About

How do you encapsulate a life on a page? You don’t!
However, here are some highlights about me, my advocacy, and my accomplishments.
~ updated January 2024

About Me

I am a 20 year old non-speaking autistic dude.

My good body and I are not exactly in sync in a few ways. I live in a body that loves the familiar, the comfortable, the known! I have ground in goofy neural pathways that my body prefers to travel, so from the outside I may look like a goofball child as my body dances about recreating some toddler video. Gotta love it, fighting it doesn’t work! INSIDE I am an in control, mature, thoughtful dude. I love deep conversations, creative endeavours, being adventurous, and learning how humanity ticks! Lots going on inside this noggin of mine.

I chose to create this blog, sharing my experience of life, after gaining real access to communication at 13 years old. You see, I am pointing to each letter on a board in front of me to get my thoughts out. This method allows me to circumvent impulsive neural pathways by slowing my body down and getting purposeful. This did not magically happen and was a built skill over the course of more than a year. You see, I have apraxia, which means that my loving thoughts get stuck in my brain as my motor planning mastery is lacking. I do hope to one day type independently, but until then I need a powerful Communication and Regulation Partner (CRP) to co-regulate me and help me be purposeful. My words are my own, but trapped inside without partnership.

Additionally, I should note that I am a liver transplant recipient. A result of a childhood with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. You may read more about this in my blogs too.

My mission is to create more love, joy, and peace on the planet. My advocacy (below) is one way that I do that.

I hope you enjoy my content and will be in communication with your questions and comments. I am an open book.

Yours joyfully,
Jordyn

Advocacy

Speaking Engagements/Conference Presentations

  • January 2024 Presentation for AdventHealth’s “Inclusive Dialogue Series” – Virtual
    • “Beyond Words: Understanding and Caring for Nonspeaking Patients”
      with Amie Ferguson, RN-BSN & S2C Practitioner
  • April 2022 Canadian Leadership Summit (by CASDA) – Virtual
    • “Shifting the Paradigm about Non-Speaking Autistics” with Damon Kirsebom
  • June 2020 Innovations in Education Conference – Virtual
    • “How to be a Powerful Communication Partner”
    • “Joyfully Practicing the Motor Required for Romantic Relationships”
      with Graciela Lotharius & Molly K. Rearick, EdD
    • “Advocating like a Boss”
      with Graciela Lotharius, Matt Hayes, Ashish Jain, Alexandra Davis & Laura Nadine Dooley
  • February 2020 EarlyON Inclusion Training – Toronto, Ontario with Isaac Wong
  • April 2018 Rethinking Autism Conference: Pathways to Inclusion – Evansville, Indiana
    • “A View From My Shoes”
  • February 2018 Innovations in Education Conference – Atlanta, Georgia
    • Self-Advocate Panel Participant
  • 2017 Queen Elizabeth School Belleville Grade 5 Autism Awareness Presentation

In Media

  • Chapter Interview Subject in “Shake it Up! How to be young, autistic, and make a difference.” by Quincy Hansen (Coming August 2022)
  • Chapter Interview Subject in “Life in Letters: A Book About Autism” by Lia Assimakopoulos (2018)
  • Subject of Mini-Documentary by The Spiral Movement Center “Jordyn’s Rocky Journey” (2017)
  • Articles for In Words We Trust (Volume 1: Modern Life)
    • June 2018 Issue 1: Neurodiversity – “Being Me”
    • September 2018 Issue 2: Science and Technology – “Doing Good Work Through Technology”

Ongoing Education Resource

  • Hirsch Academy – Decatur, Georgia
    • Visionary Board Of Directors Member providing support to director, staff, students and parents
  • Connections Learning Center – Deerfield Beach, Florida
    • Board of Directors

Accomplishments