Written by kelly on 02 February 2012
It occurred to me that, that is what we do here at AutismHWY.com!! Expressive activism~ We express our JOY in life…with or without the diagnosis of Autism. We want the world to fall in line with that thinking! I think we, as an emerging community are so far beyond the days of wallowing and grieving. Life will pass us by if we spend all of our days freting, worrying and unhappily waiting for “cures”. While constantly stressing and bemoaning the fact that our children have uncertain futures.
Afterall, that is what the future is always made of…UNCERTAINTY! For all of us despite the crosses we may or may not bear genetically or otherwise. When we arise in the morning it is not assured that we be there when it is time to lay down and sleep. Life is an honor. A privilege bestowed upon us through the cosmos of destiny. What a spectacular thing it is. To be revered and regarded moment by moment. Making the best of every instance. Respecting it fully for it’s simplistc brilliance. So, with an unsure future we carry on expressing ourselves. Expressing how we take in this precious life and how we respond to it. Hoping for others to learn from this and recognize in themselves the many similarities amongst the abject difference.
To me it has felt like a brand new Renaissance. Since I first joined the on-line Autistic populations… Art, Poetry, Photography, Music, Drama~ created by brilliant, wonderful people. Sharing their perceptions in the best ways they know how. Creativly opening windows of light/insight for the world to understand Autism, the human mind and to better understand themselves! One of those amazing people has now left our worldly ranks but, not before he encouraged a wildfire of EXPRESSIONISM for Autistic people and their loved ones.
Jeffrey Michael Kellen a caring educated hard working man from Indiana. Through his infinite wisdom created a wonderful safe haven for Autistic people and co. to connect and express the positive energy we feel in our lives… (contrary to popular belief.) Artists and Autism on facebook is an enclave of talented individuals. A fun and effervescent place to show your talents and to enjoy the talents of other’s. Nurturing self respect and free expression. I am proud to have been chosen to be a moderater of the page by it’s catalystic creator. With challenges we link together daily combining hearts of expression and a desire to change the world for Autistic people. Thankyou, to you Jeff and Kara for pointing people in this awesome direction! Forever helping us to join forces and raise the bars!
In the summer of 2010 Jeff and his beautiful wife Kara sparked something very FUN and IMPORTANT for AutismHWY.com’s future. Their annual participation in their Indiana community’s Chalk-Walk. Over the course of a weekend the Kellen’s would create masterpieces on the blazing pavement! That summer as I became involved with Artists and Autism, Jeff and Kara honoredand delighted me by choosing 2 of my Autism awareness designs to chalk for the event! To devote their squares raising awareness for Autism rocked my world and many others !!
It also did something else…I will never forget the feelings evoked in me, seeing those amazing images emblazoned so masterfully by Jeff and Kara. At that moment I vowed that AutismHWY.com would organize an entire Chalk Festival to raise awareness and share the incredible talent that is out there waiting for opportunity!!
PLEASE support this type of FUN and FREE Expression!! Our 2nd Annual “Show YOU Care~ BE Aware” Chalk Festival will be Saturday April 14th….stay tuned for details!!! Inquiries can be mailed to kelly@autismhwy.com
Written by kelly on 24 December 2011
The Autism Community has had a stellar year! The magnificent movement for understanding, change and acceptance is aligning hundreds of stars, that in turn ignite hundreds of other stars. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my star AutismHWY.com ! One of the varied and many, many STARS in our Autism Galaxy. Stars that are…ALIGNING! Aligning into the most beautiful constellation. A constellation for acceptance and understanding as opposed to change! It is an awesome movement that truly is a COSMIC CONNECTION! Surely many of you feel this stellar magnetism I am talking about. The energy and vibrancy of thousands of stars that are ready to explode into the atmosphere.
An information explosion! It is beginning to happen as mainstream dialogue has begun regarding sensory “over-load” and information “processing”. Language which refers to the brain as the computer~ that it is. This new knowledge is evolving as we hurl into the future. Moving at the speed of a comet! Universal understanding of the proportions we here at AutismHWY.com are dreaming of…is quite frankly “people changing.” Not JUST “life changing.”
It is far more important that people change, their minds and change their own understanding of how the mind and body connect! Autism is a fabulous tool to advance this! The “thinking about thinking” I have written about in the past will be the catalyst to that change. When people simply slow down and consider that process…they will see the light.The light of knowledge and incredible self awareness. Understanding the filing of experiences and associations the Autistic mind makes is a fascinating venture. Alot for the world, to finally learn about the inner workings of our humanity. What exactly it is that makes up our “beings.” Something we have long been distracted from as this age of industry has taken things to incredibly distracting levels.
“From the rock to the spear to the ipad,” Leonora Gregory Collura (the co-founder of ANCA & The INAP Awards) recently told me. “People are the same, they never change…they are boring!” She states a point in fact. People are still dividing and segregating and waring…what’s different?
What’s different NOW is that people ARE changing! Autistic People are proof. We have different minds and thinkers, changing the world rapidly. So the rest of the world will need to catch up and understand the organic nature of what I am saying here. This new learning curve. Listen to people like Academic Lars Perner and INAP Awards Ambassador Dr. Temple Grandin www.templegrandin.com as they clearly show in their upcoming books how Autistic Minds are intensely and immediately valuable to this world. These identifiably different thinkers have expanded technology throughout the ages and most certainly will continue in that process.
So catch on to these rising and shooting stars. These stars careening to this NEW AGE in constellation forming. This constellation that understands the Autistic paradigm and how it is REALLY the Human/Mind/Body Connection paradigm. Charting a whole new course for mother earth by changing the directions of the hearts and minds of it’s inhabitants! This constellation will definitly be the brightest this Universe has ever known. 
I saw an amazing glimpse into this “BRIGHT FUTURE” first hand, this fall at the 2011 International Naturally Autistic People Awards and Convention in Vancouver, Canada! Take a look for yourself!…
Amazing/Savant Artists,Esther Brokaw http://savantgallery.com and Kevin Hossieni www.kevingallery.com .
Amazing writersand beautiful strong minded young women, Isabell Doucette and Erin Clemens.
Superb Musicians/SingersScott Siegel www.arrestmysister.com and Samantha Rudderham http://www.samanthae.co.uk/ .
Community Ambassadors, volunteering and working for Autism understanding and the betterment of society, Jacynthe Geschke, Joel Anderson www.joelsvisionarts.com , Dani Bowman www.powerlight-studios.com
Brilliant Minds and EducatorsLars Perner www.larsperner.com, Leonora Gregory Collura and Charlie Collura www.naturallyautistic.com
These people and many others created an energy I will long remember. Every year as the INAP Awards /Convention and other positive Autism events continue this life-changing energy will grow. This energy will have the incredible strength to SHIFT people’s consciousness and set things straight. The Autistic population said to be the world’s “disconnected people”…re-connecting the planet! How COOL is that??!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Written by kelly on 23 November 2011
Yes! Be deliberate about your life! Be on pupose. It is Thanksgiving time here in the states. So being ‘on purpose’ at this time of year usually means a long grocery list and alot of rushing around! You also often hear people say: “We are Thankful.” Funny when I think about it , it seems this is the only time of year I really hear that particular phrase. People will list their things that they are thankful for and then mindlessly dig in to the food prepared from the prior list mentioned. Engorge themselves, lay back and watch football OR countdown the minutes until the mad dash to Christmastime bargain hunting!
That always seemed so “normal” to me before. Not anymore…as the Mom of a different learner*. (*An amazing boy on the AutismHWY!) I have found that being thankful is something I am, on a minute by minute basis. For a smile, a glance, a wave that seems “like a real wave” lol…Anything that happens can be a miracle. Autism brings a real naturalness back to life in that regard. The little natural things become the big things! Not what the traditions and manufactured rituals of people and businesses have programmed into us! That is what I am NOW Thankful for. Sure, I love, turkey and trimmings, football on TV, days off of work and YES~ even”Black Friday”…who doesnt need a bargain?
But, when we think about our lives and the purpose of them… It is not for pure entertainment and those industries to become richer and richer. For society to become so dependant on materialism. Somehow people have lost sight of everything they have that was not man-made. Industry and Hollywood have a strong reach and alot of bills to pay. People must be programmed to need gadgetry and entertainment 24/7. That serves their purpose. But, has it served ours as a society? I look around and see alot of unthankful people with alot of unneccessary stuff. That demand everything be upgraded. What we need is people realizing they need to be Thankful every day, for even the most miniscule of happenings…not just an annual recurring obligatory listing of “family, health and friends” some Thursday on the way to Christmas.
People with purpose. Living their lives for gratitude. Finding a mission that is bigger than themselves. Something positive that brings purpose and hope to your world. This is the ‘on purpose’ I speak of. Let’s as a society be more than Thankful on turkey day. let’s enjoy the little tiny natural moments that people do…smile, glance, wave…LOVE and RESPECT with delibrate grattitude for the chance to do it.Let’s live with it everyday.
Extreme DAILY gratitude!! That is what Autism has brought to my psyche. THAT is what I am thankful for every small and big moment of my life.
Written by kelly on 28 October 2011
“Autistic People~People First.” “People with Autism~People First.” To me they are one in the same. One just sounds better to me grammatically and also because it is the tag phrase for my Blogtalk radio show through www.naturallyautistic.com !! AutismHWY Fridays~ http://www.blogtalkradio.com/autistic-people-/2011/10/28/autism-hwy-autistic-theatre 
Wyatt is Autistic and Wyatt has Autism. I feel dumb that I don’t get that one of these phrases LABEL my son?! This has been pointed out to me three or four times this year…and I just wish it would go away haha…
I mean, I do understand the good intention surrounding this ”so called” People First language. That no one particularly wants to be labeled . That as my radioshow co-host Erik Estabrook so plainly stated, “I want to be seen as Erik.” Correct! We are ourselves, people first. However, that being said we grow, learn, change and label everything we come in contact with. It is the nature of being. So it is natural that we label ourselves and others. For reference points, for understanding, for everything. Only when there is a perceived negative connotation on your label does it become an issue.
For whatever reason non-Autistic people seem to have some kind of negative association to the word Autistic. Thus the kinder~ gentler terminology, person with Autism. Which to me sounds, sad and mundane. Powerless….like something that is with you whether you want it to be or not. I don’t know? As I write this, it occurs to me that ~ that is exactly it. When you say Autistic Person it has more power, more ownership…more pride in who one is! More…BAM! Here I am ! lol
So some cool gremlins were at work during my Naturally Autistic People First Blogtalk radio show a few Fridays back. I entered into a query with my Poet friend and co-host on the spectrum…Erik Estabrook about this language issue. I love having conversations with Erik! I find he surprises me with the direction of his thoughts. He is far and away one of the most interesting people I have ever met! So I had 1 phone after the next malfunctioning repeatedly. Our call in guest, Paul Maywood was calling the wrong number…So Erik was left manning the listener-SHIP!! Off and on as I was on for a minute and then drowning out…Erik was there…”Kelly are you there?? Kelly??”He was guiding me back, as if throwing me a life raft in the sea of misunderstanding.
I did not have the opportunity to listen in to Erik’s handling of business until later that night. When I did I had to laugh and smile in glee…Erik made such wonderful sense to me once again!! In my absense Erik gave me the exact conversation the LIFE RAFT Of understanding I wanted to have!! LISTEN, LAUGH & LEARN!
During the times I was frantically trying to get back on air…Erik said something so brilliant. As only he could. Amazing Poet with “Spectrum Perspective”…
Labels should be taken down a notch in level of importance as far as I’m concerned. Because, they get in the way of people feeling the way they want to feel and saying what they want to say. They disrupt a little bit of the natural flow in life. When you add too much organization and labeling everything you get people that don’t fit in and you get people pushed to the outskirts…..
Succinctly said! WOW…guess we should have technical difficulties more often! Thankyou so much for that my man Erik E!
I hope people will remember that labels are important. We should really only judge calorie content while reading them…lol. Everything else should be fair game. Embrace your labels people. Love what God made in the form of you and your child! You are incredible and unique and loved!
