Leaders Around Me: Autobiographies of Autistics who Type, Point, and Spell to Communicate

by Edlyn Vallejo Peña

Leaders Around Autobiographies of Autistics who Type, Point, and Spell to Communicate is a compilation of 45 autobiographies of extraordinary individuals who use keyboards, letter boards, and communication devices. The authors demonstrate that people who experience communication differences have the potential to achieve major accomplishments under accessible, inclusive, and supportive circumstances. Each autobiographical narrative ends with reflection questions to encourage reader engagement and reflection. All autistic individuals deserve autistic leaders around them for support and mentoring.

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Disability, Nonfiction, Essays, Biography Memoir

198 pages, Paperback

Published September 25, 2019

Reviews

[Deanna Dreher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read. Although each writer has a unique story, most of them go follow the same basic pattern: The autistic person's body doesn't do what he wants it to do, and as a result, most people make assumptions about his intellect and ability to understand the world around him. There are many descriptions of this in the book, but one that I felt captured it really well was the analogy of being trapped in a padded room: no one outside can hear you or see you, and you have no power to change things, no ability to escape, and no hope that anything will ever change. Learning to communicate by typing/spelling changed all of that, and they are now able to communicate their own thoughts and dispel so many myths regarding non speaking autistics being intellectually disabled.

Note that not all of will be considered "well-written," but you have to accept that some of the authors are as young as 9 years old, and others have only been typing/communicating for a few years, and are still learning (and building the stamina to type longer things).

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a mother with two autistic children, one of whom is minimally verbal, this book gives me hope. My take away from the book is, just because someone is non-speaking, doesn’t mean they can’t learn or communicate. Presume competence and allow everyone to have a voice.

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW: mentions of use of the R slur as outdated discriptir, mentions of abuse, neglect, and disbelief of autistic autonomy by naysayers, mentions of ABA therapy.

For too long society (and us speaking autistics) have let the voices of our non speaking fellows go unheard. This collection of essays from those who type, spell, and point is required reading. 🔥🔥

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Communication is also a feeling. Feeling is a way of dancing in the space so I can assemble words with my amazing moving body. The way of writing language is like taking a breath.”
– Adam Wolfond
in “Collaboration Happens by Managing Movement Together” (loc. 756)