As a nonspeaking autistic person, I have been on the margins of society, hurt by people’s ignorance and prejudices. None of us nonspeakers have had an easy life. However, the challenges we face are not the same for all of us. Our experiences as disabled people in this world vary depending on our race, socioeconomic situation, and gender, among other facets of identity. Unfortunately, this also applies to those who have access to spelling as a communication method. And this is something that our community needs to better understand and take steps toward change.
It might be difficult for us to imagine the challenges that our peers who are of a different race encounter, for example. If we do not experience those challenges ourselves, we might not even be aware that they exist. For me, it is an important practice to listen to my BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) peers to learn about their different experiences in the world.
In addition to listening, we also need to share information. We must raise awareness of the racial and socioeconomic disparities in communication access. We need to amplify the voices of our underserved peers. We need to help get information about spelling out to these underserved communities.
I have been passionate about contributing to diversity, equity, and inclusion for my whole life. But my first experience being involved in any activity related to this topic was as a panelist for the BIPOC Panel at Motormorphosis 2023. As much as I was glad to share my perspectives and my calls to action, I was even more grateful to listen and learn from my co-panelists, including Black autistic advocates Tiffany Hammond of Fidgets and Fries, TJ of Nigh Functioning Autism, and Will Warren of Brothers Helping Spellers. But we all realized that a panel is just a tiny step.
So I am thrilled to be part of the Communication Equity Campaign run by Spellers and Allies Advocacy Network, led by one of our nonspeaking coordinators Tyler Mason. We are working to raise awareness of the inequality in access to spelling and to build connections with BIPOC advocates and advocacy groups.
As part of these efforts, I decided to devote the latest episode of my podcast, All Our Brave Hearts, to the topic of communication equity. We discuss issues of inequitable access to services, general considerations when working for diversity, and of course share the Communication Equity Campaign efforts. I will create more episodes later this year featuring collaborations with other BIPOC advocates. I am excited for those!
I will end this post with a quote from my Motormorphosis 2023 remarks:
We need to recognize that communication access does not exist in a vacuum. And that communication is power. As a community striving for inclusion of nonspeakers, we need to also ensure that we work for the inclusion of intersectional identities beyond white males. This is also for the strengthening of our community. We learn more from diverse voices. We grow in ideas and approaches and also in our ability to change the world. So it is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do.
I think we Spellers are an amazingly open and inclusive community. But it takes more than being passively inclusive. And I know many of us desire a community that is truly a beacon for justice and equality, and we will be stronger for it.
Thank you for joining us. Please help us spread the word to other BIPOC autistic folks by connecting us to give a presentation and fill out this 1 minute form to help us connect!
About the Author
Danny is a 39 year old nonspeaking autistic writer, presenter, and advocate living in San Diego. Using Spelling to Communicate (S2C), he is an active leader in his community, including his roles on the Nonspeaking Leadership Council for International Association for Spelling as Communication (I-ASC) as well as I-ASC’s Spellers and Allies Advocacy Network. He has been published in Bon Appetit Magazine, various blogs, and his own poetry chapbook, Waves and Wind and We. He is the co-host of the All Our Brave Hearts Podcast, and enjoys socializing, cooking, ocean sports, cool coffee shops and restaurants, and traveling. You can learn more about him at his website, DannyWithWords.com, and social media (Danny With Words on Facebook, @DannyWithWords on Instagram).
