Autism Awareness Month will draw to a close this weekend, but it is so important for everyone to  remember that autism awareness should be something that we continue to advocate for throughout all twelve months of the year. People with autism and their families and friends need support, acceptance, respect and services all year long and for many years. Now that we are arriving at the end of autism awareness month, it is the perfect time to reflect on how we can best continue to make a positive impact that will last in the long term. For us at LorettaRose,LLC we are particularly passionate about the availability of services and job opportunities for adults with autism. It is essential for their wellbeing and quality of life that individuals with autism are given opportunities to integrate into society when they graduate from school, and have a chance to use their many unique talents and characteristics to be productive members of society.

In my opinion, one of the most important possible outcomes of an increase in autism awareness is for employers to realize that there are many reasons why hiring people with autism is not just a nice thing to do, but rather a very smart thing to do. People with autism are extremely consistent and detail oriented, they have the ability to see things in ways that people without autism can not see. The way the autistic mind works is fascinating and can open up doors for incredible accomplishments, but only if employers were willing to learn about autism and accept people with autism into their companies. I hope that at the end of autism awareness month 2017, there are now more people in the world who believe that, apart from the hardships and frustrations it may cause from time to time, autism is something that can be celebrated, not turned down. If people were less inclined to be frustrated with how people with autism are different, and instead they were inclined to be aware and learn about why people with autism are the way they are, then maybe there could be some amazing strides made towards a more inclusive world. There is an incredible amount of untapped potential that I am hoping will continue to be discovered as autism awareness continues throughout the year.