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EPISODE 18
Autistic Advocacy: An Interview with Julia Bascom

Play the Episode…

…and Continue the Discussion

Do you have a book or podcast club? If so, you may use this discussion guide to facilitate a conversation about this episode.

1) What is the primary mission of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) and what are its roots? What are the changes that Julia believes we need to achieve for society to have fuller acceptance and inclusion of autistic and neurodivergent people?

2) Julia states she gets frustrated when people dichotomize autism into speaking and non-speaking groups as it “flattens” the autistic experience. She also states that she may have more in common with a non-speaking person than another autistic person with fluent speech. Why do you think she feels that way? Do you share her beliefs? Discuss your beliefs.

3) Julia claims that society has very inaccurate perceptions of autism and disability, which leads to inaccurate views of what contributes to quality of life. What are these inaccurate perceptions? According to Julia, what changes need to be made to truly contribute to a more positive quality of life for autistic and other disabled people?

Featuring

julia_30-high-res-julia-bascom

JULIA BASCOM

Julia Bascom serves as Executive Director at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Previously, she did state-level work in her home state of New Hampshire, where she served on the DD council and co-led an inter-agency team to revitalize self-advocacy within the state. Julia edited Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking, an anthology of writings by autistic people, and currently serves on the advisory board of Felicity House, and the boards of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, the Institute for Exceptional Care, and Allies For Independence.

Show Notes

Autistic advocacy is one of the most dramatic changes we are witnessing for autistic people and those with other neurodevelopmental differences. Julia Bascom, the Executive Director of The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN), discusses the history of disability self-advocacy, ASAN’s mission and current priorities, and what needs to be done to change society’s inaccurate perceptions of autistic and disabled individuals. We also shift to a fascinating discussion of echolalia and language.

For more of Julia’s work:

autisticadvocacy.org

autismacceptance.com

 

Follow Julia:

@autselfadvocacy

@juststimming

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Music

Matt Savage, courtesy of Savage Records

Matt Savage is an autistic jazz musician, composer, and bandleader. Matt has collaborated with jazz greats like Chick Corea, the Ellington All Stars, Chaka Khan, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Watson, Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, Jason Moran, Arturo O’Farrill, John Pizzarelli, Joshua Redman, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jon Faddis, Jerry Bergonzi. Donny McCaslin, and more. He has recorded more than a dozen records and graciously contributes the music for Uniquely Human.

Production and Sound Design

ELEVATEDSTUDIO

Uniquely Human: The Podcast is produced, engineered, and edited by Elevated Studio in Denver, Colorado. Owned and operated by co-host Dave Finch, Elevated Studio produces digital media assets and content strategies for the electronics, entertainment, and lifestyle industries.