1. What does Autism Acceptance Month mean to you? What Does Acceptance Feel Like to You?
Logistical tasks are one of the challenges I tend to face, and time is one element that doesn’t always mesh well in my brain. I use my calendar to keep on track, but its linear nature can be confusing. I hope that acceptance would bridge many months, and hopefully all of the possible points in that linear view of time. It is hard for me to pin down what acceptance feels like, but I hope to not have to think about it, if that makes sense. I tend to notice the absence of acceptance more, if that makes sense.
2. Does/did your school do anything to recognize, support, or celebrate autism acceptance
month? If so, what does your school do?
I am not aware, but that may well be a reflection of how I process things. I am always interested in details and events, but sometimes struggle to process them in a timely manner or to keep up with what is happening in my local environment.
3. What do the terms, “self-determination” and “empowerment” mean to you?
I think that they can be connected. One of my favorite hobbies is bird-watching, and I have always been inspired by feathers and flight. Sometimes the differences in my memory or thinking can feel like taking flight, while in other situations there could be challenges such as environmental stimuli or the difficulty I face in processing language. These moments of flight remind me that I can make a difference. And the people I am close to, family and friends, have played a huge role in taking those journeys with me and empowering me to flourish and fly.
4. Do you feel generally accepted as an autistic person?
I have faced accepting environments as well as the opposite. While I am unsure what the right percentage is in my experiences, I am optimistic that we can all play a role in changing this percentage for the people in their lives and communities. Acceptance is not a given, but it can be a possibility that we can collectively mould and make real.
5. What would you like others to know in order to better support autistic individuals?
Every autistic individual is unique. While this can perhaps be challenging, I believe this conundrum applies to everyone as we are all unique expressions of what it means to be human. The journey to meeting someone new can be a joyous opportunity, and I would like other people to know that being open to someone can lead to an encounter they might not have had otherwise. I think that opening yourself to seeing the world differently by interacting with autistic people in your life and community can be a way to show support.
Jory enjoys speaking with others about his way of seeing the world. As a young child, Jory struggled with his speech. Once he did start to speak, he knew what he was trying to communicate, but his words rarely made sense to anyone else. Jory’s debut book vividly describes what it is like to live in a world designed for neurotypical brains when his is decidedly not. Instead of dwelling on his limitations, Jory invites those who inhabit the neurotypical world to better understand their own.
Jory has spoken with diverse audiences and is currently accepting speaking engagement requests.
He has consulted with firms at the nexus of strategy and neurodiversity and is a member of Autism Community Ventures’ Neurodivergent Leaders Advisory Board.
Specifically, 
Over several weeks, the pair met virtually to discuss Thompson’s job search, update her resume, discuss potential accommodations, and explore education and employment opportunities.
A self-diagnosed neurodivergent, Cynthia Coupé is a speech language pathologist and diversity, equity, and inclusion specialist committed to transforming traditional systems to better serve people with special needs. She is also mother to a neurodivergent daughter, TEDx speaker, blogger, and change agent. Her life mission is to build empathy, understanding, and appreciation between the neurodivergent and neurotypical worlds. She firmly believes this begins with curiosity and the willingness to connect through open and honest conversations. You can find and follow her at 
Teal W. Benevides, PhD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, is a wife, mother, occupational therapist, and researcher. She is a tenured associate professor in the Institute of Public and Preventive Health at Augusta University. Dr. Benevides is committed to fostering access to services and supports for autistic people and others with intellectual and developmental disabilities through community-engaged approaches. She is a member of OAR’s Scientific Council and a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association, and serves on several additional autism, suicide prevention, and occupational therapy organizations as a board or committee member to advance scientific knowledge, translation, and promotion of community priorities.
Dr. Eileen Crehan is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in autism and neurodivergence in adolescence and adulthood. Her research lab at Tufts University focuses on improving access to care using methods developed in collaboration with autistic individuals. In her clinical practice, Pegasus Consulting, Dr. Crehan conducts assessments with adults and works with organizations to improve accessibility and understanding of autism across the lifespan.
Katherine McLaughlin, M.Ed., AASECT certified sexuality educator, is the founder, CEO, and lead trainer for Elevatus Training. As a national expert on sexuality and intellectual and developmental disabilities, she trains professionals and parents as well as individuals to become sexual self-advocates and peer sexuality educators. She is the author of the Sexuality Education for People with Developmental Disabilities Curriculum and developer of online courses that engage parents, professions, and self-advocates. She has spent her 25+ year career committed to elevating the status of all people, which is why the name of her growing company is Elevatus Training. Contact her at 
Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson is a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and a licensed clinical psychologist. She is also the founder and director of the UCLA PEERS Clinic, the director of the UCLA Tarjan Center, and the program director for the Predoctoral Psychology Internship Program in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities at UCLA. Dr. Laugeson has trained tens of thousands of mental health professionals, educators, and families worldwide. She is dedicated to developing and testing evidence-based treatments to improve social skills across the lifespan and across the globe.
Liana Hicks is a student support coordinator in the Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst University (AIM) with four years of experience within the department. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Gannon University and a master’s degree in special education from Mercyhurst University. She is integral in assisting with CREATE program development and increasing AIM’s external network of local and global partnerships. She has attended past vocational exposure experiences and is helping plan the upcoming spring 2023 trip to Washington, D.C.
Dr. Courtney Lang is a corporate education consultant and owner of See Bea Media. She spent nearly two decades teaching communication and research analytics at the university level. Her last position of service was as communication department chairperson at Mercyhurst University, where she worked closely with the Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst. During her time there, she taught in the CREATE program and worked closely with AIM to improve communication interactions and outcomes for autistic and neurodiverse students.
