As the saying goes, “If you have met one person with autism, you have met ONE person with autism”.  If you have talked with different members of the autism community during autism awareness month, you have likely had very different conversations about our experiences and what we hope might come from this month.  Some will share the need for greater understanding, compassion, and inclusion.  Others might point to the need for more investment in research and access to services.  Some parents align strongly with specific organizations and messages while others carve their own path.

Ultimately, there is no “wrong” way to share your voice and your story.  As we honestly offer our perspective and experience, we add to the collective awareness (acceptance, support, action…) that we all hope to inspire.

Whether you are at walks, sharing or seeking information in your community, wearing blue or not.  We celebrate the diversity of our community and the way in which we all contribute to the cause of enlightening our world about the amazing abilities and challenges we all have the opportunity to support.

Here are a few exciting “wins” for our community currently taking place.

• Companies like Microsoft and STEM are beginning to create practices for hiring individuals on the spectrum while organizations like Specialisterne and ASTEP are assisting more companies to follow suit.
• The momentum of research continues to build and there is a lot of optimism about how the emerging information could support faster identification and better support for children with autism.
• Technology is playing a big role in communication as well as how services are delivered.
• Recently, Hawaii, Mississippi and Georgia became the latest states to pass autism insurance reform.

Read more about the news stories listed in this blog on www.allautismnews.com