life.

I also believe that segregated education and employment are wrong for disabled people in general, including adults with intellectual disabilities.  Segregated education and employment prepare us for a life of poverty, exclusion, and discrimination and are designed to limit the range of our career, financial, and life options.  The purpose of inclusive education and employment is to allow adults of all abilities to reach their full potential in work and society.  For some people, inclusive work might mean competitive employment or supported employment.  For others, the best career option might be a self-employment venture or a job that involves working from home.  In general, the goal should be to maximize the ranges of work options available to adults with disabilities rather than finding reasons and ways to limit and exclude disabled adults in the workplace.

Also the employment world for disabled people should focus on celebrating our unique strengths and talents rather than focusing on our differences.  Too often the mainstream work world looks for reasons to exclude and suppress adults with disabilities.   For this reason, adults with disabilities need alternatives to the standard workforce environments that allow to focus on maximizing our strengths and talents.  In many cases, particularly for photographers, visual artists, writers, and foreign document translators, these alternatives can include self-employment and working from home.  For adults with skills in computer sciences, design, illustration, mathematics, and the sciences, these options can include working in a fully or partially integrated corporate environment.

Autism Awareness Month

In honor of National Autism Awareness Month, I would like to briefly describe my healing journey in the autism community in the past 6 weeks.  This experience has been enormously liberating and transformative in a very short time. 

My journey began with attending the Autism Speaks Walk in West Palm Beach, Florida, in early March.  On this day I discovered that I had found a humane and compassionate community that understood and accepted me for who I was.  I met with members of Autism Speaks and vendors who were moved and touched by my story.  I enjoyed being in an emotionally safe environment where I could be my authentic self and where I was not punished for my social deficit.  I found a group of people who validated me and treated me with a respect that I rarely received in mainstream society.  I found a place where I belonged. 

This experience allowed me to begin healing from the trauma of repeated rejection in mainstream society.  The feeling of acceptance gave me strength and hope for my future and a feeling that my contribution to the world was meaningful and significant.  I began to realize that my authentic self was valued and appreciated.

Following this event, I had a highly productive meeting with a local disability organization in South Florida.  At this meeting, I received additional encouragement for my work along with practical suggestions for writing my book on self-employment and work from home options for autistic people.  This meeting helped me to begin rebuilding my shattered self-confidence and reinforced my feeling that I belonged in the disability community.

In late March, I gave a presentation on my painful experiences in the workplace to a group of masters students in vocational rehabilitation.  I suffered numerous PTSD attacks prior to this presentation because I was forced to relive my traumatic ordeals and and a long history of rejection in the workplace.  But I found a humane, accepting, and compassionate response to my story from the professor and her students.  And this presentation allowed me to continue on my healing journey from my painful trauma and to begin moving forward toward a brighter and higher destiny.

I want to thank Autism Speaks and the broader autism community for accepting, embracing, nourishing, and supporting me.  I have found a compassionate and humane environment which is promoting my healing process and allowing me to regain my inner emotional strength and self-confidence.  The acceptance of others has made it easier to accept myself and to open my heart to the possibility of positive interaction and reconnection with society. 

Clothes with a Conscience

I was thinking about how an autistic artist might break through the obstacles to gaining a contract with a major department store.  And I thought maybe an autistic person would have a competitive advantage when it came to producing sensory sensitive clothing.  Why? Because autistic people are highly sensitive to certain types of clothing materials.  For example, I know that I find many standard clothing materials such as linen to be intolerably itchy and uncomfortable.  For this reason, I am unable to wear many beautiful and attractive clothes.

An autistic person can compete effectively in this niche market because we are the customers for this type of product.  I began investigating the sensory sensitive clothing industry.  And I discovered that actually such products are already being developed and sold.  Thus, my instincts about the presence of a viable market for this product were proven correct.

In addition, I was very heartened to learn that several companies in this industry operate according to a strong sense of social conscience.  In particular, I would like to draw public attention to the work of Soft Clothing.  http://www.softclothing.net/resources/clothing-faq/

This company was founded by Suzy Kogen Friedman and Jessica Ralli.  Ms. Friedman is mother, entrepreneur, and aunt of an autistic child.  Ms. Ralli is a special education teacher with a masters from Columbia University.   

This company stands out for its socially conscious business practices in addition to its wide variety of high quality products.  The father of an autistic child who is also a garment industry executive helped Soft Clothing to find a way to produce their clothing in a compassionate and humane environment.  This man helped Soft Clothing to locate a factory in India which has agreed to operate according to humane conditions.  In addition, the company is also certified for its environmental commitment. 

Thus, Soft Clothing demonstrates that when people from all walks of life work together, we can make a difference for autistic people.  This garment industry executive is just one of many dedicated parents of autistic children who are using their corporate expertise to make the world a better place for autistic people.  Soft Clothing functions with a social conscience and a vision of a humane world for not only its autistic customers but also the workers it employs.

Australian parents of autistic children should note that Soft Clothing distributes its clothes in Australia through Seams Away.  The website is located at  http://www.seamsaway.com.au.  Thus, Soft Clothing is now available in Australia.

Similarly, Sensory Smart was formed in the UK by Mel Thomsett, mother of an autistic son named Archie.  http://sensorysmart.co.uk   Ms. Thomsett saw that her son was unable to tolerate the uncomfortable standard clothing that most children can wear.  She chose to take action to benefit her son and the autistic community as a whole by founding a company that distributes sensory sensitive clothing in the UK and Europe.  http://sensorysmart.co.uk/#/about-us/4535999547

Ms. Thomsett distributes clothes from many different companies, including Teres Kids.  Like Soft Clothing, Teres Kids is also operating with a social conscience.  The company produces 100% organic cotton clothing in a family-owned mill from South Carolina.  In this way, Teres Kids keeps jobs in the U.S. while also providing a  service to the autism community. http://tereskids.com/about.  The company was co-founded by two female artists, Alexandra Merlino and Marianne Broughton, following the births of their daughters Helena and Tuesday, respectively.

Soft Clothing, Sensory Smart, and Teres Kids demonstrate that parents and teachers of autistic children are acting to provide an essential product to these kids: comfortable clothing.   They are also running their businesses according to a socially conscious model.  And they show that successful entrepreneurs can combine conscience and profit to make the world a better place.

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Cook O'Toole Book: Longer Review

I am reviewing the following book. The Asperkid's (Secret) Book of Social Rules: The Handbook of Not-So-Obvious Social Guidelines for Tweens and Teens with Aspergers Syndrome by Jennifer Cook O'Toole with Illustrations by Brian Bojanowski:

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849059152

I am an autistic adult woman in my mid-30’s.  I was self-diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at the age of 35 and officially diagnosed by a psychiatrist at the age of 36.  I am an Ivy League graduate who nonetheless never learned even the most basic elements of social interaction.

 

I bought this book in hopes of improving my social skills and found it to be very helpful, humorous, well-written, and insightful.  I greatly recommend it for Aspies of all ages.  Ms. O’Toole’s book is highly effective because she understands the mind-sets of both the mainstream NT (neurotypical) social world and the Asperger’s population.  As an Aspie herself, she knows precisely which social rules are most likely to confuse and trip up teenagers with Asperger’s.  She is an excellent translator and interpreter between two very different cultures.   I gained insight into the NT world-view mind-set from her writing.

 

I only wish that this book had existed when I was a teenage girl because knowing these social rules might have helped me avoid many costly social mistakes.  I figured out most of the principles discussed in this book through a painful process of trial and error, but her book was a helpful reminder of some social rules that sometimes continue to stump me.  For instance, I faced one major problem on the job.  I didn’t realize that NTs typically don’t really mean it when they say they want your honest opinion.  I unintentionally offended my bosses by giving them my honest view in a situation where they simply wanted me to praise their work or their company.  If I had known this principle earlier, I would have understood that the boss was not opening the door to freewheeling discussion by requesting my opinion on a subject.

 

Similarly, when NTs ask you how you are, in most cases they are not looking for an honest answer.  They don’t really want to know how you are feeling and want you to say you are fine even if you are facing a major life catastrophe such as a cancer diagnosis or a divorce.  The question is a formality and not an invitation to a meaningful discussion. 

 

In addition, the book explains that students should never challenge authority figures.  I know from painful personal experience that challenging authority figures can be a deadly career mistake.  In my freshman year of college, I challenged a senior professor in class for his views on a political issue.  He reacted in a harsh manner that helped derail my plans to pursue an academic career in my special interest.  I hope that other Aspies can avoid making similar mistakes and thus achieve greater career success.

 

I also learned a few new ideas from her book.  For instance, Ms. O’Toole suggested one possibly effective way to deal with your opponent.  She recommends that rather than confronting your opposition directly, you should invite your rival to consider the facts together.  In this way you allow him or her to save face and can conduct a more respectful dialogue with him or her.  I never would have thought about taking this approach to this situation, and I thank Ms. O’Toole for suggesting it. Ms. O’Toole proves that it is never too late for an autistic person to improve their social skills.    

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Cook O'Toole Book: Brief Review

I am reviewing the following book.  The Asperkid's (Secret) Book of Social Rules: The Handbook of Not-So-Obvious Social Guidelines for Tweens and Teens with Aspergers Syndrome by Jennifer Cook O'Toole with Illustrations by Brian Bojanowski:

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849059152

I am an autistic adult woman in my mid-30’s.  I am an Ivy League graduate who missed the opportunity for social skills training. I bought this book in hopes of improving my social skills and found it to be very helpful, humorous, well-written, and insightful.  I greatly recommend it for Aspies of all ages.  Ms. O’Toole’s book is highly effective because she understands the mind-sets of both the mainstream NT (neurotypical) social world and the Asperger’s population.  As an Aspie herself, she knows precisely which social rules are most likely to confuse teen Aspies.  She is an excellent translator and interpreter between two very different cultures who gave me insight into the NT world-view.  

 I only wish that this book had existed when I was a teenager because knowing these rules might have helped me avoid many costly social mistakes.  I figured out the principles discussed in this book through a painful process of trial and error, but her work was a helpful reminder of social rules that sometimes continue to stump me.  I also learned a few new ideas from her book. Ms. O’Toole proves that it is never too late for an autistic person to improve their social skills.    

Affirmative Action Needed for Autistic People

I was speaking to my close friend Monica, who happens to be a neuro-typical (NT), last night.  She asked me what I would want most to change in the workplace for autistic people.  I replied that I would like employers to change the interview process in order to make it more humane and fair for autistic adults.  I said the standard interview process discriminates against autistic people because it focuses upon social skills and does not allow us to display our unique intellectual and personal strengths.  

She came up with the revolutionary and radical idea that employers in business, government, academia, and non-profits should be required by law to set aside 1% of all their positions for autistic people. In this way, we can ensure that educated and qualified autistic people have a fighting chance of gaining equal access to opportunities in the employment world.  Employers would no longer be allowed to get away with discriminating against us in the interview process and systematically excluding us from the employment world.  Employers would also lose the incentive to drive out autistic employees through bullying campaigns.  The reason is that if they fired one autistic person, they would simply have to replace him or her with another autistic employee. 

My story illustrates why this law is needed.  I am an Ivy League graduate with a bachelor's degree in my special interest of international relations.  Yet I was bullied by the professors in my field and blocked from pursuing an academic career in this profession because of my social skills deficit and unintentional social mistakes and violations of the academic hierarchy. 

In addition, during my senior year of college, I went on 60 interviews for business jobs.  I didn't make it to the second round of a single interview.  As a result, when I graduated from college, I was effectively locked out of the standard career world.  I was fluent in Spanish and had a minor in economics.  I was an outstanding public speaker with excellent analytical, writing, research, and public speaking skillls.  Yet I couldn't find a job because employers systematically refused to hire me due to my obvious social skills deficit and undiagnosed autism.

In the next 11 years, I suffered endless nightmares in the job world.  I was fired or pressured to quit from every job I ever held, often within days or weeks of being hired.  I was relentlessly  bullied by abusive bosses and colleagues in my last two office jobs, during which I lasted just three weeks and eight weeks, respectively.  Even after I earned a masters degree in taxation (accounting), the major accounting firms still would not hire me because of my poor performance in the interview process.

And I am not alone.  The estimated unemployment rate for adults with Asperger's alone, which is just one part of the Autism Spectrum Disorder, is a catastrophic 85% in the U.S. and 97% in the U.K.  These appalling figures show that employers are systematically discriminating against us and refusing to hire us even though many of us are highly qualified and educated. 

Society will receive at least two major economic benefits from passage of this law.  First, since autistic people will now be employed, we will not need to depend upon government welfare programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for our financial survival.  As a result, the taxpayers will immediately save billions of dollars in unnecessary SSI expenses as autistic adults transition off the welfare rolls and into productive employment and participation in society.

Second, autistic people will now contribute taxes from our wages.  Thus, we will be contributing to the treasury rather than draining it with endless expenses for our needs.  Including autistic people in the job world will directly benefit the whole society on a financial level. 

I want to address several possible objections to this law.  First, a friend accused me of acting out of self-interest.  He mistakenly thought I wanted to pass this law for my own financial gain.  I explained to him that even if this law passes, I have no intention of ever returning to an academic job or an office job in business or accounting.  Thus, I have no personal financial stake in the passage of this law.  My only goal in supporting this law is to ensure that younger autistic people can obtain the job opportunities that I was unjustly denied due to discrimination.  I want to use my experience to help today's autistic teenagers and young adults to reach their full potential in the job world.  This law is designed to help autistic people as a whole, not me personally. 

Second, some people might fear that employers would be forced to hire unqualified autistic people for every position in their company.  This system would not be used to place autistic people in positions such as sales and management for which we generally lack the appropriate skill set.  Rather, it would ensure that autistic people can compete fairly for the jobs that play to our strengths, such as accounting, academia, investment analysis, foreign language translation, computer science, and mathematics. 

Third, one autistic woman objected to the law on the grounds that the only measures needed to improve employment outcomes for autistic people.  My response to her objection is as follows.  I see no contradiction between educating employers and requiring them to hire us by law.  In fact, we need both policies to improve our employment options.  The civil rights movement for African-Americans employed both tactics, and so should autism rights advocates.  I believe that educating employers alone is insufficient to substantially change our job outcomes and that the combination of legal action and raising public awareness through education campaigns targeting the general society and employers in particular is necessary to put an end to job discrimination against autistic people.

My personal experience shows that many neurotypicals (NTs) are not informed about the systematic and deliberate nature of employment discriminations against autistic people.  But once they learn the ugly truth about how autistic people are treated in the workplace, they are horrified and decide to join our struggle in various ways.  For this reason, I encourage autistic teens and adults and their parents and caregivers to share their stories and thus advance our movement for equality and jusice.  I also invite people to contact me via email if they want to support this effort in any way at rachel_silverman@ymail.com.