They said her son would never live on his own...now he thrives in the community she built.
On this episode of Celebrate Your Story, I sit down with Denise Resnik, trailblazing founder of the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center and First Place AZ. From her son’s autism diagnosis at age two to reshaping real estate with purpose, Denise’s story is one of innovation, advocacy, and unshakable love.
She shares how she went from launching a real estate marketing firm to transforming blighted buildings into vibrant mixed-use housing communities that integrate people with autism, seniors, and the broader public. We discuss the heartbreak of being told to institutionalize her son, the grit it took to build new systems from scratch, and the vision behind a new marketplace for housing and community that includes everyone.
Now leading a national movement through First Place’s Global Leadership Institute and the Vote the Spectrum initiative, Denise is proving that when we plan for inclusion, we build something better for all of us.
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