NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) ––– We are more than halfway through April, also known as Autism Awareness Month, but many in the community are looking to change the name and the narrative.
“People are aware that autism exists, but what a lot of people are not aware of and not accepting of is the way that autistic individuals live and experience their lives,” said the Executive Director of the Autism Society of Greater New Orleans (ASGNO) Claire Tibbetts.
She says the best way to move toward acceptance is by making an effort to learn about how autistic people experience the world and let go of your expectations.
Acceptance is about taking people as they are and not meeting them with preconceived ideas. “Acting on that acceptance helps us connect people and advocate for the services that they need,” said Tibbitts.
She suggests, “If you are interacting with someone and they are not behaving in ways that you’re necessarily expecting.” It doesn’t mean they’re bad at socializing, it just means their social skills differ from yours.
ASGNO connects individuals and families of autistic children or adults with several resources and services necessary to live a full life. Their referral program lets families call or email for personalized assistance, directing them to other resources, education, or emotional support and validation.
The Autism Society of Greater New Orleans is hosting its annual Autism Festival on Saturday, April 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Westwego Farmer’s Market. The Festival is the society’s primary fundraising effort to continue supporting the New Orleans Autism community. For more information and tickets, visit www.asgno.org/events/autism-fest.
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