Athenna Crosby, San Jose City Council Autism Awareness Day and Month Proclamation

While volunteering for the organization Autism Speaks, I was extremely shocked to learn the number of people affected by autism in the bay area alone. Effort has been done to increase autism awareness and yet it is still not enough because not many people know what autism really is.
• Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. and it is more common that childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric aids combined. In 2000 CDC said 1 in 150 were diagnosed with autism, in 2013 CDC now says it is 1 in 50.
Autism is said to be lack of what is perceived as neurotypical communication, and social interaction, or understanding that others have intentions different from one's own. It is a spectrum disorder, which means that some may be low, medium, or high functioning autistics, but all different, and with different needs.
But why am I so concerned greatly about Autism? The answer is I live with it every day. My younger brother, who turns 13 today, is Autistic, so I know what it's like to live with the symptoms, the sacrifices; I know how much he struggles to make sense of this world and the very complex societal rules and expectations.
The public school districts are the federal entity that by law has to provide appropriate education and services for my brother, and they trying as much as possible not to provide any.
Teachers are requested not to tell parents if kids may have disabilities because then the school districts have to do the evaluations, and instead, when parents ask teachers if their kids may have a disability, teachers are told to tell parents to discuss it with their pediatrician.
Families have to hire advocates and lawyers to be able to get any school related services for their kids. If parents are low income, not well informed, culturally or language impaired their kids receive the least interventions and least services. It hurts me to see how autistic individuals are discriminated, judged, dismissed, disservice, misunderstood because of their behavior as if they are fully aware.
Today, I am asking you to prepare our great City of San Jose for what is coming. In just five years you will have in your hands the wave of autistic adults, and the school districts are not training and educating autistic individuals as it should be because of low budgets.
Citizens, government officials and entities and many educators are unprepared to understand autistic behaviors, and the need to work positively with families and individuals affected by this disability. Families need emotional, educational, and economical help. I am asking you to find a way to support the numerous organizations that support families with autism, form a partnership and find a way to educate the community.
Today I am proud of your recognition of April 2nd as Autism Awareness Day and April as Autism Awareness month. With this act you help increase awareness that families and individuals affected by autism need our help, acceptance, and understanding.
Each Autistic mind is like a puzzle, but together we can make all the pieces fit.
Thank you.
♥
.YOU ALL HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS TO SEE YOUR KID WITH NO FRIENDS, AND LONGING FOR THEM. IT BREAKS YOUR HEART. People on the autism spectrum are bullied, rejected, and discriminated because other "normal" people do not see with their eyes that they have a disability, because they look "normal" and they do not have physical disabilities. They are thought to be weird, odd, and strange.
There is currently no support for the autistic mind from the "normal" community. They are constantly rejected, abandoned to be cared for barely by the government entities, and barely by their families, if parents do not end divorced (as it IS incredible taxing on the family), and abandoned by neighbors and very often near family members that leave you to fetch for yourself.