Saturday, March 30, 2013

Looking to Tell Your Story?

Do you have a story you would like to share about your autistic child?  Are you on the autism spectrum and would like to talk about your experience?  Do you have a business that meets the needs of those on the autism spectrum?  Or are you a decision maker who can make a difference in the lives of those with autism?  You can come on my show Junior Positively Autistic: Ryan's Spectrum Talk!  This show is one of many shows that are sponsored by the international autism awareness charity Positively Autistic.

I have hosted this weekly podcast since February 2012, featuring a number of unique guests who are all affected by autism spectrum disorder.  This could be the chance that you are looking for to tell your story!  The show airs every Thursday at 6 pm EST, 3 pm PST, and 11 pm GMT.  If you are interested, email me at rcoakland2012@gmail.com.

Happy Easter!

I would like to take a moment to wish everyone a happy easter!

Monday, March 25, 2013

Junior Positively Autistic: Ryan's Spectrum Talk 03/28 by Positively Autistic | Blog Talk Radio


Tune into the next broadcast of Junior Positively Autistic: Ryan's Spectrum Talk.  The guest for this show will be Stephanie Aberlich, business owner and autism advocate  Stephanie has a photography company, Hatch Boutique, that serves the needs of special needs families.  She also teaches photography to teens on the autism spectrum at OUCARES programs.
This show will air Thursday, March 28th at 6 pm EST, 3 pm PST, and 10 pm UK time.
If you can't make it to the scheduled show time, you can listen visit the show page after the show is over to listen on demand at your convenience.  I hope you can make it.

Junior Positively Autistic: Ryan's Spectrum Talk 03/28 by Positively Autistic | Blog Talk Radio

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Autism Film Produced by Mom


This story was recently published in The Oakland Press about two boys with autism who were recently featured in a documentary.  Carter and Bakary Thiero.  Their mother, Vana helped produce a one hour and forty minute documentary about autism.  This documentary is called "My Theiro Boys: A Lifestyle of Dealing with Autism."  Vana was a former senior video editor for CNN.

The story was written by my good friend, former colleague, and disability advocate Jerry Wolffe.  Jerry has cerebral palsy.

To read the story, click here:

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/03/15/news/local_news/doc51427851c7ed0704631898.txt?viewmode=fullstory

1/50 Diagnosed with Autism

New numbers were announced earlier this week.  Autism diagnosis rates have climbed to 1/50.   This leads to many questions and quite a few emotional responses.   However, it is important to consider where these numbers came from.  I brought up the topic during my Thursday podcast to my guest, Colleen Allen, who is the CEO of Autism Alliance of Michigan.  Allen stated that she is "not too sure," about the new numbers, at least until she can see how the information was derived.  According to Allen, statistics about autism have been collected before through phone surveys with parents and diagnosis are not necessarily confirmed.  It does not mean that autism hasn't risen, but I think it is important not to get caught up in the sensationalism associated with these new numbers.  Some people's jobs depend on how many people they can get to listen to them and fear is a good motivator.  Hence the sensationalism.  Let's try to look at this objectively with a clear head before we decide what to do about it.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

My Show with Colleen Allen


Tune into the next broadcast of Junior Positively Autistic: Ryan's Spectrum Talk. This show will air Thursday, March 21st at 6 pm EST, 3 pm PST, and 10 pm UK time on Blog Talk Radio. This show will feature the CEO of Autism Alliance of Michigan, Colleen Allen. 



If you can't make it to the show, you can always tune in on demand. Hope you can make it.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/positivelyautistic/2013/03/21/junior-positively-autistic-ryans-spectrum-talk
 

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Tune Into my Podcast 3/14/13 on Blog Talk Radio


Tune into the next broadcast of Junior Positively Autistic: Ryan's Spectrum Talk.  During this show, I will talk about my autism awareness blog, The Voice from the Spectrum, which passed 15,000 page views over the weekend.  This show will air Thursday, March 14th at 6 pm EST, 3 pm PST, and 10 pm UK time.  If you can't tune into the broadcast live, you can always use the show link to listen on demand.  Hope you can make it.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/positivelyautistic/2013/03/14/junior-positively-autistic-ryans-spectrum-talk

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Uncle Ryan: The Voice from the Spectrum

I just wanted to announce in this post that I am going to be an uncle.  My younger brother and his girlfriend are going to have a baby this summer.  I look forward to using my gift with words to inspire my future niece or nephew.  I will strive to help my niece or nephew to accept those who are on the autism spectrum.

Girl with Autism Sings Journey Song

Take a look at this inspiring video.  This girl who is on the autism spectrum sings the Journey Song, "Don't Stop Believing."  Truly heartwarming:

Singer with Autism holds Fundraiser

Colin Brennan is a 10 year old singer from Canada who happens to be on the autism spectrum.  Right now, Colin is striving to raise $2,300 in order to accept an invitation to travel to England and sing in the 2nd annual "Autism's Got Talent."  This is a truly extraordinary opportunity for a boy who did not start talking until age seven.  I encourage my readers to help Colin if it is within your means.  So far, Colin has received 20 donations that amount to $645.  

It should also be noted that Colin was recently accepted to audition for a part the musical stage play, "Les Miserables."  The show will take place in Toronto, Ontario.  Colin will audition for the role of the child "Gavroche."  This is a boy with a bundle of talent and a bright future.

Colin and his father Gordon have their own Blog Talk Radio podcast and were kind enough to feature me as a guest on their show just after the new year.

Colin and his father Gordon do not often ask for help but they do need assistance in order to pay for the flights to and from England.  I have spoken with Colin personally on numerous occasions and he truly is a credit to the autism community.  If it is within your means, please help out Colin.

To donate and find out more, click on the following link:

Saturday, March 2, 2013

A Writing Opportunity

In this post, I want to take time to reveal something that I have been sitting on for a few weeks.  My friend and fellow autism advocate, Dani Bowman, asked me to co-write a script for an autism awareness TV show.  In a few months, this show will be pitched to major film studios in LA.     It is a certainly an exciting opportunity.  I hope that I can use this story to inspire you to see what is possible for the autism spectrum.  More updates to come in the future.

Everyone of the Spectrum Has a Talent

I firmly believe that everyone on the autism spectrum has a talent.  There are many examples of such talent: my friend Colin Brennan is ten years old and an excellent singer.  He memorizes his songs simply by listening to them.  My other friend Dani Bowman is skilled with animation.  Frank Allen is also a skilled artist.  I know of individuals on the spectrum who, if given a date off of a calender, could name at least one person who has a birthday.  When I was a kid, I could name all the presidents and all fifty states in America along with many State Capitals.  If you have a child on the spectrum, have you identified their talent yet?  If you have, how could this become a potential career?  If you haven't, try to watch your child closely in order to determine what that talent might be.  Try experiments, like giving that child a marker and a blank sheet of paper and see what happens.  There are many possibilities associated with autism.  It's important not to give up!  Under the right conditions, someone on the autism spectrum can literally change the world.

Support an Autism Advocate

Autism advocacy can be very difficult for many individuals on the spectrum.  After dealing with a lifetime of different issues that almost no one could relate to, we are now opening up, exposing ourselves, in the hope that others will understand.  My friend, Cassidy Eden, is striving to raise money to support her autism advocacy.  She would like to able to travel and tell her story about living on the autism spectrum.  Cassidy lives in a small town in Mississippi, graduated at the top of her class, and does not have enough money to attend college at this point.  Cassidy also has Aspergers Syndrome and Turners Syndrome, but graduated from high school near the top of her class.

To find out more information about donating, click on the following link:

https://tsf.myetap.org/fundraiser/MyStory/individual.do?participationRef=3829.0.366487611