During my childhood, I became aware that I struggled to communicate in ways that led to mixed messages, one-sided conversations, crossed-up body language and questioning. I thought I was doing something terribly wrong with the way I talk or socialize with my peers, whether it was with my family or in public. Moreover, some people told me that I needed to either relax my body or engage more in small-talk, instead of sharing long-winded topics such as the weather forecast, maps or bus schedules. Then came the teasing, and at times bullying, just because I was unlike everybody else. Soon after, I ..read more

Several years ago, a friend who co-hosted a local university campus radio station program invited me to share my experience about being on the Autism Spectrum to a unique listening audience focused on understanding autism. It was April 4th, 2017 when I was joined in the studio by three other radio hosts; and two well-known multidisciplinary artists in Montreal’s Black community, a community I relate with being of Afro-Caribbean decent. Each were a parent of an autistic child at a different stage of life. Despite being highly prepared, I felt nervous when the opportunity arose since it was only ..read more

PLEASE NOTE:  Due to extenuating circumstances, Olivia wasn’t able to upload the post and requested I (Todd Simkover, Blog Editor) do it on her behalf, which ironically relates to a skill the article is ALL about! – Olivia is the sole author. Over the course of my life as a neurodiverse person — identifying both as with comorbid learning and physical impairments — I have become accustomed to not just self-advocacy, but self-accommodation. I choose to define self-accommodation as I can do for myself to accommodate my own needs, since this “can do” mindset has been essential to maintaining ..read more

Upon receiving a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at the age of 19, I discovered a community of individuals who shared my particular outlook on the world, which I now refer to as neurodivergence . Moreover, I also met individuals getting a correct diagnosis. These communities have been an incredibly valuable source of support, and among the friends I have made from them is Todd Simkover, who encouraged me to write about my experience publicly for the first time.  I’m therefore grateful to have the opportunity to be the first contributor of his relaunched b ..read more

The post First post appeared first on Autism Self Advocacy Services - Todd Simkover ..read more

The post First post appeared first on Autism Self Advocacy Services - Todd Simkover ..read more

Today is Autism Pride Day, however due to the need for physical distancing in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, autism advocates and self-advocates including myself are celebrating it “slightly” differently this year. The reason I am saying it’s only “slightly” different this year is because the main way Autism Pride Day has been celebrated prior to Covid-19 has engagement through social media posts and discussions, in addition to some in-person gatherings which are obviously predominantly cancelled this year. I wasn’t planning on publishing today, however I remembered that it’s Autism Pride ..read more

As visitors to my Autism Self-advocacy Services business website can observe, the Home page displays a photo of me beside a gigantic flag consisting of a multi-coloured infinity symbol, with the Rotunda (platform area) of Toronto City Hall in the background. While this symbol is very familiar to virtually all hard-core autism self-advocates including myself, I’m dedicating my FIRST EVER post in this brand new blog to the meaning of this symbol and the significance of the event to which it took place.  That symbol represents neurodiversity, which emerging from the 1990s Autism Rights Movem ..read more