Autism Awareness Month kicks off with World Autism Awareness Day (link)

to raise awareness that people around the world live, go to school and go to work with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. At UMBC, we works with students and employees who seek academic accommodations through Student Disability Services (link), as well as work-related accommodations via Accessibility & Disability Services. We are not unique, and some employers have specialized programs including Freddie Mac (link), Microsoft (link), as well as Ernst & Young, in addition to requesting job accommodations generally.

While there is a CDC Fact Sheet on Autism linked here, we can take note of UMBC alum Melanie Wiley's journey from diagnosis during medical school to Autism Advocate (link) and  from those who have the experience:

Temple Grandin shares that The World Needs All Kinds of Minds (link)

Ethan Lisi shares What It's Really Like to Have Autism

Rosie King shares How Autism Freed Her to Be Herself

Faith Jegede Cole shares What She Has Learned From Her Autistic Brothers

Research on Autism is ongoing, such as what Wendy Chung explains here (link), however, like most people who have been diagnosed are seeking dignity, respect and inclusion within their families, schools, workplace and community.  Take a journey with Steve Silberman to learn of The Forgotten History of Autism.

Additional Autism-focused media for home viewing during these COVID-19 Stay at Home Days include:  Please Stand By, My Name is Khan, Temple Grandin, The Imitation Game, A Brilliant Young Mind, Rain Man, Ocean Heaven, The Lighthouse of Orcas, Marathon, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Atypical, Autism in Love, The Horse Boy, as well as Life, Animated. Please consult online resources such as IMDB or Common Sense Media for brief plot descriptions, ratings, and suitable viewing ages if there are children who may view them with you.