Next for Autism Building a Neuroinclusive Workplace Panel Sept 2024
In their continuing successful efforts to improve employment opportunities and outcomes Next for Autism is hosting a live panel discussion at UCLA. I feel honored to have been invited as one of the panelists. Super excited with the moderator Ferose V.R. from SAP. 8 years ago at the first autism at work I attended Ferose was one of the presenters. He shared the amazing story of the the event in his career that led him to backing an effort by some SAP employees in India to onboard some autistic individuals. This under the radar program became the impetus for SAP corporate in Germany to create the autism employment program which became the model for companies world wide.
Reserve your seat at NEXTforAUTISM.org/panel24
I will be updating this post now that the event is past and the NEXT for AUTISM crew shared some tremendous photos. But until I have the chance to make the complete update I wanted to post the following poem that Ferose read at the opening of the panel. It was written by his 15 year old son Vivvan who is a non-verbal autistic and communicates with a letter board. When Ferose read the poem it really struck me regarding how so many often assume abilities based on a single trait.
“Place on the planet
Lost for me
I find nowhere,
Where to be
I am a voice,
You hear my noise.
I am a summer sound,
The wind may blow,
Strong and loud
I have heard my dream shout,
I am always going on,
Round and round”
More from the panel soon!
