This week features a very special back to back, two podcast episode release as Annette speaks with two guests who were interviewed for a recent Today Show Article called “Autism Wars.” Today’s episode features Annette’s interview with Kerry Magro, who is an award-winning national speaker, a best-selling author and a role model in the disability community. Annette & Kerry speak about the “Autism Wars” article, disability in the workplace, bullying, unity and inclusion.

As a child, Kerry was non-verbal at 2.5 years and diagnosed with autism at age 4. Kerry was not able to speak in complete sentences until age 7 and went through years of therapy to get where he is today. Kerry has a doctorate in Educational Technology Leadership and is currently the CEO and founder of KFM Making a Difference which is a non-profit corporation that focuses on disability advocacy and housing.

Autism Wars Article

While most people don’t like the “Autism Wars” title of the Today Show article, thinking “war” is too strong, Kerry does feel there has been a divide in the community for quite some time between parents of autistic children and autistic adults. There are those on the autistic adult side that feel that parents of autistic children share too much and parents who feel that autistic adults don’t share enough to allow them information they feel they need. There needs to be unity, inclusion – both sides working together rather than separate. The article did have a positive note for Kerry that many parents reached out to him about finding advocates and building friendships between parents and autistic adults.

Social Media Sharing

Another portion of this autistic divide is on sharing on social media. Some autistic adults feel that some parents overshare videos and photos on social media of their autistic children, basing this on the child being too young to consent. Sharing in smaller, local groups for educational purposes can be beneficial but sharing to Facebook in larger groups might not. Kerry mentions there is toxicity in social media and sometimes it is best to think before you share anything especially if it may cross a privacy line.

Disabled in the Workplace

Kerry also speaks about the disabled in the workplace. Statistics say that up to 90% of autistic adults are either unemployed or underemployed. Kerry notes there should be a better onboarding process for disabled individuals possibly offering a one-day job trial or having a speaker talk to them about their experiences. Annette asks what smaller businesses can do to be more disability inclusive in their hiring process. Kerry mentions to make sure your business keeps up with ADA accommodations for disabilities, having past employees offer testimonials and making sure your job listings note that you are open to hire anyone. Unfortunately, there are a few job listing sites that will automatically keep out resumes that list words regarding “disability.”

Bullying

Bullying is another topic that Kerry speaks of often to parents. Kerry mentions we need to realize though that bullying does not just affect school age children. There is a rise of bullying lawsuits in the workplace and people with disabilities being taken advantage of. Everyone should have a safe environment to work in. October is National Bullying Prevention Month as well as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Final Tips

Kerry leaves us with his tips for what he would say to parents with autistic kids and disabled adults about coming together, being in unity. Kerry feels each side is allowed to disagree but should take more time to listen and be more constructive in nature. Don’t talk over each other. Possibly find a neutral mediator to listen to both sides of the arguments and offer their thoughts. Disability groups are already facing challenges from outside the community. They should come together, work together and be stronger together.

Contact Kerry

If you would like to learn more about Kerry Magro, you can find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To reach out to Kerry about speaking at your event, please click here. To find out more about Kerry’s books, click here. Also, to learn more about the groups Annette mentioned in her intro, click each one: Perkins School for the Blind and SMILE Mass.

For information on other topics, please also check out Special Needs Companies. For legal advice, inspiration, and other resources, visit our blog here. Similarly, you can always listen to previous podcast episodes (and be sure to leave us a review), or download our free eBook here. We are always looking for podcast guests as well so please let us know if you or someone you know, has a special needs or disability topic you would like to speak about – Contact Us!

Listen to the full episode here!

Please Leave a Podcast Review

As Annette mentioned, please consider leaving a podcast review for Parenting Impossible – The Special Needs Survival Podcast on iTunes. More positive ratings and reviews mean more new listeners are introduced to this informational and inspirational podcast. Look at the bottom of this page for the purple oval that says “Enjoying the podcast? Leave an iTunes review here.” This will take you over to the iTunes site/app where you will be able to login and leave a review. We really appreciate it!

You can also join our free Facebook group for the disability community, the “Circle of Care,” or watch the webinars and other speaking events on YouTube. The purpose of this community is to create a space for people to be themselves, ask questions and get support and answers, so please share these resources with your friends!

Annette Hines has been practicing in the areas of Special Needs, Elder Law, and Estate Planning for more than 20 years. Ms. Hines brings personal experience with special needs to her practice and podcasts as the mother of two daughters, one of whom passed away from Mitochondrial disease in November 2013. This deep, personal understanding of special needs fuels her passion for quality special needs planning and drives her dedication to help others within the special needs community.

Episode 122: Move Together In Unity with Kerry Magro