Tag Archives: autism
Can’t I Just Plug Autism into my GPS?
Along with “just love them,” I’ve discovered a few other self-guiding principles. I’ve learned the importance of not exhausting oneself. It’s tempting to run yourself ragged, getting your children to therapy after therapy, convincing yourself that every therapy is “crucial” or driving a great distance to find the “perfect” school. “Perfect” doesn’t exist and every therapy is not “crucial.” I’ve learned that while seeking good therapies and good schools is desirable, it is more important to focus on peace within the family, to give my children a safe home base where they can comfortably be themselves.
Chasing Autism Acceptance
I have a dream where I move my with my children and my husband to an island. The world is tiny and easy. I am always with my five favorite people with no societal judgement. Then, I realize that humans crave connection with other humans. I crave connection. My husband craves connection. My children crave connection. It would be unfair to limit my kids’ connection, because humans are hard-wired to enjoy the company of other humans. We just have to figure out novels ways to get that connection.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2021 – “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion”
As a disability rights lawyer who represented persons with disabilities for the past 25 years, I am often asked by persons with both visible and invisible disabilities about best practices in attempting to find a job and to keep a job. So, for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, I will share my top 10 points.
Will Arnaldo Rios-Soto see Justice, or does Justice see Disability as Dangerous?
As a disability advocate, and as Arnaldo Rios-Soto’s lawyer, the trial of Officer Aledda is a watershed moment. Will Arnaldo be deemed to be inherently dangerous because he is different? Will there be a stereotype that because Arnaldo lives with a developmental disability, the fact that he was targeted was justified? I hope not.
AFTEREFFECT – A SWAT team, an autistic man, an American tragedy.
Aftereffect is a podcast produced by WYNC Studios, and hosted by Audrey Quinn. In this series, Audrey weaves Arnaldo Rios-Soto’s story and explains how Florida is ill-equipped to provide adequate community-based services for him, and what he went through. The synopsis of the eight episode series is as follows: In the summer of… Read More »
Annual Family Cafe Cooks Up Feast of Fun and Facts
By: Andrew Sagona The Family Café is a free conference for Floridians of all ages with disabilities and their families to learn about the latest developments in the Florida disability community and to attend the annual Florida “Governor’s Summit on Disabilities.” I have been attending Family Café for over ten years, and I still… Read More »
Summer Fun and Discrimination against Kids (with or without disabilities)!
Happy Summertime! The Summer should be a time where all kids, kids with disabilities and kids without disabilities, should be able to have fun. Discrimination about kids in the Summer is not fun, and here are some tips on how kids can avoid discrimination in the Summer.
Autistic Man Fired from Cargill because of stereotypes about Diabetes
People with diabetes face unfair stereotypes and discrimination at work, at school, and elsewhere in their lives
The Wallet Card presented at the Family Café
By Rachel Goldstein Senior Staff Attorney Rachel Goldstein attended the 17th Annual Family Café in Orlando, Florida and gave a presentation, One Tool for Successful Interactions with Police: The Wallet Card. The Wallet Card Project is the product of a unique collaboration between Disability Independence Group, the Coral Gables Police Department and the UM-NSU… Read More »
A Mother of an Adult with Down Syndrome’s Worst Nightmare
A Mother of an Adult with Down Syndrome’s Worst Nightmare Mr. Dietz, I have just found a note hanging on my door that Reflections will not be renewing my lease. my worse fear, Karl has been hiding in his room since this has all began. the officer had told the Manager that this was… Read More »
Know Your Legal Rights
By: Matthew Dietz On Saturday, September 20th, I had the opportunity to put on my professor hat and teach Criminal Procedure 101 to a very eager class of persons at the University of Miami. No, not for law students at the Law School, but instead for a class teens and young adults who have… Read More »
Shark Tank Update…
By: Debbie Dietz We have finished filming the video and we are now in the editing stage. The video looks amazing! We want to thank all of our actors. They did an amazing job. You can order your own wallet card for free on our website at: /wallet-cards/. Just fill out the online… Read More »
Autism CARES Act Renewed
By: Deborah Dietz President Obama signed the Autism CARES Act last month. The Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act of 2014, or Autism CARES Act, will reauthorize the Combating Autism Act for the next five years. The law will allow for $260 million annually for autism research, prevalence tracking, screening, professional training… Read More »
I read an interesting story in the Miami Herald the other day. It was about Matt Cottle.
By: Lester Langer Matt has autism. He was bagging groceries and pushing carts for the past 6 years before he started Stuttering King Bakery. He is now an entrepreneur turning out cookies, brownies and scones for cafes, businesses, and groups that need catering. Matt’s old boss told him he could do nothing but bag… Read More »
In Memory of Dr. Robin Parker
By: Lester Langer Dr. Robin Parker recently passed away at age 50 from pancreatic cancer. She was a leader in unlocking the mysteries of autism. I did not know Dr. Parker, but I wish that I had met her. Her work in designing apps that allow children and young adults to merge into mainstream… Read More »
BROWARD CHILDREN’S CENTER, Inc.
For over 43 years, Broward Children’s Center, Inc. has been a haven for children and young adults with disabilities in Pompano Beach, Florida. Founded in 1971, the program serves children with varied disabilities from all walks of life, which include autism, disabilities from birth, accidents, shaken baby syndrome, lightning strikes and other traumatic… Read More »
