Anita Lesko

Autism Light #183 is Anita Lesko.

Anita Lesko is from Pensacola, Florida. Anita was diagnosed with Aspergers at age 50, and lived the first five decades of her life without knowing about how Aspergers impacted her relationships and life. Autism though has not held Anita back from working to help others. She is an anesthesiologist, author, speaker, trainer, and one of a group of leaders seeking to establish a mentor program for people with Aspergers.  Anita Lesko is an Autism Light for the important role she has filled in bringing awareness of autism through her writing and working to establish a program for mentors for people with Aspergers.

Anita Lesko is working with Dr. Tony Atwood and Craig Evans on a Aspie Mentor series. Craig Evans was Autism Light #178 and you can learn more about him at his entry on Autism Light. The first book is Been There. Done That. Try This!  In the video below Anita announces her book and also asks for the help of anyone with Aspergers to take her survey so the results can be used to determine the most relevant content for the series and give insight for the mentor program going forward.  The survey can be taken at her official website at www.bornwithaspergers.com.


Anita Lesko announces "Been There. Done That. Try This!" The first book in the Aspie Mentor series.
In addition to her key role in the new Aspie Mentor series, Anita Lesko is also the author of Asperger's Syndrome: When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Lemonade, which was published in August, 2011. In November, 2011 Anita directed the DVD Born with Asperger's.  In the book she writes:

Asperger's syndrome is poorly understood by most people. In fact, many people in the medical and mental health fields truly do not comprehend the magnitude of the challenges that people with Asperger's face much less how to help them.

More information on her book is available on her website. Anita also appears in Chapter 7 of Dr. Temple Grandin's new book Different...Not Less.  Dr. Temple Grandin was Autism Light #38 and has her own feature at Autism Light that readers may enjoy checking out.

Anita Lesko was interviewed by Craig Evans at Autism Hangout and here is the video of that conversation that was released in December, 2011.

Asperger's Support Group: In 2011, Anita Lesko started an Asperger's Support Group in her community. She has 25 consistent members who range in age from 10 to 65 years old. Parents are also sometimes involved in the group alongside their children. Anita Lesko writes this about her experience:

I have been conducting my group with positive thinking and have really made a difference in so many of their lives. It makes me very happy, and it makes me want to do more, on a global scale, to help them live their best life possible.

Speaker: Anita Lesko enjoys speaking to others about Asperger's. She had the opportunity to speak at the Inclusion conference in March at the University of West Florida.

Profession: Anita Lesko received her Master of Science in Anesthesia from Columbia University in 1988. She passed her board certification for Nurse Anesthetists on her first attempt in December, 1988. She has worked full-time as an anesthesiologist for 24 years. In her role as an anesthesiologist she is assigned patients with ASD. Because of her experience as someone with Aspergers she is well suited to give special care for patients with ASD going through medical procedures. She dims the lights in the pre-op area, operating room, and recovery room. She also tells her coworkers in the hosptial to minimize touch, movement, and noise. Anita Lesk told Autism Light, "This is a very rewarding experience, because I immediately tell the patient and family in pre-op that I have Asperger's, and I've actually had mom's burst out crying and throw their arms around me that I'm going to be taking care of their beloved child with autism."


Special Interests: Anita is also a photographer. Inspired by the movie TOP GUN, she served as a military aviation photojournalist from 1995-2002 and had her work internationally published. During this time she got to fly in an F-15 fighter jet, a Navy training helicopter, and spend a lot of time with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

Future Plans: Anita told Autism Light, "I have now put my laser-focus on helping others with Asperger's Syndrome. Working together with Dr. Tony Attwood and Craig Evans, we are going to create the biggest Asperger Mentor system on the planet."  If you would like to contact Anita Lesko with any questions on her Aspie Mentor series, the related survey, or any other issue, she invites you to contact her at the email of anita@bornwithaspergers.com.

Special thanks to Anita Lesko for being an advocate for the needs of people with Asperger's Syndrome. The autism community benefits from having her efforts as an Autism Light.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Photo: The photo in this post is used with permission of Anita Lesko.

Bill Cannata

Autism Light #175 is Bill Cannata.

Bill Cannata is a Captain in the Westwood, Massachusetts Fire Department. His son Ted is 21 years old and has autism. When he is not putting out fires, Bill frequently wears the hat as an educator to help first responders be better prepared to rescue people with autism in an emergency. Bill Cannata is an Autism Light for his hard work to use his expertise as a fireman as well as his personal experience as an autism father to impart life-saving training to first responders.

Today Show: On March 1, 2012, Bill Cannata's story and work was featured on the Today Show. A video and transcript of that segment can be found on the MSNBC site at this link. It is also embeded here for you to watch.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Bill Cannata currently serves as a Captain in the Westwood, Massachusetts Fire Department and has over 30 years of experience as a firefighter. He has been an instructor for the Massachusetts Fire Academy for 15 years. Through his experience as an autism father and a firefighter he has a special insight into the extreme reactions that people with autism may have in an emergency. This experience has made him a better firefighter and an educator that has touched thousands of lives of first responders. Bill Cannata told Autism Light about how his son Ted motivates him. He writes, "Ted is my teacher so I need to teach my peers how to work with him during an emergency."

ALEC Program:  ALEC stands for Autism and Law Enforcement Coalition. ALEC has an informative website at www.sncarc.org/ALEC/index.htm.  Bill Cannata was part of a group who helped start ALEC in 2003 and in 2006 he became the Statewide Coordinator. Dennis Debbaudt of Autism Risk Management helped with some inital training for the program.  The following information is how the ALEC website describes their program and purpose.

The ALEC program began in 2003 as a collaborative effort of the South Norfolk County Arc Family Autism Center and the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office. ALEC training helps foster a deeper understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders among public safety and law enforcement personnel. Training is available for Police Officers, Firefighters, EMTs, Paramedics and Hospital Emergency Room Personnel, using curriculum and videos specific to each group. Presenters are First Responders with direct knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorders through a family member. Because of this personal knowledge, in addition to their specific professional background, they are able to answer questions on a wide range of possible situations. The goal of ALEC training is to provide additional tools for First Responders to use in assessing the risk of a situation (Source).

ALEC receives funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for their important work. Since it's inception over 15,000 First Responders have completed the training program.

Contact: To find out more about ALEC and resources available to first responders contact Bill Cannata by email at BCANNATA@SNCARC.ORG or by phone 781-762-4001, ext. 420.

Conference Presenter: Bill Cannata is scheduled to present at the NFPA Conference and Expo on June 13, 2012 on the subject, "Autism Awareness for Fire and Life Safety Education" (Source). This national conference will beheld in LasVegas, Nevada. He is recommended as a speaker and trainer by Autism Risk and Safety Management.

Fire and Autism: Bill Cannata also is involved with Fire Rescue/Autism Training for some of his private trainings taking place out of his home state. The Fire Rescue/Autism Training website is at http://firerescueautism.com.

Other Articles: Here are some other online articles on Bill Cannata's amazing work.

• Firefighter Teaches How to Rescue People with Autism
• Autism 101: For Firefighter and Emergency Personnel (Written by Bill Cannata)

Social Media: You can follow the work of Bill Cannata at the following social media areas.

• Facebook (ALEC)
• Twitter @FireAutism

Special thanks to Bill Cannata for teaching first responders how to relate to those with autism in an emergency. The world is a safer place for people with autism because of this dedicated work that Bill Cannata performs.

Note: If you enjoyed this post you may wish to read about another Autism Light who was a firefighter. The late Jack Fanning was an autism father who died at the World Trade Center on 9/11. His story is at this link.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 

This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Photo: The photo in this post is used with permission of Bill Cannata.

Alex Hale

Autism Light #170 is Alex Hale. 

Alex Hale is from Cleveland, Ohio. Alex is a 21 year old college student with Asperger's Syndrome who sings to raise awareness for autism. One of his signature songs called Into the Light fits what Alex means to autism. Alex Hale is an Autism Light for the way that his singing brings encouragement to others and raises awareness for autism.

College: Alex Hale is a student at Bryant & Stratton College and studies at the Cleveland, Ohio campus.  His major is an Associate's in Applied Science Business. In an article on Alex Hale, Bryant & Stratton College said, "Alex is not only living successfully despite his challenges, he is using his condition to raise awareness of autism spectrum disorders (Source)."

John P. Girard, Bryant & Stratton College Cleveland Campus Director said, "Alex embodies the Bryant & Stratton spirit of overcoming obstacles and striving to make a difference within and outside of academics (Source)."

Alex Hale has a mission when he sings. His desire is to provide awareness of autism and to be a role model to others with autism just like him. Alex wants other people with autism to say to themselves when they hear him, "If he can do it, what can I do!"  In this news feature Alex and his parents talk about his singing tour around the United States in 2011.

 

One of the ways that Alex raises awareness for autism is through lyrics that tell about autism. The following video is Alex Hale singing his signature song Into the Light. Alex and Joel Moss of Soul Session wrote the lyrics to this song.

Walk Now For Autism Speaks: On August 21, 2011, Alex Hale provided entertainment for the Walk Now for Autism Speaks held in Cleveland, Ohio (Source). Alex sang the National Anthem and provided other music at the event.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum: On October 22, 2011, Alex Hale sang at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum as part of Autism Speaks Rock Till It Stops 2011. Information on the event is at this link.
 
The following are news articles written about Alex Hale's autism awareness through singing.

• Local Autistic Boy Sings His Way Across the Country to Motivate Others with Autism 
• Local Boy Sings His Way Around the Country for Autism Awareness 
• Student Uses His Voice and Spirit to Shine a Light on Autism Awareness

Special thanks to Alex Hale for using his gift of singing to raise awareness for autism. The autism community is encouraged by people with autism like Alex who use their talents on public venues.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.


This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Troy Blevins

Autism Light #163 is Troy Blevins.

Troy Blevins is from St. Augustine, Florida. He has two sons with autism. Troy Blevins is raising awareness for autism literally one step at a time. Troy Blevins is an Autism Light because he is taking a 6 week journey to walk from his home in St. Augustine, Florida to Washington DC to raise awareness for Autism as part of Project Autism of St. Johns, Inc.

Troy Blevins is talking to legislators and the general public along his journey about autism and the need for early intervention funding. At the time of this post he had finished about 200 miles of his approximately 750 mile journey to the capital of the United States. The following is a video of Troy Blevins on his trex to Washington D.C. when he reached Savannah, Georgia on Wednesday, March 7, 2012.

 

Troy Blevins earned a degree in recreation in 1989 from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. Troy Blevins had worked as the Recreation and Parks Director for St. John's County in Florida for many years, but he resigned that position in the Fall of 2011 to prepare for his autism walk (Source). For more information on Troy Blevins' walk read this news story.

Special thanks to Troy Blevins for his autism advocacy. He is certainly raising autism awareness as he walks on this incredible journey and the autism community is thankful for his dedication and discipline.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

This post went into syndication on Autisable. 

Autism Light Receives 20,000 Views

Special Thanks to All Parents of Individuals with Autism.

The Autism Light blog reached 20,000 page views moments ago. This represents a lot of hope being spread around the world in just a little over 8 months time. We want to give a special shout out on this milestone to to a special group of people that are unsung heroes to autism. They are parents of children and adults with autism. In a very real sense it is this group of diverse parents who are day in and day out true Autism Lights. Behind every successful person with autism at one time in their life there was a caring and devoted parent or guardian.  Some specific parents (56 so far) have been publicly recognized as an Autism Light, but thousands of others work behind the scenes and are never recognized by others. They are a steady fan and support for their loved one with autism. They are the wind beneath the wings of those with autism.

So if you have autism thank your parents for their help. And if you care about the cause of autism then remember this weekend to appreciate all the autism parents who shine their light for Autism. As parents of those with autism often say, "Every Day is Autism Awareness Day in Our House."

A regret at Autism Light is that there are so many more parents we could mention specifically but have not been able to. We will work at telling as many more of their stories as we can in the future.  Autism Light thanks all the parents of those with autism for the work you do when the days are difficult and you struggle to put a positive face on the various challenges you encounter. Keep the light on.


Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.


This Post went into syndication on Autisable.

Dan, Carey, and Rob Tedesco

Autism Lights #156 are Dan, Carey, and Rob Tedesco.

Dan and Carey Tedesco

Rob Tedesco

The Tedesco's are from Shelton, Connecticut. Dan and Carey Tedesco are the parents of a son named Evan who has autism. Rob Tedesco is Evan's Uncle. In August, 2008 the trio founded a family business called HandHold Adpative to help provide mobile app needs for autism and special needs. Dan and Carey Tedesco and Rob Tedesco are Autism Lights because of the way in which HandHold Adaptive is meeting communication needs in the autism community.

HandHold Adpative has created several important apps that are available for the autism community. According to their website the mission of HandHoldAdaptive is to "'bridge the divide' between the special needs community and a dynamic world, by innovating technologies that make life easier for people with disabilities and their caregivers."

The following is a news story done about HandHold Adaptive's creation of the iPrompts App.

Carey Tedesco uses a mobile phone with her son Evan

HandHold Adpative has created the following Apps for mobile phones and the iPad that may be of interest to the autism community:

• Autism Track--their newest app is a journaling tool that allows caregivers of people with autism to track interventions, behaviors, and symptoms.
• iPrompts--their original app is a visual support tool that allows people with autism to communicate better. Wade Wingler of the INDATA Project with Easter Seals Crossroads in Indiana did a demonstration of iPrompts for the iPad in a video on YouTube. 

Dan Tedesco said the following about the potential importance of mobile apps to people with autism.

We believe that the autism community needs mobile apps to enable better integration in society. Managing anxieties, communication, data tracking, and ultimately real-time job coaching are all things that can be accomplished in discrete, non-stigmatizing, dynamic and adaptable ways by employing mobile devices (Rob Tedesco).

Partnerships: Handhold Adaptive has partnerships with Autism Speaks, Els for Autism, Southern Connecticut State University's Autism Center. In addition, some exciting new partnerships are being planned as well with some Ivy League schools.

Dan and Carey Tedesco came up with the ideas for their autism Apps because of needs they encountered during the every day care and education of their son Evan who has autism. Rob Tedesco writes,

Dan and Carey are inspired to create tools based on real-life needs in the household in the ordinary course of caring for Evan, who has autism, e.g., we need to track data more efficiently, so we invented Autism Track. We worked with our developers to prototype and test, and also secure grant funding. Under grants and research contracts, we work with universities to study efficacy and improve the apps.

Social Media: Dan and Carey Tedesco and HandHold Adaptive can be followed on the following social media areas:

• Facebook (iPrompts)
• Facebook (Dan Tedesco)
• YouTube (HandHold Adaptive)
• Twitter (HandHold Adaptive)
• Twitter (iPrompts)
• Twitter (Rob Tedesco)

Special thanks to Dan and Carey Tedesco and Rob Tedesco for creating a business that provides mobile technology apps that are making a difference for people with autism. We are grateful that the love they have for their son and nephew inspired them to share a resource with other parents and people with autism as well. If you liked this post you may wish to read the other Autism Light posts with the label iPad on them.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo in this post are used with permission of the Tedesco Family.

This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Felecia Rozansky

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Autism Light Classic
Updated on July 26, 2012.

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Autism Light #151 is Felecia Rozansky

Felecia Rozansky is from East Meadow, New York. Her teenage son Eric has autism.  She became a special education teacher because of an obsession with autism born out of a love for her son. When Eric was older, she decided to go after her dream of starting a business known as Felecia's Fabulous Cookies. Felecia Rozansky is an Autism Light for all she has done as a mom, special education teacher, and how she used her business to continue to raise awareness for autism.

Teacher: Felecia Rozansky received her Master's Degree from Hofstra University. She spent 5 years teaching in New York and her skill had been acknowledged by the granting of tenure.

Felecia's Fabulous Cookies (2011-2012): Felecia Rozansky put her dreams to operate a cookie store on hold when she discovered her son had autism (later diagnosed as Aspergers), but she realized her life dream when she opened her cookie store on September 15, 2011. She used the business to raise awareness for autism, and it was a place people could talk about autism. Some people visited Felecia's store because they heard of her connection to autism through either her son or her donations and wanted to support the efforts, but others came for the delicious cookies and share that their life is also touched by autism. A portion of the proceeds from cookie sales were donated to the Autism Society of America.

Selling Store: On July 25, 2012, Felicia Rozansky shared with the Patch that she had sold her cookie store. Felicia Rozansky said, "My reason for selling the shop is entirely due to family obligations. In order to really start a new business it has to be your number one priority (For more information read the Patch Article).

Eric Rozansky Fund for Accepting People with Autism: Felecia Rozansky started the Eric Rozansky Fund for Accepting People with Autism and has her sights set on raising $10,000 for the fund.  Felecia Rozansky said, "I use the word accepting because I don't want to be tolerated. The money will be used to help educate the people on Autism (Source)."

Felecia Rozansky wrote to Autism Light that she is most passionate about educating the world about autism. This is is what she has learned after meeting so many people associated with autism.

We always agree that you don't 'outgrow it, get or cure it'...and that's not what anyone seems to want. We all seem to want someone else to talk to and people to just understand. We all seem to want to make the world a little easier for our loved ones to belong to...as we try to educate those with autism about the world, we also want to educate the world about autism.

Website: At the present time, you can still learn information on the former Felecia's Fabulous Cookies at their website at www.feleciasfabulouscookies.com. The story of her journey with autism and those yum-yum cookies is also on her website. You can also follow her blog.

Special thanks to Felecia Rozansky for being an Autism Light. She inspires the autism community by how she always put her family first. Her story is a reminder to all of us that business and work will come and go, but family is forever! We are confident that whatever the next step is in Felecia Rozansky's life, it will always involve being an Autism Light.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photos in this post is used with permission of Felecia Rozansky.

This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Nora Baladerian

Autism Light #147 is Dr. Nora Baladerian.

One of the constant worries that parents have is keeping their children safe every day in every way. While the challenge impacts all parents, it weighs especially heavily on those who have children with disabilities, such as autism. According to Chantal Sicile-Kara, "those who specialize in the field of abuse & disability believe that for both children and adults, increased victimization is more likely 10 times the rate than for those without disabilities (Source)."  Today's Autism Light is a courageous light who has spent 40 years in an emotionally charged field, to which she has made priceless contributions with her outstanding professional expertise. 

Dr. Nora Baladerian, Ph.D lives in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Nora Baladerian is the Director of the Disability and Abuse Project in Los Angeles. She is a licensed psychologist who also has her own private practice.  Dr. Nora Baladerian is an Autism Light because of the key roles she has had in the field of sexual abuse of the disabled, including making a difference in areas of prevention and training, healing and therapy, and forensics and justice. To find out more information beyond what is mentioned here you may wish to view Dr. Nora Baladerian's complete online resume found in a section of her professional website.  

Dr. Nora Baladerian began her journey that has led to her life's work in 1972 when as a sexuality related counselor one of her clients revealed they were an incest victim. She recounts how she found out there was a need in this area:

I had taken all the educational courses I could at UCLA and USC under Regional Center about people with developmental disabilities when I worked there...none mentioned anything about abuse, crime victimization, sexual assault. I figured where there was one, there were many. I set out to learn all I could about crime victims with disabilities, but there was nothing, literally, that I found at that time. I began to attend any child abuse seminar/workshop/class/meeting that I could all the while asking, 'how does what you are teaching relate to kids/adults with disabilities?" No answers."  

Dr. Nora Baladerian then set out to learn all she could about sexual assault. She is a Certified Sex Educator, Certified Sex Therapist and  founding member of the California Committee on Sexuality and Developmental Disabilities. Through her gifts and passion to never stop learning, she has become a leading expert in the field of sexual abuse of people with developmental disabilities.

Conferences: Dr. Nora Baladerian has given presentations at numerous important conferences over the years. She convened 10 national/international conferences on abuse and disability from 1986 to 2005, plus in 2005 held the first professional online conference on the topic. She put these first 7 conferences on with no outside funding but the last 3 she had the support of the Arc of Riverside County, the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, and the California Governor's Office under the Children's Justice Act. A partial list of those conferences can be found on this website. 

And there is a very special free opportunity coming soon to hear Dr. Nora Baladerian give an online presentation. 

On Saturday, February 11, 2012 from 8:15-9:45 Pacific Time, Dr. Nora Baladerian will give a free online presentation on "How Can Parents Reduce the Risk of Sexual Abuse of Their Child or Young Adult?" as part of the Autism Safety and Crisis Prevention Conference being presented by the Autism College and the National Autism Association (NAA) with sponsorship by The Social Express.  Go to this link to register today.

National Crime Victims Service Award (2008):  The Attorney General of the United States presented Dr. Nora Baladerian with the National Crime Victims Service Award in 2008, recognizing her pioneering work on behalf of persons with disabilities and in the furtherance of the mission of the Office for Victims of Crime of the U.S. Department of Justice. A list of other recent awards and recognition that Dr. Nora Baladerian has received is at this website. 

Disability and Abuse Project: Dr. Nora Baladerian has served as the Director of the Disability and Abuse Project since 1991. The mission of The Disability and Abuse Project very much mirrors the three pronged approach of prevention, healing, and justice that Dr. Nora Baladerian has taken with her career.  According to their website, the mission of the Disability and Abuse Project is "to identify ways to reduce the risk of abuse, to promote healing for victims, and to seek justice for those who have been victimized."  You can find out more information about the work of this organization at www.disabilityandabuse.org. 

Prevention: Autism Light asked Dr. Nora Baladerian to share some practical things that parents could do to prevent abuse of their children with autism. Here are five action steps.

1. Communicate with children what sexual abuse is.
2. Ask children to use their sixth sense around people, and to share with them (parents) any "weird words or behavior" by adults or other kids.
3. Work with the child to interpret behaviors and determine if something inappropriate is taking place such as grooming.  
4. Believe the child if they share something has happened to them.
5. Take immediate action as parents in the situation. 

Author: Dr. Nora Baladerian has written several books/guidebooks for the field of sexual abuse of the disabled. You may view them and order them from the Disability and Abuse Project of Spectrum Institute at this website. You may also view her author page on Amazon for additional sources for some of her books.

In addition, she developed two law enforcement training videos with the ARC of Riverside County. One was for training first responders and the other for how to conduct the forensic interview with children and adults with intellectual disabilities. These training videos are available free from the Office for Victims of Crime of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Social Media: You can follow Dr. Nora Baladerian's work at the following social media areas:

• Facebook
• Google+

Special thanks to Dr. Nora Baladerian for being a leader in the prevention and healing of sexual abuse on those with autism. I work as a Research Analyst and Webmaster for Prevent Child Abuse Michigan. It is my experience both as a parent of a child with autism and as one working in the field of abuse prevention that Dr. Nora Baladerian's specialization and expertise is very much needed today. 

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo in this post is used with the permission of Dr. Nora Baladerian. 

This post went into syndication at Autisable.

Elina Manghi

Autism Light #140 is Dr. Elina Manghi.

Dr. Elina Manghi was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  She was a renowned child psychologist who had lived in the Chicago area since 1982. Dr. Elina Manghi had lymphoma and died at her Oak Park, Illinois home on January 15, 2012. She was 59 years old. For more information on Dr. Elina Manghi you may read her obituary at the Chicago Tribune.

Dr. Elina Manghi is being made an Autism Light posthumously, because she was dedicated to making a difference for autism within Chicago's Hispanic community. She will also be added to the Autism Light Memorial Roll. While Dr. Manghi was a nationally appreciated child psychologist, the autism community remembers her most for helping found a support group in Chicago for Spanish-speaking families who had children with autism.

Here is an interview Elina Manghi gave on social change. It provides an understanding of her background and enthusiasm in making a difference in this world at her final position at the Adler School of Psychology.

Grupo Salto:  Dr. Elina Manghi and Irma Hernandez started Grupo SALTO in 2003. The name is an acronym in Spanish for Latino Autism Society Working with Optimism. The group has parent meetings as well as meetings for siblings and teenagers with autism. Presently 400 families are associated with the organization. Their website lists this as their mission:

Grupo SALTO is a non-profit organization dedicated to provide support for families who have children within the Autism spectrum and whose primary language is Spanish. The main focus of the group is to provide training, education, and support for parents. Grupo SALTO welcomes families from Chicago and its suburbs (Source). 

Irma Hernandez who helped start Grupo SALTO with Dr. Manghi said this about her friend and colleague:

She was so good at presenting information from material to parents. She developed very specific strategies and provided them with practical information to help them learn how to help their child. At the end of her talks, parents would gather around her, asking her questions and seeking her advice. It was as if they didn't want the session to end (Source). 

Career as a Psychologist: Dr. Manghi had a lifetime of service to children as a psychologist. The highlights of her professional career included:

• In 1982 she moved to Chicago to become a Child Therapist with Catholic Charities.
• In 1988, Dr. Elina Manghi received her doctoral degree in psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. 
• In 1992 she became a faculty member at the University of Illinois at Chicago and was a co-director of The Autism Program of Illinois (TAP).
• In 2003 she helped start Grupo SALTO.
• In 2009 she started teaching graduate school for the Adler School of Psychology, and for the past two years she was head of their Child and Adolescent Track of the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) program.

Special thanks to Dr. Elina Manghi for being an Autism Light. Your light will live on in the hundreds of Spanish speaking families in the Chicago area that you have helped to deal with the challenges of autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.


This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Christopher Stevens

Autism Light #137 is Christopher Stevens.

As autism increases to epidemic proportions it is more frequently being mentioned by the media. But do writers who cover autism really understand firsthand the real people that journey with autism every day? Or are they just tourists visiting a foreign culture and land known as autism? Today's Autism Light has a special lens through which he can write about the subject of autism. Christopher Stevens is a journalist and writer from Bristol, England. He and his wife Nicky have two sons and their youngest David has autism. Christopher Stevens is an Autism Light because he is using the content he produces as a writer to share real stories about autism, that are able to spread autism awareness to the far corners of the earth in today's digital age.

Journalism Career: Christopher Stevens has been in journalism since he was 18 years old. Christopher Stevens has worked since 1998 as a senior revise sub-editor at the The Observer, which is the oldest Sunday newspaper in the world. Prior to coming to The Observer, he had worked for the Evesham Journal, the South Wales Echo, and then he was the books editor for the Western Daily Press. One of his predecessors as books editor for the Western Daily Press was Tom Stoppard.

National Autistic Society: 2012 will mark the 50th Anniversary of the National Autistic Society. The National Autistic Society is the leading charity for autism in the United Kingdom and over the years it has had a key role in giving support, services, and awareness of autism in the United Kingdom. Christopher Stevens said this about the milestone year for the organization:

I have been delighted to play a part in bringing together the Observer and the National Autistic Society in 2012: the newspaper will highlight the charity's work and raise awareness of the condition. The global popularity of the Guardian/Observer news website means, I believe, that people all over the world will gain a greater understanding of autism.

Author: Christopher Stevens has been the pen behind several autism related works that may interest people.

A Real Boy: Christopher Stevens' Memoir is the book A Real Boy, which was published in 2008. This book shares how their son David's autism affected their family and how he and his wife coped with it. This book is currently one of the recommended books in the Open University's autism module of the psychology degree course. You may purchase the book for Kindle at Amazon's page for the book.

A Girl Called Barney: Christopher Stevens wrote a fiction book called A Girl Called Barney. The story line of this book includes a single dad struggling to raise a toddler who has autism. You may purchase the book for Kindle at Amazon's page for the book.

Other Books: Christopher Stevens is the author of several other books that are not specifically connected to autism. You may review the list of those books on Amazon by visiting his Author's Page on Amazon.


Blogger: Christopher Stevens' website and blog at christopherstevens.info is a very helpful reference to the writer's works. There is also a Tumblr Blog with a detailed biography of Christopher Stevens.

For a taste of some of Christopher Stevens' other writings on autism check out these online articles.

• Autism's Early Child: This was a valuable source in the discovery of Joan Edge, Autism Light #122.
• Our Sons Hidden World: Living with a Child with Autism
• How Our Son Taught Us the Secret Songs of Autism
• Parents of Adopted Children With Special Needs 'Lack Support'

Social Media: You can follow Christopher Stevens at the following social media areas:

• Twitter
• Google+

In an experience that may inspire other fathers of children with autism, Christopher Stevens recounts some personal encouragement he found on a recent visit he and his son David made to Gloucester Cathedral.  When they arrived at the awesome Cathedral, David led his father like a laser beam to the candles in the church, his favorite place in the familiar facility. At the candles the two noticed some nearby steps to a recessed chapel and part of the Cathedral they had not visited before. Christopher Stevens describes what he found in this encounter with this previously unexplored area of the Gloucester Cathedral:

The walls of the chapel were beautifully decorated in a mosaic scene of patient, suffering figures, and above them in huge letters was a banner that read, 'Blessed is he who endureth.' I felt as if that message had been placed there for me, a hundred years or more earlier. The thought has given me a great deal of comfort, that sometimes all we have to do is endure and that is its own blessing.

Special thanks to Christopher Stevens for being an Autism Light. As an Autism father Christopher Stevens, deals with the same feelings and experiences that are unique to the autism community, and he has the influential opportunity as a journalist and author to put them to living words that are messages of awareness to the world.  Those words take on a life of their own, bringing hope, education, and encouragement as they are shared on paper and in electronic books, as well as in the 24 hour, 7 day a week presence of the Internet. The autism community is blessed to be able to follow the writings of an autism father who understands first hand the struggles we face every day.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo used in this post was used with the permission of Christopher Stevens.

This post went into syndication on Autisable. 

Theresa Noye

Autism Light #132 is Theresa Noye.

Theresa Noye is a native of Brooklyn, New York, who lives today in St. David's, Pennsylvania. Her son Regal has autism. Parents do a variety of things in response to having a child with autism. Today's Autism Light is a singer, songwriter, and worship leader. Theresa Noye is an Autism Light because as she writes and sings about her faith she is also reflecting on her personal autism journey. As a public figure with an amazing musical talent, she is also an advocate for autism awareness and is using part of the proceeds of this project to raise support for her son's autism therapy. 

Eastern University: Theresa Noye lives on the campus of Eastern University (formerly Eastern College), where she serves as a Resident Director and is a Chapel Worship Team Advisor. Theresa Noye has a passion to make a difference in the lives of college students.
Theresa Noye said this about her faith and music and its relationship to her journey with autism.

Parenting a child with autism is a gift. This journey is teaching me to love. Laughter has been my medicine. My faith has challenged me to embrace community and believe that nothing is impossible for my child. Through music I've been able to express my fears, pains and longings to God. He responds back to me with a song. Songs that strengthen, encourage and inspire...reminding us that we are never alone; no never alone.

Here is a video on YouTube of Theresa Noye singing the signature song You Saw Me from her debut album by the same name.

If you like the song You Saw Me, you can purchase it at iTunes or Amazon. According to her agent Gregory Greene, "All of the songs on Theresa's music project "You Saw Me" were written or co-written by her. They represent times from her personal worship, drawing on her faith and her family's journey through autism with her son - Regal. A portion of the proceeds from this project will benefit Regal's Walk, a fundraising and awareness initiative for the support of Regal's home therapy program and for educating families in the inner city."

Social Media: Theresa Noye can be followed on these social media areas. 

• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube

A great source for information on Theresa Noye is her website at www.theresanoye.com. There are a variety of resources on the website, including some free downloads of her music and it includesher bio. For more information on Theresa Noye's music or events you may email info@theresanoye.comor contact her agent Gregory Greene by phone (215) 964-7092 or email greene@cool-beans.us.  

Special thanks to Theresa Noye for sharing her gift of worship music and being an inspirational part of the autism family. The angelic voice of Theresa Noye is a fitting addition to the group of stellar Autism Light musicians, several of which are mothers of children with autism like Theresa. 

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo in this post was used with the permission of Theresa Noye's agent.


This post went into syndication on Autisable.

King Richard

Autism Light #127 is King Richard.

Autism Light wants to wish everyone a Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Today we honor a young man with autism who is a super special fan of the late Martin Luther King, Jr.  His public and private devotion to his hero as well as how he represents individuals with autism is an inspiration. I think that if Martin Luther King, Jr. had experienced the rise in autism cases in his lifetime that we see today, he would have been involved in some significant way fighting for justice in health insurance and education for those with autism.

King Richard's full name is David Kingston Richard. He goes by "King", which is short for Kingston and is also fitting because of how he points to Martin Luther King, Jr. as his hero. King is a young adult from Pensacola, Florida. King has autism and despite limited communication skills, he is able to communicate through music. King Richard is an Autism Light because he utilizes his variety of talents and skills to be an inspiration to others. King Richard demonstrates that those with autism (in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.) SHALL OVERCOME! 

Martin Luther King, Jr.: It would be an understatement to say that Martin Luther King, Jr. is King Richard's hero. One of King's favorite books growing up was about Martin Luther King, Jr. When he was 13 years old and heard that teens in his church were giving speeches on Martin Luther King, Jr., he said to his surprised mother,"King want to talk about Martin Luther King. King want to give speech." King's Mother, Ann Richard, was hesitant to expose her son to this risk of public failure, but the speech went forward as King and his father David insisted. King gave his short speech on Martin Luther King Jr. in church perfectly and even led the congregation in the Lord's Prayer. Ann Richard subsequently wrote an article about this time for Guideposts called The Sunday I Let Go and it can be read at this link.

Often people outgrow their teenage idols but not so for King Richard. While millions honor Martin Luther King, Jr. on the day set aside each year as a holiday, King Richard thinks about him through out the year, because he visits the statute of Martin Luther King, Jr.in Pensacola, Florida twice a week to honor him.

Music: King Richard has shared his vocal singing at a variety of venues. The following is a video of King singing the United States National Anthem from his YouTube Channel.

Spirit of Life Award - 2009:  King sang the above National Anthem at a ceremony in 2009, where he received the "Spirit of Life" Award from the Pensacola Civitans Club. The Autism Society of Pensacola wrote an article in their newsletter about King receiving award and saying this about King Richard:

He is a member of Jehovah Lutheran Church where he sings in the youth choir. Recently he has sung the National Anthem at the Special Olympics Games, the Annual Autism Dinner, the annual Walk-4-Autism, Senior Honors Awards Night at his High School, UWF Disability Awareness Day, at a Pensacola Pelicans Ballgame- and now he has sung for Pensacola Civitans (Source). 

Community Awareness:  King Richard is a advocate for autism awareness in Pensacola, Florida and beyond. Ann Richard writes this about King's activities:

In a voluntary capacity, King has helped to raise Autism Awareness within his community by making appearances at many community events, churches, and attending fundraisers and charitable events. He has raised Autism Awareness in such a profound way locally, and nationally. More importantly, he has helped to break down barriers and sterotypes associated with his condition. For many who know King's outstanding achievements and contributions to this community, we can say with certainty that his life has impacted the lives of many and has made a difference in the world.

Modeling: King's photogenic qualities have given him the opportunity to model for the photo illustration needs of several organizations. King is a Poster Child for the National Autism Society of America, which means his photo is used around the world at autism conferences. King has also been featured on the cover of several autism related magazines, including Autism Aspergers Digest, Autism Spectrum Quarterly, and Exceptional Parenting Magazine.

Parents:  King's life has been so successful in large part to the dedication and support of his faithful parents David and Ann Richard. Ann Richard is an autism speaker and has published a book and wrote nationally syndicated articles about King and their family's life with autism. Find out about them at the following links.

• And When He Didn't Come Home (2002)
• An Unforgettable Christmas - Fox News (12/16/2009)
• The Sunday I Let Go - Guideposts

King Richard Foundation: The King Richard Foundation, Inc. has been established as a 501c3 nonprofit organization to help send children from low-income families affected by autism and other disabilities to camp.  Their "Send a Kid to Camp" project raises small donations for the foundation. Last year they sent 3 kids to camp and will send more as they raise further funds each year. The foundation also has a "Give a Kid a Coat Project". For more information visit the foundation's website at www.thekingrichardfoundation.org, write The King Richard Foundation, Inc., 2322 Amelia Lane, Pensacola, Florida 32526 or call 1-850-944-9408.

King Richard graduated in 2009 from Booker T. Washington High School and sang the National Anthem during the Senior Awards Night. King is presently attending classes at the Transition Employee Center (TEC) that is operated by United Cerebral Palsy. This training is preparing King for the work force.

Special thanks to King Richard for being an inspiration to many in the autism community. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been very proud to have such a fine young man call him his hero and because of that and so much more we call King Richard today's Autism Light.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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Photo: The photo in this post of King Richard was used with the permission of Ann Richard.

The photo of Martin Luther King, Jr. is in the Creative Commons of Wikipedia and is from the National Archives and Records Administration.

This Autism Light post went into syndication on Autisable.

Matthew Echan

Autism Light #126 is Matthew Echan. 

Matthew Echan is from Orange County, California. His son Josiah has autism. Matthew Echan is a folk singer and song writer, as well as the Lead Social Skills Instructor at Autism Spectrum Therapies. Matthew Echan is an Autism Light because of the way his work raises awareness of autism and helps teach skills to people with autism. Matthew also brings to light in his writings and song lyrics the feelings of a father of a child with autism.

Matthew Echan has written several songs for his son Josiah. This song is called Beautiful Son. Josiah means "God Heals, God Protects." This song was written as a song of hope for Josiah's recovery from autism.





Beautiful Son from Matthew Echan on Vimeo

This is the video of the song Shepherd of Man which Matthew Echan wrote to teach his son Josiah about prayer. You can purchase the song from iTunes or from this website.

Pathways to Peers: Matt Echan is the founder of Pathways to Peers. According to his Twitter account this is a "Non-profit organization providing social-vocational skills through self-management and personal planning to individuals with ASD."

Dad Seizes the Day: Matt Echan wrote an article called An Autism Dad Seizes the Day. In this article he says about his son Josiah:

It's officially Autism Awareness Month, and seven years later, I'm still waking up with the hope that maybe the Autism will be gone today. Nope. I know it as soon as I hear him asking for some "ceweal." I pat him on the head and kiss his forehead. I just want him to know I love him. He doesn't really seem to care, but I've learned not to take it personally (Source).

Social Media: You can follow Matt Echan's work on the following social media areas.

• YouTube (This channel includes some other songs Matthew Echan has written)
• Facebook
• Twitter (Pathways to Peers)
• Vimeo Channel

Special thanks to Matthew Echan for being an Autism Light through music, teaching, and sharing the feelings of a father's perspective of autism. We are looking forward to hearing many more autism related blessings in the future from Matthew Echan's vocation and passions. 

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.


This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Lives Lost to Autism

Autism Light #115 is the Blog called Lives Lost to Autism.

The blog Lives Lost to Autism was started in 2010 and over the years several people have published content on the blog. Lives Lost to Autism blog is an Autism Light because they are keeping records to help the world remember and learn from the unfortunate events related to unnatural deaths of those with autism. The blog can be found at http://liveslosttoautism.blogspot.com.

The tag line on the blog Lives Lost to Autism is "For many, autism can be deadly." The blog lists its purpose as, "This site tells the story of the precious lives cut short by autism." They also note that, "Due to the difficult nature of the subject matter, and out of respect for the lost and their families, commenting has been disabled."

Although the blog started in 2010, they have entered retrospectively data as far back as 2002. If you would like to report on a story that may be fitting for this blog then you can email the managers of the blog at lost@adventuresinautism.com.

Lives Lost to Autism has been added to the Autism Light Memorial Roll in hopes that people will take time to remember those with autism whose lives have been cut off. Special thanks to this blog for helping us to remember tragedies so we can help prevent them.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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Photo: The photo used in this post is in the Public Domain.

This Autism Light post went into syndication in Zanga on both the Autisable site and at the Health Kicker.