The winner of Britain’s Got Talent this year is…
The Lost Voice Guy!
He is very funny, but his message is serious (which makes for brilliant comedy.). As he says, “I was disabled before I was popular.” Furthermore, “People were laughing at me even before I became a comedian.”
One fan on YouTube has compiled this vignette of his journey:
We’ll let him tell of the rest of his journey!
Some two and a half years ago, maybe longer, I was listening to Jonathan Schwartz’s radio show on NPR. After playing his customary songs from the American song book, Jonathan gave a rave review of a children’s book he just read. As a love of animals is something we both share, I had to read the book. I am glad I did.
Most of the people with autism and some with Down syndrome, likewise have an affinity to animals… and vice versa. This review is dedicated to them.
“My, what big ears he has!” A little elephant was born in southern Africa. However, not long thereafter, the peace of that happy occasion was shattered by a sudden flash and a bang. Poachers claimed the little elephant’s mother. A twelve-year-old boy named Thabo watched a rescue helicopter bring in a baby elephant to the wildlife refuge, where he lives. The veterinarian, Bitri, will try his best to save her. Thabo was there to comfort the baby elephant with big, spread-out ears he has decided to call Butterfly.
Four years later and half a world away, Emma was enjoying the splendors of her New York City courtyard garden, when a tall teenage boy approached her. Thabo introduced himself and explained that he was there with his father, who was giving a speech at the United Nations to urge world leaders to help his country’s endangered elephants. Emma was astonished; she didn’t realize that such big, strong animals needed protection. It was then that she learned about poachers killing elephants for their tusks for the illegal ivory trade. She removed the ivory butterfly necklace pendant she received for her 11th birthday. (The coincidences here will have some readers wondering if the ivory from her pendant came from Butterfly’s mother; at the very least, the metaphor is very strong.) She loved the picture of Butterfly Thabo showed her, which she thought of as she returned the pendant to its velvet box and hid it in a dark drawer. That night, Emma dreamed of a parade of animals.
Suddenly, Emma was aroused by a loud trumpeting sound. Outside her window was Butterfly, looking for Thabo. Hearing the noise, Thabo rushed to her side. Butterfly spoke to both teens of her fear of Africa and was seeking a safe place. But what to do with an elephant in the city? After all, an adult elephant would need some 320 pounds of plant material and 30 gallons of water every day. The seemingly obvious first choice was the circus! All three were excited as they watched the pageantry, especially the regal elephants. After the show, Butterfly met up with the circus elephants. Butterfly and her human companions quickly learned—along with the reader%mdash;that many circus elephants are taken from the wild and poorly treated. Later that night, Emma learned that the keys of her baby grand piano were made from ivory. Emma was left wondering whether the Bach prelude she was playing would be able to “heal the aching heart of a baby elephant.”
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how my dreams and ambitions have really suffered and been stunted, because I’ve felt compelled to pursue them along neurotypical lines. I’ve somehow believed that if I followed “the rules” — of engagement, of customary behavior, of social interactions, of the right job or locale — that […]
via What does it mean for me to be truly #autistic? — Aspie Under Your Radar
All of us at Advancing Opportunities wish you, our consumers, families, and supporters (including those of you who have generously followed this blog!) peace and happiness for the holidays:
And just in time for the holidays, here’s a special treat. Overcoming her autistic social fears, this lovely ten-year-old girl gives a stunning rendition of Hallelujah that would have made Leonard Cohen proud.
Things, er, people to be thankful for. After all, in the disability community, it is really the people in our lives who make all the difference.
Yes, there are things when we think about assistive technology, for example. There are custom-designed wheelchairs, handy smartphone apps, braille keyboards, communication devices…. However, it is the people behind these wonderful products who matter most – the people who design and build them, the assistive technology specialists who work with people of all disabilities to find the right device and counsel how to use it.
So, yes, it’s mostly about people. And, on Thanksgiving, most of us spend time with family. So, that is where we will start. In most cases, it is family members who are the primary caregivers. Caring for a son or daughter, mother or father, brother or sister, or grandparent with a disability is a round-the-clock responsibility family members undertake with the strongest sense of love. We, at Advancing Opportunities, give thanks to all our wonderful families.
Families, however, occasionally need a well-deserved break. Many are thankful for family support services personnel – respite workers and the like. In, addition, the individuals themselves receive the gift of socializing with their peers, often in community settings.
And there are individuals with all disabilities in community residential homes. The residential support professionals provide care with uncompromising dedication round the clock. Some are working right now, as you are reading this.
There are so many other people who make life better for individuals with disabilities. Teachers and other educational professionals and assistants, for example. Many people work behind the scenes, performing managerial and clerical work to make it all happen. Let us not forget the generosity of the many benefactors, individual and corporate, who make it all happen.
For all these people – you – we are thankful!
How people with disabilities use the arts to express themselves and find a therapeutic calm and purpose is gaining more and more attention. In this space, we discussed in an April blog post multiple efforts in Canada and the U.S. to provide public spaces to give access to these important voices to the community at large.
The University of Bergen, Norway, has announced its The Disability, Arts and Health Conference to be held this September. According to its Web site, the conference “aims to reflect critically on how disability is represented and theorized in contemporary society, both in an academic context and outside the academy, including clinical practitioners, community activists, mainstream media and creative arts practitioners. We welcome abstracts from scholars, artists, community activists and practitioners from a diverse range of disciplines.”
The organizers are seeking papers in the following areas of study (quoting from the Web site):
The cross-disciplinary intersection of art, social issues, and technology should make for a very thoughtful and interesting intellectual experience. And on a side note, it is worth revisiting this very interesting and enchanting TED talk by Christine Sun, deaf person uses “the music of sign language” to express how sound is very much a part of her life.
A former Rutgers football player, Eric LeGrand, paralyzed in 2010, has embraced life and love. And, over the course of his recovery among wheelchair races and therapy dogs, he befriended a young woman with cerebral palsy, Gianna Brunini. The next step was for him to ask Gianna to her high school’s (Hannover Park) senior prom; he did so by giving a motivational speech to all the students, as reported in a recent newspaper article.
Some very positive news from our own community! And Eric has already earned the admiration of President Obama.
Meet Julia, the latest Muppet friend. The rest of the Sesame Street gang know that she’s amazing. She even has her own hashtag: #SeeAmazing
Sesame Street, introduced in 1969, is seen in more than 150 countries around the world. Always a champion of inclusion, the highly respected show on October 21, 2015, launched “Sesame Street and Autism.” This initiative has opened to considerable acclaim.
Its anthem,“The Amazing Song,” raises autism awareness and acceptance among its young audience. Christine Ferraro, who wrote the lyrics to the song, explains her connection to autism, in that she has a brother on the spectrum. This led her to feature siblings in the video and other instructional materials, to help these neurotypical children better cope with their situation. In welcoming their new friend, Julia – who happens to be autistic – the Sesame Street Muppets sing in unison, “Every kid is an original; we’re all one of a kind We’re all as different as can be, but in some important ways, we’re all the same – we can all be friends, because there’s so much we can share. We all have feelings We all need a friend who can understand.”
In a video to introduce the show, Julia explains, “lots of kids have autism” And “that means their brains just work a little differently,” she continues. She introduces us to her some of her human friends, like Nasaiah. His mom helps him learn how to play with other boys his age. A family helps a younger sister, Yesenia, with everyday self-care activities. Louie’s father talks about how his son made him “so much a better person, a better father.” Says a mom, “I just think he looks at the world in a very different way than we do. I don’t think it’s a bad way…. I think it’s amazing.” According to Sesame Street executive Sherrie Wilson, “Families with autistic children tend to gravitate toward digital content, which is why we created Julia digitally.”
“Sesame Street and Autism. Family Time with Grover.” The beloved blue Muppet introduces us to Angie, who has a very special way with her two younger brothers. Although they are twins and both have autism, they are very different personalities. This is perhaps the best testament to the old adage, “When you have met one person with autism, you have met an autistic person.”
Frank Campagna, the writer of the respected blog “Autism Daddy” is one of the video producers at Children’s Television Workshop. In his blog, he discusses how, after the birth of his severely autistic son, he sought ways in which to spread autism awareness through the award-winning children’ show.
ASAN, the Autism Self Advocacy Network, is also a partner. In a public statement, the organization proclaimed, “Sesame Street should be commended for reaching out to and focusing on the many voices of the autistic community… aimed at ending stigma and increasing understanding and inclusion of autistic children.”
“Sesame Street and Autism” offers a variety of resources, including:
Sunny Day
Sweepin’ the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet
Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Sesame Street
Come and play
Everything’s A-OK
Friendly neighbors there
That’s where we meet….
For many people on the autism spectrum, relating to people poses multiple challenges. For animals, however, these same people often have an affinity. What’s more, many of these animals know this intuitively and are very accepting of people on the spectrum. In her groundbreaking book Animals in Translation, Temple Grandin spoke of the close connection between animals and people with autism, like herself. She spoke of the ways in which animals see the world “in pictures,” with much greater attention to detail than neurotypical people, but in ways similar to which she sees the world. She also wrote of the close connections many people with autism have with animals and their abilities to “read one another.”
One UK mother of a young woman with Asperger’s syndrome, wrote of her daughter’s deep fascination and deep, abiding love for all animals. 
These pets offered great comfort, nonjudgmental companions in whom to confide. She quotes Tony Attwood, in his introduction to one of Liane Holliday Willey’s books: “Another escape is into the exciting world of nature, having an intuitive understanding of animals, not people. Animals become loyal friends, eager to see and be with you, with her feeling safe from being teased or rejected and appreciated by her animal friends.”
Temple Grandin is most well known for her work with cattle. Another person with Asperger’s, Josh Flannagan, found his calling with another large animal, horses. Offered a job at a horse ranch, Josh immediately bonded with the animals. “He changed so much through them,” says his mentor, Pete. “He commutes with the horses better than I do.” By being able to offer the horses comfort, Josh has been able to help himself become less stressed around the client riders. He has earned the title “Horse Whisperer.”
Horses are at the heart of equine therapy, whereby children and adults with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities benefit from riding horses. For now, we will consider how a child with autism can benefit from equine therapy. 
By interacting with the horse and caring for it, the child with autism forms an emotional bridge, which extends to enhanced social and communication skills with humans. Riding the horse gives the autistic child educational experience with learning how to understand and follow directions. The gait of the horse enhances the spatial orientation abilities of the child with autism; the horse becomes a trusted friend and teacher.
Working with animals is an excellent avocation for a child or an adult with autism or Asperger’s syndrome, one in which he or she can excel, to the mutual benefit of both parties.
A Brief Afterword on Service Dogs
Dogs are the most popular and common animal for children with autism. They can be pets of therapy (or service) dogs. A service dog has been professionally trained to help a person with a disability. Guide dogs help the blind and hearing dogs help the deaf or hard of hearing; these animals are beyond the scope of this column and will be covered in a later blog. Service dogs, on the other hand, perform more of a psychological role. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, owners and service dogs cannot be denied access to places of public accommodation. There is a story of boy with autism who fell in love with a German shepherd at a shelter. With most people, the dog’s behavior left much to be desired, but with the boy he was entirely different. The dog received proper professional training to be certified as a service dog. Obtaining a suitable service dog requires diligent research; for one, the trainer should be a member of Assistance Dogs International, which sets high, internationally recognized standards for service dog training. The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners assists people using such dogs, as does 4 Paws for Ability. And worthy of note is one UK group, PAWS, which unites dogs in shelters and children with autism, recognizing the mutually beneficial relationship. They note, however, that these animals are not service dogs, which provide specific therapy and to not enjoy full access to places of public accommodation.
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Most children nowadays are fashion conscious, be it through peer pressure or advertising. Students with disabilities are no different. However, for a variety of reasons – be it body shape or size, ability to accommodate a brace, or comfort – much of what is fashionable does not fit. These children, and their parents, are left having to wear plain garments such as sweats, making them stand out even more from the crowd than they already do. Fortunately, thanks to a number of entrepreneurial activists and advocates, this situation is starting to change.
Runway of Dreams: Making Clothing for All Children a Reality
Oliver, was very conscious of the unstylish sweat pants he wore, which only highlighted his already feeling different because of his muscular dystrophy. New Jersey mom Mindy Scheier felt just as perplexed: the “cool” clothes Oliver’s peers wore were not able to accommodate the leg braces he needed. Astonished that she could not find nice clothes her son could wear, Mindy drew on her background as a fashion designer to modify clothing for Oliver, refitting shirts and jeans with magnetic fasteners. She then realized that other families had children with needs like Oliver’s, so she set out to research starting her own business. She created a clothing survey on Facebook and attended focus groups for families of children with various physical disabilities. The responses were overwhelmingly positive; the greatest need was for adapted fasteners, adjustable waistbands, and changeable pant legs and sleeves. She was struck, “seeing the joy that came over the faces of these children, just to have a voice, to say that they would love to wear something as basic as jeans,” she says. “With the parents, it was their voices being heard, that said ‘I want my child to feel and look like other children, even though they are differently abled.” These efforts led to Runway of Dreams, an advocacy group urging clothing manufacturers and retailers to make clothing that would support this community.
The Up Side of “Down Sizing”: Clothing for Children with Down Syndrome
Dull clothing does not do justice to the bubbly personalities of so many children and adults with Down syndrome. Their shortened femurs mean that ordinary jeans and pant legs do not taper at the knee and the bottoms have to be rolled up many times, giving the clownish impression that these children are playing dress-up games of a much younger and immature age. Buttons and zippers can be tricky as well, limiting the independence of the children wearing these items. This was certainly the case with Maggie. So when her grandmother, Karen Bowersox, realized she could not find clothing online for children with Down syndrome, she started to seek funding for the company she founded, “Downs Designs: Special Clothes for Special People.”
“Dip-Down” waistbands fit comfortably beneath the belly while covering the rest of the body; this innovation alone accounts for 60% of the sales at Down Designs. Other innovations include wider necks and shorter sleeves, as well as fasteners enabling the wearer to dress independently. Customers receive personal service to ensure excellent fit and comfort. “To see these people in clothes that fit them,” says Karen, “It changes everything for them.”
Classy Little Fashions: Making Big Changes in the Fashion Industry
Being fashionable and feeling good about oneself is something people with disabilities – like anyone else – do not outgrow. An example is Jess Wallace, a disability activist with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), a condition that has left her with a physically tiny stature. “I can tell that my audiences don’t perceive me as the educated professional that I am. It’s slightly amusing but mostly frustrating when I am waiting to take the podium and the audience is giving me that look, like I’m a three-legged puppy that just fell off a garbage truck.” Carol Briney and Jane Hash (who also has OI) have come upon a way to create clothes that fit people with unusually small bodies. They established the Classy Little Fashions Foundation. This organization uses 3-D printing technology to create a mold of a person’s unique dimensions and shape; they can send the data or the mold itself to someone who can create clothing that will fit. “All of that has changed since the inception of Classy Little Fashions.”
For the Golden Years
For senior citizens and other people using a wheelchair, Legg Sleeves has arrived at the simple, yet ingenious solution of detachable pant legs, offering these users greater independence in getting dressed or changing. These adapted garments are also suitable for amputees. Patents are pending, but like all these examples, they offer greater hope, independence, and dignity.
Celebrating Individual Abilities 