The Voiceless Minority

  The person above is on a stage with their arms spread wide, standing in front of a microphone, looking out over a large audience.  Anyone who knows me knows I love to crack a good joke. Sometimes they’re clean, and sometimes they’re filthy, depending on my mood. I recently learned of an inclusive comedy show that caters to people with disabilities. In particular, this comedy show catered to people with Autism. By catered, I don’t mean it infantilized them; it treated them like the weird but awesome people they can be. My good friend Michelle Zeman, who also writes for this blog, has a form of Autism that causes her to interact differently socially sometimes, but it does not detract from her awesomeness. I think more people with disabilities need to engage in the world of stand-up comedy. I have performed twice, and it is not only fun and free but can also be used as an educational opportunity for those who don’t have disabilities. The inclusive comedy show I mentioned above ...

  Luke Jackson (pictured above) has been working with Disability Advice and Welfare Network (DAWN) and Suffolk Law Centre on the Autism Education Leavers Passport. On October 14 th , lawmakers in Canada approved an educational passport, thanks to a University of Winchester graduate. The passport is geared toward helping young neurodivergent people transition from education to work. The 25-year-old, who graduated with a degree in Computer Aided Design in 2023, contributed to the content and design of the 35-page booklet. Luke drew from his experiences as a job seeker and the skills he learned at university. “I enjoyed what I learned at Winchester and the one-to-one tutoring I received,” said Luke, a volunteer with DAWN, where he is a website administrator. The booklet comes in response to the findings from the Office of National Statistics, which showed that almost 80% of autistic adults are not working and that they are the least likely disabled group to be in any employ...