Autism Knows No Borders Global Autism Project

Discover what’s possible when awareness improves access. 
Have you ever wondered about the level of autism awareness in countries like Egypt? Are you curious about what governments are doing for their autistic citizens?
If so, you’ll want to listen to these conversations I had at the 8th International Mental Health Conference in Alexandria, Egypt.
You’ll hear from several people whom I connected with there, including the Conference President and Secretary General of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, Menan AbdElmaksoud; the Head of Child & Adolescent Administration, Iman Gaber; the President of the Egyptian Autistic Society, Dahlia Soliman; self-advocate Rami Alhadinziden Sayed; as well as several family members and professionals in the field of autism services.
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Conferences are a great way to network with like-minded advocates while learning new strategies to help your autistic children, clients or students. Are you a professional eager to stay at the forefront of current best practices and wondering how to expand your services to reach even more families? Or a parent looking for support from others who understand your needs? Or maybe you’re a self-advocate wanting to share your story and educate others? 
The Latin America Autism Summit is THE event tailored to address these pressing questions and much, much more. Mark your calendar for July 10th-12th, when we’ll gather in the heart of Lima, Peru, immersed in a dynamic atmosphere buzzing with insightful presentations, invaluable networking opportunities, and hands-on workshops led by industry experts. 
Join us at the Latin America Autism Summit, where together we'll live unforgettable moments and forge connections to last a lifetime. 
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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.
Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast
Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project
We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

Discover what’s possible when a mother’s love transcends her own home. 
Do you envision a community where Autistic children have a safe place to learn and Autistic adults are integrated in society? Do you know any parents of autistic individuals who might need some encouragement as they advocate for their children? 
If so, you’ll want to listen to this episode where one of our global partners, Jie Bing Zhang talks about empowering other parents by teaching them how to create opportunities for their children to thrive. 
Mrs. Zhang is the founder of Huicong Children Rehabilitation Center in Nanchang, China, and the mother of a 24-year-old autistic man. 
This episode with Mrs. Zhang was originally released in April 2021. We are releasing it again to highlight our global partnership program for autism centers seeking collaboration. 
For this interview with Mrs. Zhang, our podcast intern, Linda Zheng, interpreted from Chinese to English for us. Thank you, Linda, for your effort to ensure Mrs. Zhang’s message is understood. 
In this conversation, we discuss:
Autism awareness in China
What it was like for Mrs. Zhang to receive her son’s diagnosis
Why she started her own autism center and the types of services they offer
Their partnership with Global Autism Project
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We are also thrilled to announce that, in collaboration with our partners from Centro Enigma in Ecuador, The Global Autism Project is hosting the Latin America Autism Summit this July in Lima, Peru! 
Are you a professional eager to stay at the forefront of current best practices? Or a parent looking for support from others who understand your needs? Or a self-advocate wanting to share your story and educate others? Look no further! The Latin America Autism Summit is THE event tailored to address these pressing questions and more.
Mark your calendar for July 10th-12th, as we gather in the heart of Lima, Peru, immersed in a dynamic atmosphere buzzing with insightful presentations, invaluable networking opportunities, and hands-on workshops led by industry experts.
Join us at the Latin America Autism Summit, where together, we'll create unforgettable moments and forge connections that last a lifetime.
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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.
Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast
Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project
We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

Discover what’s possible when you are in charge of your life. 
Do you sometimes wish you had a team of supporters to guide you in the right direction? Maybe you already have trusted friends and family in your close circles. 
Either way, you’ll want to listen to this episode, which is part 2 of my conversation with Jonathan Gardner. He talks about how supported decision making helped him get through his cancer treatment. 
Jonathan Gardner is an Autistic Self-Advocate, cancer survivor, supported decision maker, and motivational speaker.
In this conversation, among other things, we discuss:
Jonathan being treated as a human being by his medical team
Supported decision making as an alternative to guardianship
Overcoming the fear of public speaking
Tips for other autistic people about not being defined by autism
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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.
Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast
Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project
We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

Discover what’s possible when you find joy in every day. 
Have you ever had to pull through something you thought would be impossible to overcome? Or let go of control in an overwhelming situation? 
If you can relate, you’ll want to listen to this episode with Jonathan Gardner, where he shares the lessons that helped him through his cancer journey.
Jonathan Gardner is an Autistic Self-Advocate, cancer survivor, supported decision maker, and motivational speaker.
In this conversation we discuss:
Jonathan’s strengths and special interests
How bullying pushed him to homeschooling
What it was like to diagnosed with a rare cancer at only 18 years old
Jonathan’s emotional journey of receiving treatment
His road to recovery
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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.
Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast
Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project
We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

Discover what’s possible when motivation leads to positive relationships. 
Are you struggling with finding ways to motivate your child or client? Do you want to build and maintain positive relationships while making learning fun? 
If so, you’ll want to listen to this episode with Robert and Nadine Schramm where they discuss how to work with autistic individuals while keeping their dignity at the forefront.
This episode was originally released in November 2020. We’re re-releasing it today to offer ideas for parents and professionals who are looking for support.
Robert Schramm is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, a former special education instructor, and a published author. Nadine Schramm is an Applied Behavior Analysis and Verbal Behavior Consultant and leads their Knospe-ABA office in Germany. Robert and Nadine offer consultation, education, and workshop services to families.
In this conversation, among other things, we discuss:
Autism services currently available for families in Germany
How the attitudes towards autism in Germany have changed over the years
Key takeaways from Robert’s books Motivation and Reinforcement: Turning the Tables on Autism and The 7 Steps to Earning Instructional Control
Why the principles behind the 7 steps are useful for anyone interested in creating a strong learning environment
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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.
Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast
Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project
We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey

Discover what’s possible when humans connect. 
Do you want to feel a sense of belonging and express yourself freely and without judgment? Are you looking for a safe space where people accept you for who you are and support you on your journey of advocacy? 
If so, you’ll want to listen to this episode, where members of our Global Autism Community talk about how being part of our online space has helped them grow.
This week we are celebrating the 4-year anniversary of this podcast, as well as the 3-year anniversary of our online Global Autism Community! 
It’s been an eye-opening journey that continues to surprise, inspire, and move us. We’ve learned so much from self-advocates sharing their experiences, family members talking about acceptance, and professionals discussing best practices in the field of autism services. 
We’ve covered a wide range of topics, such as ableism, bullying, masking, the neurodiversity movement, intersectionality, disability rights, dating, communication, personal growth, cultural humility, and international collaboration, and even controversial topics like person-first vs. identity-first language, the puzzle-piece symbol, and ABA therapy. 
Four years after launching Autism Knows No Borders, we are more energized than ever to keep going. There are still countless meaningful stories out there, and we want to bring them to you. We will continue to elevate autistic voices. We want their stories to keep traveling across the world, so that more and more people can join us in the cause for autism awareness, acceptance, and hope. 
A huge thank you to all of our guests for educating us with their unique perspectives, as well as to our team members who keep making this podcast happen: our visual creator, social media manager, and community moderator, Danielle Terrell; and our sound designer and editor, Marc Aliana. 
And, of course, many thanks to you, our dedicated listeners, for tuning in each week, sharing your takeaways, and ultimately giving meaning to what we’re doing. 
If you’re a new listener, we’d like to welcome you as well! 
Our online Global Autism Community has been growing over the past few years. This is a space where members have the possibility to share insights, listen to different perspectives, and create real change in their own communities – whether they’re autistic individuals, family members, or service providers. 
Special shout out to another one of our community moderators, Christina Kaspersen who monitors posts daily to ensure that our online space remains safe and respectful. If you’re interested in joining our moderator team, you can send me a direct message in the community. 
Last week, some members of our community got together virtually to celebrate our anniversary. We played games and got to know each other in a more casual setting. Today you’ll hear an excerpt from that special event, featuring Autistic Self-Advocates Sara Bradford, Stephanie De Kremer, Adrian Sanchez, and Christina Kaspersen, as well as fellow community members Cheryl Albright, TJ Larum, and Danielle Terrell. 
Are you a self-advocate willing to share your experiences and educate others? Are you a professional seeking to hear directly from autistic voices and improve your practice? Are you a family member hoping to support and empower your loved one? Whatever your role related to autism is, you can join our online Global Autism Community to connect and collaborate with people all over the world. 
Sign up today at community.globalautismproject.org. Let’s work together to transform how the world relates to autism. 
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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too.
Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast
Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project
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