Judy Katz ∞ Neurodivergent Working

Autism Awareness Month ∞ Observing with Authenticity

I designed this webinar to share the language, symbolism, colors, and organizations that we prefer... and which ones to avoid.

Sign up for my (very occasional) emails to view it for free, on demand.

bit.ly/ndivwork-aut...

#autism #neurodivergence #ActuallyAutistic

ID: Screenshot of a webinar recording called Autism Awareness Month ∞ Observing with Authenticity. On the slide is an edit of the "how do you do, fellow kids?" meme, showing Steve Buscemi with a blue puzzle piece on his hat and the text edited to say, "How do you do, fellow autistics?" Judy, a pale-skinned woman with brown hair, is shown speaking in the inset.

Today marks the start of #AutismAwarenessMonth.

If you're planning a campaign or event to observe, make sure it speaks to autistics in an authentic voice and actually benefits us.

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Autism Awareness Month ∞ Observing with Authenticity. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Autism Awareness Month ∞ Observing with Authenticity. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

I'd love to see you there.

us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

And please, please, please stop using puzzle pieces to represent neurodivergence and autism (the lecture was mostly about autism).

This kind of thing is why I happen to be offering a free webinar next week to share how to represent neurodivergence (including autism) authentically and respectfully.

Illustration of a person with multicolored puzzle pieces overlaying their brain. The word neurodiversity is visible, though cropped, at the bottom of the screen. I’ve added a frowning emoji with monocle in one corner.

I went to a lecture event about neurodivergence last night.

I’m not publishing the name of the presenters or the event series because I’m contacting them privately about these issues in hopes that they won’t do this again, but y’all.

Please don’t say neurodiversity when you mean neurodivergence. 🧵

I think you're going to be blown away by the storytelling, the animation, everything about this film.

Learn more and help them finish and release it here:

thedivergentgift.com

BONUS: If your organization makes a donation, I’ll match it with credit for my training and consulting services, so the good that you do can go even further.

And if you donate as an individual and want to give your credits to an organization, I’m happy to do that, too.

#autism #ActuallyAutistic

And they're having an online sneak peek this Saturday...

www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-sn...

And even more than that, this documentary celebrates autistic joy, creativity, community, and passion… not just STEM excellence.

Please help this movie get finished and released… they’re so close to the finish line!

The interviewees in The Divergent Gift tell a much broader, more expansive, more inclusive story. (You’re seeing some of them in the second image on this thread.) They represent many genders, races, orientations, ages, and backgrounds.

Rainman. Sheldon Cooper. Dr. Shaun Murphy from The Good Doctor. Sam from Atypical. Newt Scamander.

As I say in my training sessions, it’s not that any of these representations is wrong, per se, but they don’t tell the whole story.

Autistic and autistic-coded characters from popular media, all of them white men and boys. Text: autistic representation in most media.

Autistic individuals featured in The Divergent Gift, of varying demographics and backgrounds. Text: Autistic representation in The Divergent Gift; Unboxing Autism.

Let’s take a moment to talk about a critical aspect of The Divergent Gift.

In the left image on this post, you see the typical autistic characters that we see in media...

❤️‍🩹

I read something recently about the 7 types of rest… I’ll try to find it today.

Regardless… there are certainly plenty of things in the world to which despair is an appropriate response.

Yep. I suspect it's not physical tiredness.

Cover of Design for All Learners: Creating Accessible and Inclusive Learning Experineces. It’s dark blue with an abstract multicolored dot pattern around the title.

Design for All Learners drops TODAY 🎉

I’m proud that this book exists and thrilled that I was able to contribute something of value.

And as I read, I’m learning so much from my fellow authors!

Order now at amzn.to/3DYhI3G.

Learn more and connect with the authors at www.designforallbook.com.

Shoutout to @therealcodywebb for some hilarious and on-point posts about the elongated muskrat...

It's Not About the Autism Being autistic doesn't make someone cruel, or unfeeling, or dishonest... or fascist.

The first time I spoke publicly about neuroaccessibility and neuroinclusion, I asked the attendees, “Who do you think of when you think of autism?” >>>

Thank you!

I'll have more to say on that soon, but for today... please enjoy my little morning pick-me-up and think about picking up a copy for yourself and your team.

buff.ly/4aF8Qft

Design for All Learners will be out *very* soon!

I couldn't be more excited... and at the same time, my excitement is mixed with the same emotions as everyone who works in DEI and accessibility in the US is feeling right now. Fear. Defiance. Exasperation. Sadness. Hope.