Zoom Autism Magazine Issue12 | Page 28

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] 28 ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses www.beanedesign.com ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses 29