Why Autism Acceptance?
Purposeful Wealth Strategies founder, Kevin Gardenier, is Autistic himself. He only discovered this as an adult, which in turn led to a lot of "ah-ha" moments for him. It was like a light bulb turning on, now he was able to make sense of things and have an explanation for certain behaviors and ways of thinking he had.
This story is not too unusual, as many adults (particularly many women) get diagnosed later in life. This may be, in part, due to previous lack of knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, some get diagnosed very early on. It is a different journey for every person. Every individual has different challenges, behaviors, and strengths. Because traits and behaviors of Autism vary greatly from individual to individual, many who are not impacted by it don't understand that it can look very different. Nor do many realize that people with ASD can live independently, maintain romantic relationships, have careers, etc. Autistic individuals are capable of many things, and it's important to recognize this. Understanding this in our society can lead to greater involvement and acceptance of Autistic individuals in schools, jobs, leadership, etc.
Kevin feels that while awareness and acceptance of Autism is increasing, we still have a long way to go. These are just some of the reasons that Purposeful Wealth Strategies is running its second annual Autism Acceptance Campaign. We hope these will help shed light on issues surrounding Autism and increase understanding of the needs of the Autism community. We look forward to you joining us!
