profit. I wanted him (and others on the autism
spectrum) to have more opportunities to do
what they do best. Jonathan has branched out
and has been able to add storyteller and public
speaker to his resume because of his advocacy
work for autism acceptance. He and another
member of our autistic team did our first Mar-
vel comic-like autism assembly for elementary
school students. The school counselor contacted
me afterwards to let me know how amazing
(there’s that word again) Jonathan and James
were. Their ability to make a deep connection
with the students led to great conversations
back in the classroom. She felt that they had
helped the students learn to be more empathet-
ic, understanding and inclusive.
In the past, Jonathan was fearful of failure and
not fitting in, but in spite of those fears, he per-
severed and never gave up on himself (and we
never gave up on him). Today, he feels free of
the need to be “typical” and is setting his own
pace for growth and success. He’s purposely
stepping out of his comfort zone and putting
himself—his own true self—out into the unpre-
dictable, chaotic world. Now that’s amazing.
Jodi Murphy is Jonathan Murphy’s proud mom
and founder of Geek Club Books, a creative au-
tism nonprofit focused on innovative, entertain-
ing autism storytelling to change perceptions
and end the stigma. She works with a team of autistic adults
who contribute to everything Geek Club Books’ creates. Sign up
for free access to Geek Club Books’ comics, resource guides, cur-
riculum, and more: www.geekclubbooks.com/email-sign-up.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Suzanne “Beane” Chanesman
Creative Director
[email protected]
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ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
www.beanedesign.com
ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses
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