Nonspeaking autistic woman embarks on journey to advocate for disability rights
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- Опубликовано: 7 май 2024
- At 29 years old, Jordyn Zimmerman is autistic and nonspeaking but she's making her voice heard on some of the most prestigious stages. Jamie Wax sat down with Zimmerman in her first broadcast television interview to discuss the struggles she faced growing up, the way that a communication app on an iPad changed her life and her ability to connect with others.
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I love Gayle's comment - just because someone is non-speaking doesn't mean that they're non-thinking, non-feeling, or non-hearing. I have a fifteen year-old non-speaking son, and he always knows exactly what's going on! People tend to underestimate him and his cognition.
Exactly
I completely agree. I have a 12 year-old grandson who with severe non-verbal autism. He has never spoken, and will never be able to attend school, but I can tell there is a lot going on in his mind. Gayles' comment at the end is very accurate and that is why I have hope! I love this story. 🙂
Agreed. Non speaking doesn’t mean non communicative!! My brother doesn’t communicate verbally but is the most expressive person in my family
I cared for a youngster with severe CP. She has little control over her hands and voice but does not have any intellectual disability. She can read, but CP related vision issues means she prefers audio books. She communicates through text (she types with her nose on a cell phone), an ABC board, eye gaze, yes/no questions, and facial expressions. It can take extra time but she definitely gets her message across.
I sure hope you’re vegan @juliafischer because your comment reflects the reality of all of Gods Animals. So I most certainly hope you’re vegan. Just because Gods animals can’t speak, Doesn’t mean that they can’t hear, can’t feel, are incapable of thoughts etc. so just remember that, all of you.
My son talked with me for the first time at 6. And his conversation went on for an hour and a half. He talked about how to fall in love and wanting to go to college. I can appreciate Jordan's story so much
That's so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. My daughter has autism
Such a heartwarming comment. I hope he's doing well and is very healthy. God bless both of you.
That is so beautiful. God bless you and your son.
My daughter is autistic but verbal…. she has a hard time getting those thoughts out, in speech, but when she writes…wow, the insight to who she is. She just finished her first year of college. This story was wonderful…and gives me so much hope for my daughter’s future.
My son is the same! And he just finished his second year. Writing is torturous but the results are astounding. Love hearing someone with a similar experience. Good for her!! It takes a lot of strength.
Hey parent… I am an autistic adult who is considered semi verbal. Meaning some days (or even moments) I speak fluently but others I cannot verbally communicate at all. I also have graduated from my undergrad w/ honors and I hold down a full time job. My coworkers and friends are SUPER understanding. I even have communication pins that I wear on my shirt that everyone knows are my ways of “talking” when I cannot speak. I know you’re concerned about your child but there’s people out here who are decent humans and will go the extra mile to understand and support us. 🫶🏾
I worked with autistic children age 3-6. Unfortunately, we only had 1 iPad per classroom. We also had 2 computers. The children had to take turns. They would get extremely upset when their turn was over. Access to the technology is really lacking. Of course, in Louisianas, our funding isn’t the same as many other states. So glad to see the progress in the programs. The ability to communicate needs to be vastly advanced.
I sure hope that wasn’t recently. Individual state funding differences don’t excuse violations of federal laws. They should be reported to the OCR.
I'm just so grateful the technology exists!!!
Is there a program to donate funds for ipads? I, and I'm sure so many others would love to help.
This story deeply resonated with me. I’m really inspired by the work she is doing. My son is autistic. He can speak but it doesn’t come easily. He’s a lot like her, a deep thinker, an incredibly empathetic person, and he thinks in such a unique and smart way. His voice is so important to be heard but I’m one of the few people that hear him on that level because of the time and the process it takes to get what’s inside to the outside. Thank you for putting this story out and highlighting this topic!
Thank you for sharing. Blessings to you and yours.
Its so sad she didn't have a communication device until 18 😥
Ikr 😞 I bet they couldn’t afford to get her resources or didn’t have access to them cuz of where she grew up who knows
That makes me so mad . She’s a beautiful woman and just so precious to me and especially to God.
I don't know what this is but its about the advanced technology, not the lack of resources. This is not a normal thing you see in the world of autism. Hoping to find out more about it.
@@patrickbertlein4626what? There’s speaking devices that insurance companies pay for but they’re not iPads specifically made for communication
I worked in the ADA industry for over 5 years and people with disabilities are sometimes fully ignored by business owners and it’s sickening. We should do more for the people who have so much less 💯
It's true. I went undiagnosed with ASD for 4+ decades and now I know why I have been treated differently my whole life. Neurotypical people clocked my difference before I even knew there was a clinical reason for my being different.
I was only a couple of years behind Jordyn in school and her story impacted me then as it does now. I am crying so hard she deserves all the recognition. Her op ed she wrote for our hometown paper when she was graduating really reflects so much of who she has become today
As your path has been illuminated, so shall you brighten others' lives with your light as your step forward in life.
It hurt me to hear the narrator call autism an “intellectual disability”. We have been introduced to a verbal disability related to this particular brain’s wiring. Her intellect, as she has and continues to prove, is fully intact.
This hit me wrong too. CBS needed to do way more research with the autistic community.
@@crissy7312 absolutely agree.
Oh, I was listening for something like that but missed it. I did hear them say she is on the board for students with intellectual disabilities, and in my head I cried out, "does she even have an intellectual disability?!! " Then I thought, well, she was probably treated as one with an intellectual disability, so she still could have a lot to offer in advocating for people with learning disabilities. Still, the way it was presented kinda makes it seems like it is being implied that she has an intellectual disability, but they didn't mention one.
Ok, I just listened again and I still did not hear autism or the young lady described as being or having an intellectual disability.
@@VocalSpiritPresents @ 2:03 I dissed *him,* but he actually was referring to The President’s Committee for People With Intellectual Disabilities. She is demonstrating strong abilities. I personally have always preferred “handicaps” to “disabilities”. You know, if it’s good enough for golfers ….
As a neurodivergent women, who is at the same age as her, I am so grateful from the bottom of my heart that she is actively making a change for children with disabilities in the education system!
18!! That is horribly late. I’m so sorry you had to deal with that crap.
I'm confused why nobody thought to give her a typewriter or computer before then.
@@syscrashwashereprobably didn’t have the money
@@gwenmloveskpopcecmore dude come on, she didn’t just suddenly bust out with talking and communicating through writing all at once. We must be missing some context here, obviously she could have used a pen and paper if she’s able to use typing.
@@batacumba some autistic people have dyspraxia, which makes it difficult for them to hand-write using pen and paper. I personally had some classmates in elementary who struggled with this and were given accommodations of using these portable keyboard things that let them type their assignments on a small screen to account for their difficulty with hand writing. I'm a bit younger than the woman in this video so the technology quite possibly just actually wasn't there for her when she was younger, and then everyone got used to seeing her a certain way later on, so they didn't think to give her any other options. it's tragic that she was failed in this way but it happens.
@@ViolyreArt thanks for your perspective, you do make some good points. I’m 39 and as a kid even we had computers you could use to type on in school. She’s much younger than me so I’m just struggling to understand how no one recognized she had so much going on inside. It must have been torture for her.
I'm an autistic older adult. It is not safe to be autistic in this world, especially for those of us who were rejected by our families. There. Is little to no acceptance, support or hope. I don't see this getting any better for older adults in my lifetime, if anything it's gotten worse lately, but I really appreciate the awareness this amazing young lady is raising.
While I’m not trying to invalidate you or your opinion I definitely think your statement is untrue. Autistic people are entering and being accepted into the workforce today. That must be a great improvement.
It is unfortunate how many obstacles there are for people with Autism and other disabilities. We can hope that the number of allies continues to grow and we see kind people like many in this comment section and in the younger generations who speak up for inclusivity.
@@Neverender3367autistic people have always been in the workforce, we've just had to hide our autism from our bosses so we don't get fired. Also employers still regularly deny disabled employees medical accommodations and horrifically mistreat them.
@@Neverender3367 I have to disagree with you, somewhat. WIthin the workforce, I've noticed a growing trend centered around autistic hiring policies. Companies are attempting to hire those with autism for very specific, very stereotypical "autistic" related tasks and duties. Some may say, well what's wrong with that? That's a good thing. It's not a good thing because it still pigeon holes people with autism into a special group instead of inviting them into the fold of the larger pool of workers in all sorts of industries, jobs, etc.
As an occupational therapist, I greatly valued that you shared Jordan’s story. Verbal language is only one way that we can communicate and interact with one another, and lack of verbal language should never limit someone’s ability to participate in any activity that they want to. Go Jordan!
As a fellow OT (and appreciate-r of your user name), I agree!
This means a lot to me as an autistic individual. I do speak but I've always felt as though spoken language is a foreign language to me and I communicate better through written word.
Communication is so important for everyone but I wish this technology was more available to both children and adults who are autistic. I feel, as Jordyn pointed out, that non-speaking autistic children are segregated and are also pushed to speak when this is not what they are comfortable with.
I want society and especially teachers and the medical community to become comfortable with the fact that verbal speaking is not the only way to communicate and it's not always the best either.
Me too! But I love to talk and learn from others and do everything neurotypical people can
The segregated education is so frustrating. It completely prevents and removes people from educational opportunities that they would benefit so much from, and the impact is lifelong.
@@dragonflies6793 You are so right!
Hi, can I ask you, would Jordyn have been able to write or type before this technology? I know you may not know the answer, but I thought I would try asking. Thank you.
@@nspector I'm sorry, I don't know for sure. There is a documentary about her called "This Is Not About Me." Which I have not seen. There are more interviews about her and content on Google. Maybe try some more research?
I feel a huge sense of relief that she can communicate. Some of us who have speech are sill never heard.
I had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with Jordyn about 10 years ago. She’s honestly amazing and it’s very easy to be her friend. Glad to see that she’s doing well and achieving so much!
As a father to an autistic child, I can't say how important the message delivered here is.
She’s beautiful. Made me cry. God bless her.
Glad people who have autism are getting attention and opening our minds to the potential they have.
Our oldest child has autism and uses Chat GPT to help with organizing their thoughts. People like Sen. Fetterman have also shown how assistive technology can be used after suffeting a stroke.
She is amazing. ❤
Yes
This suggests a deep dark hole exists in the American school system that we have non-verbal children who are perfectly capable of communicating but not being given the tools to and likely also not being given an education anywhere near on-par with their verbal peers.
I’m an elementary sped para. The nonverbal kids do have aac devices provided by the school, but they get very little one-on-one instruction on how to use them. A speech therapist works with them like 30 min a week, if that. And, in my school at least, the kids are not going to speech therapy outside of school. And it’s apparent they are not using the aac at home. Often times the parents forget to bring the device to school or bring it with no charge 😢 we do our best to encourage the kids to use them to communicate, but also we have little to no training on how to use them, plus each kid has a totally different app or set of categories to navigate. It seems the aac devices are a well-intentioned thing, but the implementation is not well-thought out. Plus is doesn’t work for all nonverbal kids. Some end up using them, some don’t. But they definitely need to be given the one-on-one speech therapy consistently, at home and at school, for it to work.
She is literally the sweetest, her spirit is just the absolute best, well wishes to her and the children she helps!
That’s awesome Jordyn. Thanks for speaking up for people with disabilities! As someone who’s also young with a disability thank you.
What an amazing young lady, I wish her years of success! When I was a bus driver, many of my passengers were non-verbal. I made a point of being polite to every one of them, (verbal or not). I would smile and say "welcome aboard", and "have a nice day". I don't know if they could understand me or not, but kindess is free. I wanted to be sure that they would feel welcome, included, and most importantly; safe.
As an autistic girl who can speak and who didn’t start speaking til 4 I admire her wanting to be an advocate despite not being able to speak at her age ❤
Always assume competence for people who are non-speaking.
Absolutely!!
This is what I have read as well.
I worked with a non-verbal autistic kindergartner several years ago. She reminds me SO much of him, even that mischievous smile. I certainly hope he gets access to this same technology, as I know he has much to tell us. I watched him use Google to discover new information.
How can I add a million likes to this video? I'm in tears. This is incredibly inspiring
I’ve had autism for 39 years. I type out these sentences just fine and actually thrive communicating by text message, email, written words anywhere. I actually made a 99% on my final grade in composition class in college and really blossom when I need to write anything.
Verbal communication is a whole other story.
Many people are offended the moment I open my mouth. I stutter a lot. I cannot remember my words. Often, I call people by the name of my cats. I call males either Spot or Zinger, and I call females Pringles or Pickles. I’m not able to communicate verbally so much that working is impossible. Getting through school has been more difficult. 😣
Thank you for your share. As we stand up for ourselves and articulate our experience with others, we are co-creating a new reality for ourselves. We deserve to thrive and live fulfilling lives.
I couldn't imagine not having a voice, especially without having technology, and being locked in my own thoughts 0_o
Awesome she's been able to express herself ❤
Same !, thatd be awful !!☹️😬
I wonder if she wasn’t able to learn ASL?!!
I'm fully verbal, but I had significant speech delays growing up (its fluctuated over time but i was around 5-10 years behind in verbal communication skills growing up). It's absolutely torture. Especially when people assume lack of speech means lack of intelligence. People will comfortably and casually insult you to your face and you don't have the means to defend yourself. It's incredibly common for autistic people, especially autistic children, to break down sobbing due to the inability to convey their thoughts, feelings, needs, etc.
@@tati9867 her doctors likely wrongfully assumed she was not mentally competent enough to learn it
I saw her documentary This Is Not About Me
as someone diagnosed with (3) Autism spectrum disorder of an Asperger syndrome type (ASD-AS) that is included in the DSM-5 as ASD of level 1 ..i know that Miss Zimmerman is the perfect spokesperson/advocate for ASD ! my friend has a non verbal autistic son, that loves offering his highly intelligent opinions on the computer. he's 30 now still hasn't spoken verbally but maybe one day.
Amazing story ❤
This should really go viral, there is still so much ignorance on autism and it's sad. Many parents of autistic children don't even understand their on kids and it's 2024. I'm a speaking autistic person who's 25 and I was treated unfairly in public school too, I can't even imagine how bad it was for people like Jordyn, who were non speaking. I hope more people see this interview and open their minds.
I’m not crying, you’re crying. This story is exceptional. Makes me so happy to see
Wow! This is so amazing. I love that we are making space for everyone.
What a beautiful young woman! I love this segment! I’m so glad she has a voice! I have so much excitement knowing that technology can help people these days. This just proves it! She is shaping the world!
Wow! That's amazing and so incredible she can express herself this way.... ❤
To think her eloquence and insight was assumed to into exist just because she wasn’t given a way to communicate her thoughts is unreal. What a gem.
Amazing and inspiring. Really appreciate this story and bringing more awareness to autism. I can only hope our child with ASD will find his calling and “voice” one day.
Beautiful! ❤❤ as a autistic person,I love this story. I did struggle when I was young and still do til this day. I would say this video gives me hope. I think she had a Boston terrier in her photo, and due to the recent loss of my Clementine.. it just makes the story even more great. 😢 I hope she knows how many other autistic people, my self included, how much this is impactful
Aw shes a lovely soul. Bless her :)
She is a amazing person I understand how hard it’s for people to for disability because I am have disability
Blessings and good luck for Jordyn
Damn 18 years and having all those thoughts. Glad she's communicating freely
I actually met Jordyn in 2015, she was invited to go to Walt Disney World with my (now) ex-wife's son's class at a local school for autism in northeast Ohio (CARES the Cardinal Autism Research and Education School, in Mentor, Ohio). She has always been bright and bubbly. It's great to see the awesome work she's doing
We *all* contribute to changing the world. Every single one of us. 💜
This is just remarkable!! Glad bless her!!
I'm almost 40 years old and I'm so burnt out on life from seeing the wickedness of the world and the disregard humans have for one another, but every now and then, I see a story like this that brings tears to my eyes, because this woman has an incredibly opptimistic outlook and wants to be a force for change. The first and last statement she made hit me square in the heart. I hope she goes on to change "our" world for the better.
Jordyn, you're awesome, reshape the world hun!! ❤❤❤
Such a shame that they insisted on being ableist even though she describes herself in identity first language. Every autistic person should have the access to an AAC. Why the f*ck did it take so long for her to get a voice? As an autistic person with an autistic child please stop limiting us
Not even sure what that first sentence means. I have been in the field for ten years, this is advanced TECHNOLOGY, technology needs time to develop. This is like being mad it took so long for cell phones to exist.
im in tears . so amazing she can communicate finally!
God, this gives me so much hope. Thank you Jordan❤
It's about time we stop looking at autism as something limiting and accept it as something amazing. I've worked with children and adults with autism for over 20 years and it has completely changed the way I view all people. Everyone is unique and has something they are good at doing. We just need to open our minds and hearts to that and we can begin to see that we are all more alike and that we all have a place we can be happy and successful in life.
Thank you so much for your advocacy. Your open heart and mind truly makes a positive impact on all with whom you come into contact and beyond!
Im impressed and proud of her ♥
So inspiring!
This has the potential for impact in so many ways. People with autism, people who've suffered strokes or TBIs, people who've suffered trauma, and more. I love that we are realizing that being non-verbal (for whatever reason) does not mean one can not think, feel or contribute. Additionally, it feels validating that society is recognizing people with disabilities are fully functioning members of society and can and SHOULD have seats at tables of all kinds. We have a long, long way to go in fully integrating all members of society into a collaborative body of human beings, of course. But the education and technology advancements of the last 50 years have lead to this moment.
She has a beautiful smile!!
Fascinating… I wish there was more reporting on the technology behind these remarkable advancements…. Incredible Jordyn!!!
God Bless this incredible beautiful intelligent young woman
She is incredible and so inspirational wow !!!!! Amazing ❤
When my autistic son suddenly came "online" and started speaking to us it was like I finally saw sun after years of darkness. She is such an inspiration to all who are dealing with this autistic life (I had to mask it as a child).
Yes girl!!
I loved her documentary! (This is not about me) She’s awesome for all her work and how much she’s grown!
Amazing young lady.
crying....she is amazing
Powerful!! ❤
Jordan is a remarkable woman. I worked for a company that provided job development and training for people with various disabilities. Some were older non-speaking adults who weren’t given any chance to learn and develop communication skills when young. This was in the 1990s so many of these individuals were born in the 50s and 60s, before kids with developmental disabilities were mainstreamed into regular classrooms.
I love her !! I admire her !!
It's small, but I love the way the interviewer talks to her like the grown adult she is. Too many people infantilize disabled people, especially those who don't speak.
I love this sooooooo much as a person with a disability also great comment gail💕💕💕
The school system and teachers worked hard to educate our autistic son. The class also embraced him. I have seen nothing but acceptance and accommodation.
So inspiring
I have austim myself I can talk sometimes there are words I can’t pronounce n I don’t like the sirens on the fire truck I have to cover my ears! I do appreciate this lady got her voice finally!
Great job Jordyn!! I am a big fan of yours. Please keep it up!!
So happy for her. I think we need to start rethinking what autism really is. It's a nervous system that was wired differently than a neurotypical's. It just means that the pathways used for verbal ability, sensory experience, and physical movement, etc., is different than how it is for a neurotypical/allistic person. We need to find ways to communicate with them and allow them to communicate with us.
Amazing Lady
Great piece thanks for sharing
So cool!
Wonderful story !
We have a friend who had a stroke and can't talk anymore. He was being helped to use a tablet to communicate, but I don't think he got approved to keep it after finally got to go home a year later. This technology to help with speech isn't cheap.
There are free cell phone apps for speech. I have one.
@@namewithay Thanks, I will look into that. Do you have any suggestions? I don't what he was using but it had pictures, or icons, that he could tap, it was a tablet. I'll ask his dad what ever happened with that tablet this weekend.
Another resource is AT4All. I believe most every state has one. They can help with funding options and may have used or donated devices or software. Check to see if your friend qualifies for speech therapy through insurance/Medicare/Medicaid. A speech therapist would have more knowledge about local resources and current “best” apps.
Should be free
@@L.Spencer Retired speech/language pathologist here. The communication app with icons sounds like Proloquo2go.
I work in ABA with non-verbal children daily and teach them how to use those devices! The behavioral cusp the device has on the learner is amazing, new worlds open up to them they didn't know existed before!!!! PLEASE TREAT THEM WITH THE UPMOST DIGNITY AND RESPECT, just because they can't respond does not make them less of a human! Individuals with ASD have SO many different wants and needs and it CHANGES FROM DAY TO DAY! STOP JUDGING THEM AND THE PEOPLE WORKING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER!
Thank you Jordyn
i'm so confused. she was never exposed to a computer or keyboard or writing before the age of 18? lmao
"...she was soon separated from the other children. Unable to communicate, teachers thought she was also unable to understand or learn. Year after year, her behavior worsened. She was restrained and placed in seclusion."
Great segment!! ❤
Blessed
The label "intellectual ability" was created to take the place of the R word. But at the end of the day it's the same exact label and it is just as insulting. Many non-speaking people are highly intelligent.
I’m on the low end of the autism spectrum, but I still have communication issues.
When I’m nervous, sad, mad, or any other intense emotional feeling, it’s kind of like my speech zone and my mouth disconnect. When that happens it’s almost like being mute and I can only really communicate with text or writing, and more recently with ASL.
I didn’t realize there were others on the spectrum who had even greater troubles with speech. It’s humbling and comforting at the same time.
Beautiful.
YES SPREAD THE WORD
this poor woman. i would like to see a study on what causes some people with autism to never be verbal
She’s incredible and I’m sure her did right by her.
Higher taxes on super wealthy corporations and individuals for the tax dollars to pay for these services
She’s a TRUE Hero
I just came to see how.....I love stuff like this
They need that app on Android too
They do, there's plenty of text-to-speech apps.
Go Jordan!!
This is a great story, thank you for it. I'd like to see more stories like this in the future. My son is autistic, he is verbal, but we certainly deal with many challenges in this Neurotypical(NT,) extraverted world.
The only thing I'd like to add is most autistics don't like to be referred to as someone "With Autism". That has a fairly negative connotation to it, almost like it's some kind of disease; it's not. They prefer to simply be called autistic.
I’m not allowed to say my 4 year old daughter is autistic in my house. Nobody wants to hear it after an occupational therapist diagnosed her with a simple speech delay because she has a very slight drawl when she speaks but she can speak, make eye contact and respond to contextual questions to a limit. The OT admitted that if she is autistic, they couldn’t definitively tell because she was only two and seemed like typical age appropriate behavior when they evaluated her. They said they had more severe cases and not enough appointments for deeper evaluation. My daughter’s father and the rest of the extended family only heard “she’s fine” and “you’re just trying to label her”. As she got older, the autistic symptoms became more obvious to me. Repeating things after me in conversation, doesn’t seem to be interested in playing with other children, sometimes doesn’t answer her name, blank smile when I want to know if she’s feeling sick, the unexplained rashes and allergies and digestive issues…there’s more. It was all oxidative stress in vitro from my malnutrition as I eventually would start getting sick as well. I fear for her schooling and learning when she starts school.
You can look into Gestalt Language Processor for communication and Interoceptive Awareness for body awareness. As her mom, you have the intuition. Be gentle but don't give up. Best of luck.
I’m one of the many people who has AUTISM here in the world