It’s been a few weeks since our last blog post and I’ve found myself contemplating the best message to try to send. It starts from a couple weeks ago when I received a very disappointing, and troubling email from someone we felt were in the same boat as us, being an advocate, working to make the lives of those living on the spectrum better on a daily basis. Reading this email I became angry, disappointed and then sad, realizing that maybe, just maybe, there were those who were not advocating for those on the spectrum, but to heighten their own ego. I reached out to a good friend, a mentor, and his experience made me realize that from time to time we were going to face individuals like this and a good way to handle that situation. Thank you Stuart!
So I’ve thought about what advocacy really means. Not by the definition, but the general feeling. Without boring our readers to tears, I’ll close with a quote by one of my favorite figures in time, Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.. He was in all sense of the word one of the greatest advocates of our time. He advocated for equality, acceptance and understanding long before I was born. His advocacy eventually caused him his life when he was killed in Memphis, Tennessee in April of 1968. He once said:
“A true alliance is based upon some self-interest of each component group and a common interest into which they merge (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)”
As a community, the autism community, we need those who are willing to speak up on behalf of those who often do not have a voice. We need to advocate in schools, in our government buildings, in church and anywhere we travel. We owe it to our loved ones on the spectrum to ensure their lives are as fulfilling to them as ours has. We must speak as a united front as Dr. King noted, not only to our self-interests. Be the voice that your loved ones need and create #awareness1by1!
So I’ve thought about what advocacy really means. Not by the definition, but the general feeling. Without boring our readers to tears, I’ll close with a quote by one of my favorite figures in time, Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.. He was in all sense of the word one of the greatest advocates of our time. He advocated for equality, acceptance and understanding long before I was born. His advocacy eventually caused him his life when he was killed in Memphis, Tennessee in April of 1968. He once said:
“A true alliance is based upon some self-interest of each component group and a common interest into which they merge (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)”
As a community, the autism community, we need those who are willing to speak up on behalf of those who often do not have a voice. We need to advocate in schools, in our government buildings, in church and anywhere we travel. We owe it to our loved ones on the spectrum to ensure their lives are as fulfilling to them as ours has. We must speak as a united front as Dr. King noted, not only to our self-interests. Be the voice that your loved ones need and create #awareness1by1!