Emily Kircher-Morris welcomes Cody Clark, a magician and autistic self-advocate, to talk about Cody's unique approach to blending storytelling and sleight of hand to offer audiences a more authentic perspective on autism. They discuss Cody's personal experiences as a kid, before he understood his autism diagnosis, and how the diagnosis shaped his life. They talk about the importance of embracing special interests, as Cody did for his journey into magic, and the effect of advocacy work for disability inclusion and self-employment for autistic people.
TAKEAWAYS
-
Magic and storytelling can help reveal an authentic autistic perspective.
-
The power of special interests shapes one's journey.
-
Understanding an autism diagnosis can be life-changing.
-
Advocacy for disability inclusion is crucial.
-
Self-employment is a viable path for autistic people.
-
Magic can be a form of self-advocacy.
Join us for our free event, Creating Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools, a learning and continuing education opportunity. The event will feature a presentation by Emily Kircher-Morris and Amanda Morin, and you'll hear from a panel of experts about the future of education. Register now!
Check out a couple of tricks from Cody the Magician.
Look, it's Cosmo the puppy, the newest addition to Emily and Dave's family!
Check out the Neurodiversity University courses we talked about in today's episode.
Cody Clark is a professional magician and autistic self-advocate based in Louisville, KY, who uses storytelling and sleight of hand to shift perceptions of autism. Through his performances and talks, Cody shares how being autistic shapes the way he experiences the world, helping audiences—from students to educators to corporate teams—recognize that autistic individuals have the same hopes, dreams, and capacity for connection as anyone else.
Cody has performed and spoken for a wide range of clients, including the University of Kentucky, Ohio State University, Energizer Batteries, Domino’s Pizza, and the Delta Faucet Company. He has even testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee as a voice for disability inclusion.
BACKGROUND READING
Cody’s website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok
The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you’re invited to join our Facebook Group.
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com