[00:00:01] Speaker A: Welcome to Shining Through Inspiring Voices of Autism with show host Jennifer Dantzler. My name is Brennan and I am on the autism spectrum. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the world of autism. If you enjoy what you hear today, don't forget to follow this podcast.
[00:00:19] Speaker B: Hey, everyone, this is Jennifer Dantzler, and I'm the executive director and founder of Inspire nd, a nonprofit whose mission is to create truly inclusive communities through education and engagement. The goal of this podcast is to shine a light on real people and their stories in hopes of inspiring others who are on this journey of autism. Either themselves, their child, their loved one, their co worker. I truly believe ignorance is not bliss, and we cannot be inclusive communities if we do not understand the people in the community.
With autism now affecting 1 in 31 people, we need to get louder about this topic. We recognize that autism is a spectrum. There are a lot of people with a lot of different needs, a lot of resources available or none available. And we know that in every episode, we can't meet everyone's needs, needs for their specific interest.
However, we hope that in each episode, you do gleam some kind of insight as to how you can help your child or yourself be a better advocate. And as we go through our podcast, our goal really is to address the entire spectrum, the various needs, the various environments that we're going to be in. And we hope that there's something in every episode for each one of you. So let's get started.
I'd like to introduce you to my new friend, Briana Tenbrink. She is a sibling of people on the autism spectrum. She's also.
Her role is in leadership and advocacy, program manager with the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, and she's the leader of Texas Partners and Policymaking. So everyone sit tight, because we have a lot to talk about today with all the different facets of Brianna. So, Brianna, thank you so much for being here.
[00:01:52] Speaker C: Thank you for having me. Hello, listeners.
[00:01:55] Speaker B: So I think we want to start first with your personal journey with autism, how you were involved with the autism family.
[00:02:01] Speaker C: Well, my advocacy journey started when I was just 10 years old, when my youngest sister, Leah, was diagnosed with autism. And that looked like jumping in right away. I had no idea what it meant, but I wanted to be of support to my parents because I could tell that they were really struggling with the new diagnosis and what they were going to do. And so I jumped right in. I was at therapies, I was at conferences, I was reading books with my mom, just trying to get a better understanding. And that better understanding led to my middle sister, Maya, also being diagnosed with autism about a year and a half later. And so that journey has taken me really far in my career.
At first I thought when I went to school, I was like, I'm gonna go major in marketing and management and do business and all this great stuff. But I neglected the thought that my first job was actually in disability services. And I worked for my local ARC chapter, the ARC of the Gulf coast, and fell in love with the work. Thought I could turn away and leave it behind. Well, life's funny that way, and things always come back to you. And so I finished school, I graduated with my mba. I was looking around for careers, and what fell in my lap was the leadership and advocacy program manager position at the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, where I get to lead, like you mentioned, the Texas Partners in Policymaking program. And I get to help family members like myself and self advocates learn how to be effective advocates for policy change. Because that's really where advocacy takes flight. It's when we're able to engage and understand the systems and be able to be the ones to guide the direction forward, especially as the individuals that are receiving those services.
It's so interesting because when I look back, I remember the day my sister was diagnosed.
[00:03:47] Speaker B: How old were you when she was diagnosed?
[00:03:49] Speaker C: I was 10 years old.
[00:03:50] Speaker B: Okay. Oh, you were 10? I thought you said she was 10. Okay, so you were 10 and your sibling was 18 months. Okay. Okay. Wow. So they actually were able to diagnose her early. So that was wonderful.
[00:04:00] Speaker C: Yeah. You know, Leah started to show some real signs of regression pretty early on, around 14 months. She stopped responding to her name. She stopped giving eye contact. She lost all interest in playing with me and her other sister and kind of just went off into her own world. And that was kind of our first flag. And so Leah's diagnosis, however, is very different than Maya's, because Maya kind of flew under the radar for some time, because it wasn't until we started that kind of preschool age activities, you know, we realized Maya had some social skill things that we needed to work on and some fine motor and low muscle tone things, and even depth perception. Poor baby was running into walls all the time. We thought that needed glasses. And, you know, it turns out this all was a part of her autistic traits. And so it really made us learn a lot very quickly. Having two individuals, because my sisters are 14 months apart in age, having two individuals with different support needs, but the same diagnosis.
[00:05:01] Speaker B: Okay, so you were. So I want to Kind of unpack everything you just said?
[00:05:04] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:05:05] Speaker B: So you were 10. At 10 years old, what were your first thoughts like? How was it initially being a sibling to at that time, one sibling on the spectrum?
[00:05:15] Speaker C: In complete honesty, I felt a lot of guilt.
I'm the oldest sibling, and so it boggled my mind. At 10, I was like, okay, how did it skip me? And it went all the way down to my youngest sister. And then, you know, a year and a half later, when my middle sister got her diagnosis, that guilt felt even heavier.
And I actually stopped eating for a few weeks because I was also watching my parents really struggle because I was in a more traditional home where my mom was a stay at home mom with me and then had my siblings and my dad was the breadwinner. And so I had to watch my dad start taking on more hours so we could afford therapies, we could afford to try new diets, we could afford a weighted blanket and a crash pad in our home. I feel like as the oldest, you always naturally kind of take on that parental role sometimes when you're needed. And in my home, that was definitely true. My guilt for my siblings dissipated as I understood autism and how I could be helped to them in this. And also when my parents started talking to me like an equal, what we were going to do, what the future was going to look like. And that was how I kind of got a better grip on my emotions and I was able to do a bit more and be a part of my sister's progress in life.
[00:06:24] Speaker B: You know, I just actually learned recently through a book called Autism Out Loud that there's actually a term for that. It's called parentification. Civilians often take that on. The parents don't put it on you. Right. But you just naturally take it on because you're there sort of watching on the sidelines, but also in the throes of it. So fast forward now, they are how old now?
[00:06:45] Speaker C: 19 and 20.
[00:06:46] Speaker B: Okay. And how are they doing?
[00:06:48] Speaker C: We're doing okay. Maya is now in college and so she is studying for her communications degree, wanting to take on a very similar career as I, you know, as a self advocate. She feels that she can really help in the policy conversation from her experiences and so excited in supporting her and exploring that. Leah is 19. We are currently navigating adulthood services, which is incredibly frustrating. You know, it's that hurry up and wait with almost everything and especially with Leah being 19. You know, we just hit that transition from pediatric to adult healthcare and oh my goodness, trying to establish some new Doctors takes months, and my sister needs support now. And so it's definitely a difficult era for Leah right now. But Maya is kind of trying to spread her wings. She just sent in her first ever job application. And so we're working on job skills and things like that. And so they're both growing in their own way.
[00:07:47] Speaker B: So to say that, you know, probably what you do for a living is a passion from the heart probably is an understatement, correct?
[00:07:53] Speaker C: Yes, ma'. Am.
[00:07:53] Speaker B: Yes. Okay, so I think you've talked a little bit already about how it's shaped you. Have you and your parents talked about the future? Right. I know this is very difficult conversation, meaning plans for your, your sisters. And is that something that then you will be taking on the responsibility of? And can you talk a little bit about that?
[00:08:13] Speaker C: Yes. And so I'm sure my Texans that are listening are a little bit aware of our guardianship system here, where we are one of the first states to have alternatives to guardianship, such as supported decision making.
And so my youngest sister Leah really needs support with about all daily living tasks. She doesn't have the ability to provide consent. So, you know, she can't sign off on any bills or, you know, get into any contracts. And so when Leah turned 18, in the best interest of her safety, we went ahead and got guardianship over her. And so I will be the inheritor of that. When my parents pass on, whomever passes first, I will then take on the secondary position and then move into the primary.
And more than likely Maya will serve as well as that secondary contact or in the autism world. We all know the value of support networks and a lot of us don't get it from our extended families. And so we have people that have been in our lives for a very long time that also are lacking those systems, like my family. And so I'm ready to step in and support others children that are in our network, and I know that they'll do the same for me. Should come down to that. And, and so that's kind of Leah's path forward. I'll be managing all of her money, all of her care, all of those things. Now, Maya, once again having same diagnosis, different support needs, didn't really need something like guardianship because, you know, guardianship does take away your rights as a person. And so since Leah is a different case, Maya's was more fitted towards a supported decision making agreement, which is you have trusted individuals in your life that you can appoint to support you in certain areas.
And so Maya is going to Have a financial supported decision making agreement where I will be that person that signs off on her things. So when she wants to get her apartment or she wants to buy a car or any of those things, she's consulting with somebody first and making sure it's a smart financial decision.
But yeah, and then, you know, there's power of attorney and there's things that we might want to explore with Maya as well. Advocacy along the lifespan. Things ebb and flow as we all grow.
[00:10:19] Speaker B: Yes. And so just to kind of summarize that, because there still are parents out there that I don't think fully understand this guardianship concept. So when your child with autism does turn 18, as you just very beautifully explained, there are different levels of guardianship, if you will. And so it's going to be really important if you're a parent to take hold of this because I will often meet with a lot of parents who have a 23 year old and they didn't even realize this was something they needed to think about. And then I'll explain things like, well, if they have to go to the hospital and they say no to the medicine or no to the treatment, there's nothing you can do as the parent because they're their own guardian. And so I think this guardianship aspect is just so important and there are still a lot of families out there who don't realize, especially like you said now there are options and levels and it's not all or nothing. And so really encouraging. People should really contact an attorney for more advice on this one, correct?
[00:11:16] Speaker C: Absolutely, absolutely. And I'll just say I encourage the least restrictive option.
[00:11:20] Speaker B: Yes, least restrictive but safest, right?
[00:11:23] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:11:24] Speaker B: I think. And that's where with autism being such a spectrum, it's a very complicated, layered conversation because it's. There's not one answer, there's just not one size fits all. So I appreciate you sharing all that and sharing about your personal journey with that one. What is something you would like to share with other siblings? Maybe the 10 year old whose younger sister or brother just got diagnosed, or that 26 year old that they finally just had that futures planning meeting and they're learning that they might take on that role later once their parents pass. What's something you want to share?
[00:11:56] Speaker C: Your emotions are valid. You were handed a really complex hand of cards with life. And I really encourage you to lean on your support systems.
You might be shocked that your best friend wants to support you in this even though they have no connection to disability. You don't have to go at it alone.
You can always talk with people.
And I always encourage siblings to build strong relationships with your parents while they're still here so you can really understand what support will look like when your parents pass on. I've met some siblings that have gone through the Partners in policymaking program whose families didn't do those long term plannings. And the siblings are, you know, kind of already overwhelmed with the loss of their own parent, but then they're now overwhelmed because they know it's their responsibility to take care of their sibling. But they have no reference point, they have no contact information, you know, doctors, medications, all these things.
So I just really encourage you to lean in and learn and you can take it in small doses. That's why I say start now.
[00:13:02] Speaker B: Right.
[00:13:02] Speaker C: Leah is 19 and I'm already planning for what her future is going to look like 30 years down the line when it's just me, her and Maya.
[00:13:09] Speaker B: Right.
[00:13:10] Speaker C: And so. But emotions are valid. It's okay to feel frustration, it's okay to be sad. It's okay if your sibling starts doing some really difficult behavioral things.
You don't have to take it with a smile.
But just like all family members, everybody has their own way of being challenging.
Find your best way to continue to have strong bonds in your family, even if that looks like taking a break for some time.
[00:13:35] Speaker B: Let's talk a little bit about you Talked about at 19 and getting into adulthood. And this might roll a little bit into what you do as your career, but let's talk about the Medicaid waiver wait list and when they turn 18.
But the catch of how long the wait list is. So can you talk a little bit about the Medicaid waiver program?
[00:13:53] Speaker C: Something I learned recently is that we aren't calling it a wait list anymore. It's an interest list.
[00:13:59] Speaker B: Okay. Yeah. Okay.
[00:14:00] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm not very fond of that language either. I think everybody needs to know is that the Medicaid waiver system is different in every single state. If you are thinking of moving somewhere, please, please, please look into their program structure, what their wait list looks like and all the things that you need to do now here in Texas. What I do know is that our system unfortunately does not pre qualify people.
So you can put your name on the list and when it pops up, you know, 14 to 17 years later.
[00:14:29] Speaker B: And truly 14 to 17 years later, no exaggeration.
[00:14:32] Speaker C: Not at all. Not in the slightest. You could come up to the top of that list and they go, oh, sorry, onto the next person. You could just been Sitting there waiting on a waiver you never would have qualified for. So wasting time or there's also a lot of families who don't learn about the waiver. We just recently passed a bill this legislative session that requires the local litas to start providing that information at age 14 in the transition meeting. But if you ask me, even that's too late.
[00:15:00] Speaker B: 14/16 is still 30 when they access the services that they were entitled to at age 18.
[00:15:05] Speaker C: In perfect example, I have an advocate in my network who is just celebrating about three weeks ago that her son finally got his spot and he's in his mid-30s and they put him on there in his early teens.
[00:15:16] Speaker B: So for the parents out there listening, when in the state of Texas, when a child turns 18 and if they have the diagnosis of autism, they get access to Medicaid waiver services, which is different than Medicaid and it's based on their income level, which means, which is a whole nother podcast, but on how to make sure you've done your finances correctly. But what that means then if, if all of you are doing the math, if you're sitting here as of a parent of a three year old newly diagnosed, I know you're very overwhelmed. One of the best first things you can do is get your child on this interest list. And then what I say to parents is great. When they call you, when your name comes off of the list and you don't need the services, you literally drop the phone, drop the mic, have a party, celebrate, and say, no, thank you. But if you do need the services, it is a 14 to 18 year interest list. And so it is hard. But I, we, yes, I agree that 14 is too late. It's a start.
But we should be telling these parents at their kindergarten IEP meeting to get on this interest list. So it's very important. That's something we try to emphasize. And I still unfortunately run into families who had no idea and their child is 30 and no one ever told them because once they leave school at 22, which we often call the cliff, there is no one out there unless they've seeked out support services themselves. There's no one out there to tell them to get on this interest list.
[00:16:35] Speaker C: Right, Right.
[00:16:37] Speaker B: Very important. To do that you all need to write down if you have a child with autism and you haven't gotten on the Medicaid waiver wait, interest list, I'm gonna have to change my wording. There you go to the program that's with your county. Right. So in Harris county that's the Harris center in Montgomery County. That's Tri County.
Correct. You would ask them about how to get on that interest list. Okay, we could talk about that forever. Now let's move on to your work with the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities and tell me a little bit about what you do there.
[00:17:06] Speaker C: Well, can I just say I'm working my dream job.
[00:17:08] Speaker B: That's amazing. And how many of us can actually say that? So, yay, you.
[00:17:12] Speaker C: I truly feel blessed to get to play this kind of role in the advocacy environment here in Texas. And so as the leadership and advocacy program manager, I work directly with advocates of all ages to help them become better advocates so that way they can see the progress and the change that they want to see in our state. And so I do that through a few different kinds of programs. I've created some online modules so that way I advocates can learn on their own time. Because I know my mom was learning at, you know, about 2:00am, 3:00am at night when she could squeeze it in. And so I wanted to make sure that we keep our education materials that I provide accessible. So that's one route, and I call those my sprint trainings, because advocacy is a marathon and not a sprint. But sometimes we do need to sprint into action. And so they're intended to be short form and easy to understand. And so I've done topics like seeking out a leadership position in the disability space and how to be prepared or taking your passion and turning it into presentation, because I know so many of us get really engaged in the advocacy world, like I did, and then we start wanting to present at conferences about our experiences. But how do we do that? How do we take our our lived experiences and turn it into a powerful message and takeaway from for an audience of fellow advocates, as well as also, how do we use social media for advocacy now, since that's where a lot of people are going for their information. So that's just one element.
[00:18:39] Speaker B: So where can we find all these sprint trainings that you've put online?
[00:18:43] Speaker C: Yes, so you can find them at tcdd.oasis o a s I s-lms.com okay.
[00:18:54] Speaker B: And I'm sure we'll put that in the show notes, too, so you help advocates have a louder voice, because I know there are a lot of families while they're exhausted and depleted and tired, they also, as you said, want to be that voice for their child. And so what would be your recommendation on the best way to get started? If you have a parent listening who says, I do need to Speak up, because it's never going to change, and I want it to change for the next generation of people with autism.
What's your recommendation on the best way to get started?
[00:19:24] Speaker C: My mother is a special education advocate, and something I often heard her say to a lot of families who are getting their start, because that's where a lot of parents get their start, is in the education space, is you are the expert on your child and you know them best.
So when you go to that art table, you know, when you hear certain things, if that sounds like your child or not, if that goal is going to fit them or not.
And something I'm noticing most with parent advocates is this feeling of imposter syndrome when we're advocating. And I just want to tell them, you're not supposed to have all the answers. You're supposed to be the expert on your child. And then we collaborate with experts in the field on how to meet their needs.
And so I know sometimes you might feel like, I don't know what to do. I don't know what's best. You're researching, you're asking questions, you're trying to find that. That key that's going to unlock that thing that you're looking for.
And so I know that you're already taking on so much. I hear my mom say all the time, I feel like I have to be a lawyer. I feel like I have to be a doctor. I feel like I have to be everything so I can get my advocacy across.
I just want to encourage you to keep speaking up. And even when people might dismiss you and your concerns or tell you that they think your child can't do something, prove them wrong.
Keep advocating. When Leah was diagnosed, we were told that she would never know her name, she'd never tell us she loved us, and she would just essentially be a burden on our family. And none of those things are true. And that's because of my mom's advocacy. And so I really follow in her footsteps, and I look to her as my role model. And she was the woman that never took no for an answer. She would go and seek out a second opinion. She would pull in and collaborate with the people that she needed to. And so don't be afraid to pick up a phone and ask a question. If you feel like there's a true advocacy need in your community, you can build that bridge.
But if you're wanting to feel that sense of confidence or, you know, maybe you don't understand the systems as well as you want to, and so your advocacy Feels more general than targeted. There's a lot of information out there and trainings like the Partners and Policy making program that can help to decode those things for you. So that way you can engage in the way that you want to.
[00:21:39] Speaker B: That's one of the things I always try to encourage our parents, too, is just follow your gut. If your gut is saying something different than the 17 people sitting on the other side of the art table, there are advocates. There are people out there who can help you help advocate for a child. You can always table your ARD meeting. I think it's the first thing I always try to tell them, yes, you can table your ARD meeting. Don't sign anything, and you can table your ARD meeting. If your gut is throwing up some red flags, listen to them, right? And then, as you said, go collaborate and get the supports you need to get feasible and reasonable and all of those kinds of things. So then you mentioned that Texas Partners in Policymaking. Let's talk a little bit about that and what that looks like.
[00:22:17] Speaker C: Yes. So the Partners in Policymaking program is a curriculum that has now gone international.
Most states do currently have an active program, and here in Texas, I have a alumni network of 800 graduates. So 800 hundred Texans have gone through this program to learn more about disability history, about systems like housing, transportation, employment, the criminal justice system, and how all those things intersect with disability. And then we take all that information and we help people start applying it to larger advocacy projects. And so as a partner, which is what we call our participants in the program, you are charged with creating a capstone project, which is supposed to provide support and improve the lives of Texans with disabilities. And that might look several different ways. My most recent class, we had some projects that were, you know, about caring for the caregiver and creating some materials where we can start handing that off to family members and ensuring that they get the support needs that they deserve as well. Or another project is Disability Book Week, which was by another one of our partners, where, you know, we were wanting to get more youth to learn about disabilities early on. What better way than to do it through literacy and media? Right?
And so she has also taken her Project International now, where she is giving away books, she has panels of readers who will come in and provide sensitivity screenings and if this is a good representation of disability.
And so, you know, they come in, they learn all these things, they get to turn it into a project. But we also support them in understanding the legislative advocacy process, which I think is the most empowering information that we can give advocates. I know that when I went to the partners program because I'm a graduate myself, before I became the leader, I went because I was angry my sister was being abused in Texas public schools and that information was hidden from us. I joke because, you know, sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying. But they were giving us the chopped and screwed version of her classroom recordings with no audio. Oh, it wasn't that bad. If it wasn't for my mom's experience as an education advocate and knowing what to say and what to press for, we probably wouldn't have seen the improper restraint that they had my sister in the bathrooms that they were locking her in in the dark.
[00:24:44] Speaker B: It's very real. I will often share this about sometimes we're literally using bathrooms in public schools as calm down spaces. And proof is in the pudding. Like, it's very real. It's not an exaggeration. It's very real.
[00:24:55] Speaker C: Absolutely. And it can be very startling to see educators and specialists in this field stand by and encourage verbal taunting like, what are you going to do, tell your mommy? When they know my sibling has no ability to self report. So what did I do? I said I took to the Internet. What would change something like this? And I learned about so many states doing things on, you know, ending restraint and seclusion. They were doing so many things on just abuse in school and how educators sometimes have more freedoms than an individual's own parents do. And that's how I found the partners program. And I got engaged in policy. Like I was kind of mentioning how the program is set up as we start with the history, we go to the systems. So I went through that. And then when we got to the legislative advocacy piece, that's when we really started looking at bills and understanding how they can impact the community.
We started to understand how we can provide testimony on things and how we can do more advocacy and how sometimes us just speaking up and going, hey, this is wrong, which is really all that I did when I was in the program. Like, I was like, hey, this is my platform. I think it's wrong. What do I do? Well, me and my mother got the opportunity to go and present at a press conference at the Capitol about my sister's experience.
And so, you know, kind of just tying it all together.
The partners program really gives you that pathway of how to make that level of change.
[00:26:19] Speaker B: So for Texas Partners in Policymaking, who can join that and where can they find information about that?
[00:26:26] Speaker C: Sure. So the Texas Partners in Policymaking program is open to Family members of individuals with developmental disabilities and self advocates or individuals with, with developmental disabilities can apply for the program. We do have a 18 and up age cap and we do applications every other year in alignment with the legislative session. And so I just graduated the class of 2025. And so next January I'll open up applications again for the class of 2027. And you can
[email protected] and also check out that website for more information about the program.
[00:27:05] Speaker B: I want to say that I know we're both sitting here and agreeing that there are some phenomenal teachers out there in the world. Right? Absolutely. And oftentimes they are given a too large of a task of maybe too many children in their classroom and not the right supports. Right. So we hear you and we feel you teachers that are really committed to our population. As with all industries, there are some bad apples too. Right. And so it's about creating the right supports and also creating the right accountability, which it sounds like a lot of what you're trying to do. And I think the other thing I just heard you say was one voice can be very loud.
So if you're sitting there as a parent or a sibling or even as an educator, as a professional, your voice can be loud. And it doesn't take the masses to get the ball rolling. Right. To get the flywheel started, as they say. Don't be afraid to be that one voice, whether it's locally, in your own town, and whether it's helping create that support of that gymnastics class that's willing to be inclusive or that employer that needs to learn more about how to hire people with neurodiversity. Right. And so be that one voice. I think we're sitting here today with you, Brianna, and we're hearing firsthand, your one voice has made difference in hundreds of lives. It sounds like, if not thousands of lives. What do you think we can do as individuals to make our communities truly more inclusive? So if you have someone sitting here in the audience and they're like, well, I'm not a parent, but I'm an educator or I'm an owner of the local gym, like, what can we do as a community to truly move towards being an inclusive community?
[00:28:39] Speaker C: We can all do better listening. I feel that self advocates with accessibility needs do a really good job of advocating for themselves. And so saying that like, you know, this was challenging. I couldn't, I couldn't even get into this building today. Or you know, our friends with some more sensory needs who are like, I couldn't Even enjoy this event because it was too loud and I needed my headphone accommodations. Right. And so I would just say we all need to lean in a little bit more and do some more listening. And that's actually something I've incorporated into my practice as well, because my siblings experience and what I've witnessed is one thing. But that's the cool thing about the disability space. It's the most diverse. Every single person's going to have a different experience, they're going to have different needs, they're going to advocate for something different. And so I would say listen, but if you do not have a group yet to listen to, this is where social media becomes really, really cool. And so this is where you can get on there and you can type in something super general. You know, like to your point, a local gym owner, right.
Going onto Google and saying accessibility in workout spaces or accessibility in gyms and just seeing whether people have solutions or complaints. And I think from both areas you're able to either kind of take on what somebody else has already figured out, or you can pinpoint a pain point and go, hmm, how can I bridge this gap? How can I make this not a issue at my space?
[00:30:10] Speaker B: Excellent. Excellent point. And actually, we are hopefully going to be having on the podcast, there's a hairdresser from another state who invented the weighted cape. Children on the spectrum or adults on the spectrum go get their haircut. They can use this weighted cape to help them with some of their calming. And so that's. And he does not have an affiliation to autism. He must have just had some clients with autism and figured out there's got to be a way to make this better for them.
So whether you're that local hairdresser, nail salon, because guess what, girls with autism like to get their nails done too.
[00:30:40] Speaker C: Absolutely right.
[00:30:41] Speaker B: Is there anything else that you want to share? I feel like I could just talk to you for hours because I think you have such a wealth of knowledge and passion and experience. Is there anything else that we haven't touched on that you'd like to talk about?
[00:30:53] Speaker C: I cannot promise you easy days ahead.
There will be challenges, changes, unforeseen circumstances, things that you might be placed into, but you're going to be okay. There is actually quite a large network and I encourage you to get plugged in sooner rather than later.
And I know it can be really easy to get caught up in the difficulties and it can really start to bring you down.
There's also a lot of things that can bring you up.
So love Your kids, that's why you had them in the first place, right?
To love them, to see them become the best that they can be and to be that number one cheerleader and supporter so that way they can live the life that they want. Keep that in focus.
You'll hear things from other people, whether it be your extended family, professionals, even other parents in your network. And I think what we all need to understand is that advocacy is a journey. There's different points in it. There's points of frustration, there's points of joy, there's points of sadness.
And just like life, there's eras. And so I always like to talk about Leah's life and eras. I think I mentioned it kind of earlier on and talking about her journey. And so, you know, take it one, one step at a time. And if you need the help, if you need the support, reach out as well.
And if I could add one more thing just about my general experience as a sibling, My siblings have made me a better person.
You know, what 15 year old was walking around with autism awareness shirts at their high school.
Me.
And getting bullied for it.
I didn't care.
In this life you have realizations of the kind of person you want to be and the kind of person you don't want to be. And I'll never be ashamed of my siblings disability.
That's who they are and I love them. And if the shoe was on the other foot, I would hope that they would love me the same, they would show up for me the same.
And we go at this together in life as siblings. And so my sisters have made me more empathetic.
Understanding my eloquence comes from very direct communication because that's what my sisters understand best.
They've really shown me that my strength and what brings me fulfillment in life is working with people.
And I have to say I just went and I did this youth. I didn't even really get a chance to talk about some youth projects. If I could throw that in there, listen to the youth people, they know what they're talking about. I just went and recently did a camp with camp called the Youth Leadership Forum. Once again, kind of like Partners, most states have them.
And think of it like the young person version of the Partners program.
Getting to be a part of it, getting to watch other people grow, especially people with disabilities who might have not always gotten that social connection with others or that true feeling of inclusion or participation. There's no work like this.
And I think our world would be a better place if we put more value in people centric services than, you know, corporate ladder climbing. And so my sisters really solidified that for me at an early age. Cause remember I said I did the, I did the business school thing, I got my MBA and everything. They brought me right back here and this is right where I'm supposed to be.
[00:34:17] Speaker B: I think any of you listening would agree that you need to not only follow our podcast, but also download this episode. And this is probably one of those episodes that you need to listen to three times because there was so much in there. So much. Not only useful information information, but so many inspiring words and thoughts that I just can't thank you enough for being here. And I know every listener is sitting here with their jaw dropped to just like in appreciation and awe of everything you're doing. And we are so thankful you're here in the state of Texas because God only knows we need you and we need you to be creating more of you. Which it sounds like what you're doing. So thank you so much from the autism community and for me personally.
[00:35:00] Speaker C: Thank you for having me.
[00:35:01] Speaker B: If you need help or resources, whether you're a parent, someone on the spectrum, a business or a community organization who want to know more or need help or want to share resources, please reach out to us
[email protected].
[00:35:17] Speaker A: Inspire ND invites you To Taste of the Town Lake Houston Thursday, September 11th from 5 to 8pm at the Humble Civic Center. Taste of the Town is the largest food and beverage festival in the Lake Houston area, showcasing menu items from area restaurants, bakeries, caterers and breweries. It is guaranteed to be the Food Adventures paradise and one of the biggest social events of the year. It all benefits Inspire ND's mission to create truly inclusive communities through education and engagement. Tickets are available now by visiting tot2025eventbrite.com that's tot2025eventbrite.Com or inspirend.org thanks for joining us on Shining Through Inspiring Voices of Autism.
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Until next time, Keep Shining.
