September 14, 2025 • 31 mins
Elijah gets you caught up on his past week, & talks about his role as a para educator, his community work with his nonprofit, & how he trying to sync them together.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
You're listening to The Elijah Winfrey Show, a space for inspiration, impact,
and community connection. Each week, Elijah shares the latest on
his work in the community, answers listener questions, and reflects
on the week that was, from acts of kindness to
real conversations that matter. This is where purpose meets positivity.
(00:23):
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Here's your host,
Elijah Winfrey.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Hello, folks, and welcome to the Elijah Winfrey Show. I
am a DJA host, Elijah Winfrey. I'm excited to be
with you once again. We have a great show lined
up for you today, folks. Instead of taking listener questions,
We're going to talk a bit about my journey into
my community work and my role as a para educator
(00:55):
or para professional, however you may phrase that. I'm excited
to talk about this part of my journey and my story.
I get asked this question quite a bit from a
lot of you who listened to the show, who wanted
this as a topic today to better understand how I
go about things, or you know, what it's like for
(01:16):
me to have a small business and run a nonprofit
and interact with families in the community and also how
does it translate in the classroom?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Right?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
So I'm going to share a bit about, you know,
that journey that I am currently in at the moment
with you all. But before I get into that, let
me get you caught up on my past week. It
was a really good week for me. I think I'm
beginning to settle in inside of the classroom as.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
A parent educator.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
And once again, you learn new things every day, right,
and so you know that has continued to have and
for me, and I am surrounded by a great group
of teachers in the building as well. Shout out to
all the teachers and parent educators at Sunset Elementary.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
It has been.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
A wonderful four years now and things have gotten off
to a decent start. You know, as all of us know,
we have good days and we have bad days, and
you process those days as best you can, and we
are all doing that. I know that I am. So
my week was productive on that point. From a nonprofit perspective,
(02:40):
we're picking up a little bit of steam. You know,
as we get closer and closer to the end of
the year, we really start identifying families in their needs
a little bit more. Not that we don't do it
throughout the year, but as we get closer to the holidays,
you know, we really try to zero in on, you know,
family that are in really in need the most, and
(03:06):
things will get busy starting October and they'll run through
the end.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Of the year.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
So we're making sure that we have everything in place
to assist as many families as we can, and also
if we can't do that, we're able to reroute families
to other services and other organizations that can help them
as well.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
I love being, you know, a part of all of it.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
It is inspiring impactful to me as a person as
I continue to grow and learn about, you know, the
work that I do in the community, and surrounding yourself
with people that know more than you. It's also a
good thing, you know. I feel like you learn. I
know I learned. So we're getting ready to take off.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
On that journey.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
I can announce that I have found an illustrator and
I'm excited about that.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
And she is currently.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
I'm not gonna reveal her name yet, We're gonna We're
gonna wait to do that as we get closer to
the launch of the book, but she is already in
production with the illustrations. So this next book is a
I feel, my best book yet. I I've gotten this
(04:32):
writing sensation down pat, I think, and I think it
was something that was hidden deep inside of me. And
you know, I am really enjoying this process. I took
a little break for a couple of weeks to kind
of recharge. Not that I had to, I just wanted to,
you know, kind of space things out. And you know,
I'm feeling refreshed, and you know, I think this story
(04:55):
is gonna it's really going to be an impactful one
and I can't wait to share it with all of you.
So stay tuned on that front. But I have found
my next illustrator, So that's a great thing over the
summer I would like to share with all of you,
and even my wife. This is something she doesn't know yet,
(05:18):
but I'm sure she's going to find out listening to
this show.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
I wrote a bill on immigration last summer.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
I wrote a bill for teachers and low income families
regarding you know, teacher pay and helping kids, you know,
with school meals. I have since passed that bill along
to the legislators here in my home state, and I
am going to do the same with this immigration bill.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
And again, you.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Know, I've gotten the writing bug, and there's so many
things things inside of my head that I am releasing
in a I want to say, a powerful, productive and
loving way. It has really inspired me to share my ideas.
Now will they even consider you know, this bill that
(06:20):
I'm writing maybe not right. But all I can do
is write it, get in contact with local legislators like
I did the first time, and see if I can
set up a time to come down and talk about
it and share it and see see what they think
about it. You know, I think it's important that we
all continue to do the work necessary to make sure
(06:41):
that we all have a chance here in this country.
So I worked really hard this summer on that, and
I was drafting it quietly behind the scenes. You know,
you see the news and you see things happening, and
you try to figure out ways to create your own
avenue to create change. And you know, I am trying
(07:02):
my hardest to do that, and so I try to
work quietly behind the scenes, and once things come to fruition,
I try to share them with people. Sometimes it's received
really well. Sometimes people, you know, tell me to go away,
but that it's silly, you know, but it doesn't stop
me from moving forward. And I encourage you all to
do the same. If you have something that you're passionate
(07:22):
about that will help the world be a better place,
I think you should share it. You know, everybody has
their own avenues or lanes that they're processing information or
audient information out.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
You know, I'm no different.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
You know, we live in a world full of opinionaires, right,
So all I'm trying to do is share mine in
a positive and loving way. I don't want to shout
at anybody. I don't want to get personal with anybody.
You know, I think we can sit down as adults
and talk about it. So I did that, you know,
(07:56):
that came together and I'm excited to to share that legislators,
and I.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Want to share that with you today.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
So my week is my past week has been productive
and again, you know, I'm finding those pockets of time
for wellness for me. I'm able to step back at
times and reflect on on where I am and what
I need in order to function as my best self.
And it is working. So things are are going well. Physically, Mentally,
(08:26):
I'm doing okay. You know, I'm still not sleeping really well.
But I do have an appointment next month and we're
hoping to try a couple of new things that will
probably or hopefully help me get some sleep. So all
in all, things are going well. Family is doing good.
There are really no no complaints, and I can ramble
(08:51):
on about myself for for ages, but you know that's
that's not what we're going to do today, and that's
not really met transition into the the show. Quickly shout
out to my producer, Greg Nice for always putting the
show in positions to succeed. He does a great job
of making sure the show is being seen, being heard.
(09:13):
And thank you to the live listeners today and every
week that I am here.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
On the show.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Let's talk a little bit about, you know, my nonprofit journey.
You know, I've worked with families and need for a
long time, and you know, I've raised awareness for autism
and I've tried to.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Be a bridge for people who feel overlooked.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
You know, when I started advocating for my niece and nephew,
my sister didn't have a voice and I wanted to
be that voice. Now I had to educate myself, and
that's an ongoing process. You know, when you're raising awareness
for autism because the spectrum is so broad, you're learning
new things every day. But I wanted to be a voice,
(10:02):
and I wanted to start a nonprofit to help more
families in need, you know, And it is it is
hard work. It is very rewarding work, you know, at
the end of the day, you know, I autism advocate.
Advocacy to me is personal because sometimes I ask myself,
(10:26):
am I doing enough to create understanding and not just awareness?
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Right? You know?
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Am I Am I really having honest conversations not just
with myself but with people around me who are also
advocates of people and families who were trying to learn
Because when you when you break it down, autism awareness
is just the beginning. What families really need, what they're
(10:57):
really in search of, is acceptance and inclusion. An inclusion
nowadays and a lot of things has become a I
don't want to say dirty word, but it's it's it's
becoming a buzzword in my opinion, because I think sometimes
we go about it the right way and sometimes I
(11:18):
think we go about it the wrong way. And I've
talked about this on the show before, and I've made
a post about inclusion, you know, on my social media websites.
You know, I think we have to all find the
middle ground on inclusion and sometimes we have to get
(11:41):
out of our own way. I know I've had to
do that, right. I think you learn hard lessons when
you sit down and you really listening process to what
someone's what someone else is saying about their version of inclusion,
whether you agree with it or not. You're trying to
figure out where they're coming from. So then you can
try to make you know your point balid or you
(12:04):
want to find a way to get to the middle.
And I've had to learn to do that. But I've
also seen where a lot of times ego plays a
large role and people talking about an inclusion because everybody
thinks they know everybody. For the most part, everybody thinks
(12:24):
they know and nobody's really taking the time to really
listen without getting offended. So I'm hoping that we continue
to do a better job talking about inclusion and acceptance
right because I think sometimes there's including going on, but
there's not inclusion going on, and rather than call someone out,
(12:49):
it's easy to do in front of everybody. You know,
I love to sit down with people in private and
talk about, you know, their definition, why they see it
that way. Is there any chance you can listen to
another opinion? Is there any way to have this conversation
get to a point where we can agree to disagree,
(13:12):
or come to a conclusion where we can agree that
we all still need work regarding this word and this definition.
If that makes sense to anyone listening to the show
right now. I know some of you ask me about
it all the time, and I don't know. There's some
people who agree with me. There's some people that do
(13:33):
not agree with me, and I totally understand it. You know, again,
we all have our definitions. I'm willing to listen to
all sides, hoping that we can find common grounds. You know,
I've also in working with my nonprofit, I've met parents
who tell me how it can be exhausting to consistently
(14:00):
explained to their child, you know, about their behaviors. I've
listened to young people on the autism spectrum, sure their
dreams that you know, sometimes others doubt it that they
could get to. You know, my former co host Tony
Bouchet and I we talk about that before we went
(14:20):
live on the show, or in the green room, right,
there's a lot of conversations about about about this, but
a lot of parents are really struggling, and some would
admit that they were embarrassed because they don't know what
(14:40):
to do right. They've run out of options, some have
run out of patience. And what I've learned and what
I have communicated to families and other advocates is this
autism is not something to fit. It's not a limitation.
(15:04):
It really isn't. I think it's a different way of
experiencing the world. That's as clearly as I see it now.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
I know.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
It's it's just my opinion, but I think sometimes we
we think or we try to fix people and you can't,
and we have to remember that it's and it's not
(15:39):
a limitation as well. And you know, there's one story
that stays with me quite a bit, and it's from
a young man that I met at a community event.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
You know, back in.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
When I really started, you know, I would meet a
lot of dads who would talk about their kids on
the spectrum in private, and they would talk about their struggles,
and it so happened at this event I met this
young man who was on the spectrum. You know he
loved golf, but he struggled with people telling him he
(16:19):
couldn't play because of his autism diagnosis. Right, Some were
afraid he's going to be too repetitive, or he's going
to have an outburst. And I simply told him, you know,
golf is about patients and practice. It's not about it's
not about being perfect. It's not You're learning more about
yourself when you're patient in those moments and you're not
(16:42):
trying to be perfect. So as the event went on,
you know, he would hit a ball straight down the
fairway and he would look back at me, and the
look on his face set it all.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
It was like he he didn't need permission to belong anymore.
He knew he already belonged on the golf course with
all of us, and he was thriving and he was
enjoying the moment. And that's what I love about the
work that I do with my nonprofit. So when I
(17:22):
talk about autism, I try to stress this to families
and to anyone that is listening to me. Families need allies,
They need us all to celebrate the victories, right, no
matter how small they are.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
We need to celebrate it.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
They need us to listen, and I not always rush
in with the with the answer or the answer we
think is the valid answer. They need us to stop
judging them and just simply include them, give them a shot, and.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
If you do that, there will be success.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Just like most things we do in life, it takes time,
and this is where patients and practice comes into play.
Every day isn't going to be a good day, right,
but there's something good in it, even if it's small.
You celebrate that small victory in that tough day. So
(18:45):
I think we just we need to I don't want
to say relate to families, right, I don't want to.
I don't want to say that, But I do think
we need to practice more patients and understand it about
where they're coming from. And I often ask myself, you
know that question, how patient am I?
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Right?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
How can I use my platforms to make sure their
voices are being heard?
Speaker 3 (19:16):
That's why I keep showing up. That's why I love
the work that I do.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
It's encouraging, it's inspirational, it's impactful to me, and I
hope that others do the same. Now, transitioning to the classroom,
this is where I've had the the most difficult time
(19:43):
in trying to make my work in the community sync
up in the classroom.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Right, there are a set of.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Rules that we all have to abide by in business
and whatever you do, right, you walk into these establishments
and they have rules and regulations for a reason, And
I get that.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
I rock with that, right.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
I have rules and regulations with my nonprofit and I
want everybody to abide by that.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
So I get it.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
So there are things that I can't really do per
se in the school system that I could do in
my community work I have. I have more freedom to
say what I want to say, whether it's brutally honest
or not. You know, I'm able to do that in
(20:28):
with my nonprofit and community work. When I'm meeting with
families in the school not so much, which again it's
it's it's fine because I I can abide by rules
I can't just like most of us.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
You know. I think.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
When I when I walk in as a parent educator,
the first thing that I say to myself, I have
to remind myself that this is more than just a job.
It's a calling a friend. Thought that I'd be an
asset and have impact in this building, and you know,
that's a calling. So it's more than the job, and
(21:07):
it's my responsibility to make sure that these kids know
that they matter. Now, how do I go about that
without crossing that line of merging my nonprofit in the building.
That's a different story, you know, And I don't do that.
(21:27):
I do my very best not to do that. Sometimes
it pains me, but I know for the greater good
for the school and the child, that's how it has
to be. So I have to ask myself in the morning,
right when I look in the mirror, am I patient enough?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Right?
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Am I consistent enough for these kids to depend on
me when it gets tough for them?
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Well?
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I have the right answers. Not always.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Right.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
We don't always have the right answers. But I ask
myself those questions every day, Right. It gets me going.
And then when I'm in those moments and I think
about those moments and great things are happening, it makes
it all worth So it's a steady progression to merge
(22:29):
the two. And when I say merge the two, I
don't mean I want my nonprofit in the building. That's
not what I'm saying. I'm saying I want to mentally
feel like I'm doing the same thing I would do
in the community, or I'm saying the same thing to
a kid that I would say to a kid in
(22:50):
the community.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
Like that's what I mean, And you know I am.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
I get asked often, do you do you like being
a pair of educator? And I say, yes, I like it.
I want to love it. But I know it's gonna
take time, right, I know it's not instant. Right, there's
a process that I am going through right now to
try to get to a point where I love the
work that I do, and I know that's gonna take time.
(23:22):
And as long as I do the things that I'm
supposed to do, I'm gonna progress. And I know progress
it looks different to some people than it does to me.
Sometimes it's not just getting it's not just getting a
perfect score on this test.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Right.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Sometimes progress is just simple communication with your group in
the class. You're breaking the ice. Finally they're starting to
trust you a little bit a little bit more. And
you know, I feel like the work that I do
(24:06):
in the community it's getting closer to where I wanted
to sync up with the things that I do in
the classroom. Right, I love talking about or instilling confidence
and resilience and kindness in these kids. Those lessons matter
just as much as matha reading, and I try to
(24:27):
carry those lessons with me every single day. So I'm
getting closer on that front, and I know many of
you have asked about that. I am definitely working hard
on trying to make things sink up, but I really
(24:52):
do enjoy being in the building. It's an absolute blessing
to have someone see your and think that you can
make a solid difference in the lives of kids, and
that's what it's been about for me. So as I
get closer to making things sync up and kind of
(25:15):
making it making it one where I'm not being any
different in my community role as I am and as
my pair of role, I think then I'll get to
that point where I really love what I do. And
again it takes time. I didn't foresee myself being a
para educator ever ever, but I think as you do
(25:38):
the work in the community and people see you and
they see how genuine you are, they do they start
to ask if you could be more flexible and maybe
branch out and do something else that connects to your purpose.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
And what I am.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
I'm really starting to realize is that, you know, the
beauty of my journey so and so far with these
two is realizing that the classroom and the community are
deeply connected.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Now I haven't gotten.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Really deep yet, but I do feel like they're deeply connected.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
So I'm working hard on it.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
And you know, sometimes I I wonder, you know, out
loud sometimes, you know, how do I make sure you
know both worlds feed each other right? How do I
make sure that you know I am I'm doing right
by my organization and I'm doing right by kids in
(26:50):
the classroom, you know, in that role. And I come
back to the same answer every time. As long as
I'm showing up consistency and kindness, it doesn't matter where
I am.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
I'm there. I'm present.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Because you know, at the end of the day, whether
I'm working with a student one on one, or helping
a family with services and needs, or I'm hosting this
show using this show as a platform as a vehicle,
the mission is the same.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
And You've heard me say.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
This over and over and over again, and I'm going
to say it right now. The mission has always been
to make someone or something better, including myself and I
feel like I'm doing that.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
So here's a question.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
As we as we wind down the show today, here's
a question I want to leave you with.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
What role do you play in your community?
Speaker 2 (28:02):
In your classroom, as a teacher or as a staff member,
what role will you play? Maybe it's just, you know,
encouraging a child. Maybe outside of the classroom or outside
of the school, you're supporting a neighbor. Maybe it's about
(28:24):
educating yourself about autism, right, so you can be a
better ally. The word ally it's a loaded word for me.
We'll get into that on another show. But you ask
yourself those questions. But whatever you're doing in the classroom
(28:45):
and in your community, you just know that your effort matters.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Right.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
I always say, the smallest act of kindness, the simplest gesture,
doesn't matter how big it is or how smaller. This right,
the smallest act of kindness goes a long way. A
gesture of inclusion goes a long way. It can change
(29:11):
your life. And it's it's true, it can, it really can.
So ask yourself that question, think about that. Where are
you in this in this journey about autism? We're all
(29:32):
still growing, evolving and educating ourselves.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
Remember that.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
As we come to the end of the show, I
would like to thank all of you live listeners each
week you show up for me and your emails. You know,
your follows of the show really mean a lot. I
really appreciate it. I don't think the show would be
(30:03):
nearly as successful without all of you supporting and saying
some kind things about the things that I do and
the work that I do in the community. I really
appreciate it. Again, shout out my amazing producer. He's always
setting me up for success. I am forever grateful for that.
(30:23):
To all of you that download the show, thank you,
thank you, thank you very very much. Do me a
favor as we approach the upcoming week. Get out in
your communities and check in on your family and friends.
All right, put a smile on someone's face. Remember it
doesn't take a lot of energy to do that at all.
(30:45):
Thank you for listening to The Elijah Way for the show.
Please be sure to download this show whatever you download
your favorite podcast till next week.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
Take care, God bless me. How about it and
You're listening to The Elijah Winfrey Show, a space for inspiration, impact,
and community connection. Each week, Elijah shares the latest on
his work in the community, answers listener questions, and reflects
on the week that was, from acts of kindness to
real conversations that matter. This is where purpose meets positivity.
(00:23):
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Here's your host,
Elijah Winfrey.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Hello, folks, and welcome to the Elijah Winfrey Show. I
am a DJA host, Elijah Winfrey. I'm excited to be
with you once again. We have a great show lined
up for you today, folks. Instead of taking listener questions,
We're going to talk a bit about my journey into
my community work and my role as a para educator
(00:55):
or para professional, however you may phrase that. I'm excited
to talk about this part of my journey and my story.
I get asked this question quite a bit from a
lot of you who listened to the show, who wanted
this as a topic today to better understand how I
go about things, or you know, what it's like for
(01:16):
me to have a small business and run a nonprofit
and interact with families in the community and also how
does it translate in the classroom?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Right?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
So I'm going to share a bit about, you know,
that journey that I am currently in at the moment
with you all. But before I get into that, let
me get you caught up on my past week. It
was a really good week for me. I think I'm
beginning to settle in inside of the classroom as.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
A parent educator.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
And once again, you learn new things every day, right,
and so you know that has continued to have and
for me, and I am surrounded by a great group
of teachers in the building as well. Shout out to
all the teachers and parent educators at Sunset Elementary.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
It has been.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
A wonderful four years now and things have gotten off
to a decent start. You know, as all of us know,
we have good days and we have bad days, and
you process those days as best you can, and we
are all doing that. I know that I am. So
my week was productive on that point. From a nonprofit perspective,
(02:40):
we're picking up a little bit of steam. You know,
as we get closer and closer to the end of
the year, we really start identifying families in their needs
a little bit more. Not that we don't do it
throughout the year, but as we get closer to the holidays,
you know, we really try to zero in on, you know,
family that are in really in need the most, and
(03:06):
things will get busy starting October and they'll run through
the end.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Of the year.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
So we're making sure that we have everything in place
to assist as many families as we can, and also
if we can't do that, we're able to reroute families
to other services and other organizations that can help them
as well.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
I love being, you know, a part of all of it.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
It is inspiring impactful to me as a person as
I continue to grow and learn about, you know, the
work that I do in the community, and surrounding yourself
with people that know more than you. It's also a
good thing, you know. I feel like you learn. I
know I learned. So we're getting ready to take off.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
On that journey.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
I can announce that I have found an illustrator and
I'm excited about that.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
And she is currently.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
I'm not gonna reveal her name yet, We're gonna We're
gonna wait to do that as we get closer to
the launch of the book, but she is already in
production with the illustrations. So this next book is a
I feel, my best book yet. I I've gotten this
(04:32):
writing sensation down pat, I think, and I think it
was something that was hidden deep inside of me. And
you know, I am really enjoying this process. I took
a little break for a couple of weeks to kind
of recharge. Not that I had to, I just wanted to,
you know, kind of space things out. And you know,
I'm feeling refreshed, and you know, I think this story
(04:55):
is gonna it's really going to be an impactful one
and I can't wait to share it with all of you.
So stay tuned on that front. But I have found
my next illustrator, So that's a great thing over the
summer I would like to share with all of you,
and even my wife. This is something she doesn't know yet,
(05:18):
but I'm sure she's going to find out listening to
this show.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
I wrote a bill on immigration last summer.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
I wrote a bill for teachers and low income families
regarding you know, teacher pay and helping kids, you know,
with school meals. I have since passed that bill along
to the legislators here in my home state, and I
am going to do the same with this immigration bill.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
And again, you.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Know, I've gotten the writing bug, and there's so many
things things inside of my head that I am releasing
in a I want to say, a powerful, productive and
loving way. It has really inspired me to share my ideas.
Now will they even consider you know, this bill that
(06:20):
I'm writing maybe not right. But all I can do
is write it, get in contact with local legislators like
I did the first time, and see if I can
set up a time to come down and talk about
it and share it and see see what they think
about it. You know, I think it's important that we
all continue to do the work necessary to make sure
(06:41):
that we all have a chance here in this country.
So I worked really hard this summer on that, and
I was drafting it quietly behind the scenes. You know,
you see the news and you see things happening, and
you try to figure out ways to create your own
avenue to create change. And you know, I am trying
(07:02):
my hardest to do that, and so I try to
work quietly behind the scenes, and once things come to fruition,
I try to share them with people. Sometimes it's received
really well. Sometimes people, you know, tell me to go away,
but that it's silly, you know, but it doesn't stop
me from moving forward. And I encourage you all to
do the same. If you have something that you're passionate
(07:22):
about that will help the world be a better place,
I think you should share it. You know, everybody has
their own avenues or lanes that they're processing information or
audient information out.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
You know, I'm no different.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
You know, we live in a world full of opinionaires, right,
So all I'm trying to do is share mine in
a positive and loving way. I don't want to shout
at anybody. I don't want to get personal with anybody.
You know, I think we can sit down as adults
and talk about it. So I did that, you know,
(07:56):
that came together and I'm excited to to share that legislators,
and I.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Want to share that with you today.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
So my week is my past week has been productive
and again, you know, I'm finding those pockets of time
for wellness for me. I'm able to step back at
times and reflect on on where I am and what
I need in order to function as my best self.
And it is working. So things are are going well. Physically, Mentally,
(08:26):
I'm doing okay. You know, I'm still not sleeping really well.
But I do have an appointment next month and we're
hoping to try a couple of new things that will
probably or hopefully help me get some sleep. So all
in all, things are going well. Family is doing good.
There are really no no complaints, and I can ramble
(08:51):
on about myself for for ages, but you know that's
that's not what we're going to do today, and that's
not really met transition into the the show. Quickly shout
out to my producer, Greg Nice for always putting the
show in positions to succeed. He does a great job
of making sure the show is being seen, being heard.
(09:13):
And thank you to the live listeners today and every
week that I am here.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
On the show.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Let's talk a little bit about, you know, my nonprofit journey.
You know, I've worked with families and need for a
long time, and you know, I've raised awareness for autism
and I've tried to.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Be a bridge for people who feel overlooked.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
You know, when I started advocating for my niece and nephew,
my sister didn't have a voice and I wanted to
be that voice. Now I had to educate myself, and
that's an ongoing process. You know, when you're raising awareness
for autism because the spectrum is so broad, you're learning
new things every day. But I wanted to be a voice,
(10:02):
and I wanted to start a nonprofit to help more
families in need, you know, And it is it is
hard work. It is very rewarding work, you know, at
the end of the day, you know, I autism advocate.
Advocacy to me is personal because sometimes I ask myself,
(10:26):
am I doing enough to create understanding and not just awareness?
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Right? You know?
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Am I Am I really having honest conversations not just
with myself but with people around me who are also
advocates of people and families who were trying to learn
Because when you when you break it down, autism awareness
is just the beginning. What families really need, what they're
(10:57):
really in search of, is acceptance and inclusion. An inclusion
nowadays and a lot of things has become a I
don't want to say dirty word, but it's it's it's
becoming a buzzword in my opinion, because I think sometimes
we go about it the right way and sometimes I
(11:18):
think we go about it the wrong way. And I've
talked about this on the show before, and I've made
a post about inclusion, you know, on my social media websites.
You know, I think we have to all find the
middle ground on inclusion and sometimes we have to get
(11:41):
out of our own way. I know I've had to
do that, right. I think you learn hard lessons when
you sit down and you really listening process to what
someone's what someone else is saying about their version of inclusion,
whether you agree with it or not. You're trying to
figure out where they're coming from. So then you can
try to make you know your point balid or you
(12:04):
want to find a way to get to the middle.
And I've had to learn to do that. But I've
also seen where a lot of times ego plays a
large role and people talking about an inclusion because everybody
thinks they know everybody. For the most part, everybody thinks
(12:24):
they know and nobody's really taking the time to really
listen without getting offended. So I'm hoping that we continue
to do a better job talking about inclusion and acceptance
right because I think sometimes there's including going on, but
there's not inclusion going on, and rather than call someone out,
(12:49):
it's easy to do in front of everybody. You know,
I love to sit down with people in private and
talk about, you know, their definition, why they see it
that way. Is there any chance you can listen to
another opinion? Is there any way to have this conversation
get to a point where we can agree to disagree,
(13:12):
or come to a conclusion where we can agree that
we all still need work regarding this word and this definition.
If that makes sense to anyone listening to the show
right now. I know some of you ask me about
it all the time, and I don't know. There's some
people who agree with me. There's some people that do
(13:33):
not agree with me, and I totally understand it. You know, again,
we all have our definitions. I'm willing to listen to
all sides, hoping that we can find common grounds. You know,
I've also in working with my nonprofit, I've met parents
who tell me how it can be exhausting to consistently
(14:00):
explained to their child, you know, about their behaviors. I've
listened to young people on the autism spectrum, sure their
dreams that you know, sometimes others doubt it that they
could get to. You know, my former co host Tony
Bouchet and I we talk about that before we went
(14:20):
live on the show, or in the green room, right,
there's a lot of conversations about about about this, but
a lot of parents are really struggling, and some would
admit that they were embarrassed because they don't know what
(14:40):
to do right. They've run out of options, some have
run out of patience. And what I've learned and what
I have communicated to families and other advocates is this
autism is not something to fit. It's not a limitation.
(15:04):
It really isn't. I think it's a different way of
experiencing the world. That's as clearly as I see it now.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
I know.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
It's it's just my opinion, but I think sometimes we
we think or we try to fix people and you can't,
and we have to remember that it's and it's not
(15:39):
a limitation as well. And you know, there's one story
that stays with me quite a bit, and it's from
a young man that I met at a community event.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
You know, back in.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
When I really started, you know, I would meet a
lot of dads who would talk about their kids on
the spectrum in private, and they would talk about their struggles,
and it so happened at this event I met this
young man who was on the spectrum. You know he
loved golf, but he struggled with people telling him he
(16:19):
couldn't play because of his autism diagnosis. Right, Some were
afraid he's going to be too repetitive, or he's going
to have an outburst. And I simply told him, you know,
golf is about patients and practice. It's not about it's
not about being perfect. It's not You're learning more about
yourself when you're patient in those moments and you're not
(16:42):
trying to be perfect. So as the event went on,
you know, he would hit a ball straight down the
fairway and he would look back at me, and the
look on his face set it all.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
It was like he he didn't need permission to belong anymore.
He knew he already belonged on the golf course with
all of us, and he was thriving and he was
enjoying the moment. And that's what I love about the
work that I do with my nonprofit. So when I
(17:22):
talk about autism, I try to stress this to families
and to anyone that is listening to me. Families need allies,
They need us all to celebrate the victories, right, no
matter how small they are.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
We need to celebrate it.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
They need us to listen, and I not always rush
in with the with the answer or the answer we
think is the valid answer. They need us to stop
judging them and just simply include them, give them a shot, and.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
If you do that, there will be success.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Just like most things we do in life, it takes time,
and this is where patients and practice comes into play.
Every day isn't going to be a good day, right,
but there's something good in it, even if it's small.
You celebrate that small victory in that tough day. So
(18:45):
I think we just we need to I don't want
to say relate to families, right, I don't want to.
I don't want to say that, But I do think
we need to practice more patients and understand it about
where they're coming from. And I often ask myself, you
know that question, how patient am I?
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Right?
Speaker 2 (19:09):
How can I use my platforms to make sure their
voices are being heard?
Speaker 3 (19:16):
That's why I keep showing up. That's why I love
the work that I do.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
It's encouraging, it's inspirational, it's impactful to me, and I
hope that others do the same. Now, transitioning to the classroom,
this is where I've had the the most difficult time
(19:43):
in trying to make my work in the community sync
up in the classroom.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Right, there are a set of.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Rules that we all have to abide by in business
and whatever you do, right, you walk into these establishments
and they have rules and regulations for a reason, And
I get that.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
I rock with that, right.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
I have rules and regulations with my nonprofit and I
want everybody to abide by that.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
So I get it.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
So there are things that I can't really do per
se in the school system that I could do in
my community work I have. I have more freedom to
say what I want to say, whether it's brutally honest
or not. You know, I'm able to do that in
(20:28):
with my nonprofit and community work. When I'm meeting with
families in the school not so much, which again it's
it's it's fine because I I can abide by rules
I can't just like most of us.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
You know. I think.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
When I when I walk in as a parent educator,
the first thing that I say to myself, I have
to remind myself that this is more than just a job.
It's a calling a friend. Thought that I'd be an
asset and have impact in this building, and you know,
that's a calling. So it's more than the job, and
(21:07):
it's my responsibility to make sure that these kids know
that they matter. Now, how do I go about that
without crossing that line of merging my nonprofit in the building.
That's a different story, you know, And I don't do that.
(21:27):
I do my very best not to do that. Sometimes
it pains me, but I know for the greater good
for the school and the child, that's how it has
to be. So I have to ask myself in the morning,
right when I look in the mirror, am I patient enough?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Right?
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Am I consistent enough for these kids to depend on
me when it gets tough for them?
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Well?
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I have the right answers. Not always.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Right.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
We don't always have the right answers. But I ask
myself those questions every day, Right. It gets me going.
And then when I'm in those moments and I think
about those moments and great things are happening, it makes
it all worth So it's a steady progression to merge
(22:29):
the two. And when I say merge the two, I
don't mean I want my nonprofit in the building. That's
not what I'm saying. I'm saying I want to mentally
feel like I'm doing the same thing I would do
in the community, or I'm saying the same thing to
a kid that I would say to a kid in
(22:50):
the community.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
Like that's what I mean, And you know I am.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
I get asked often, do you do you like being
a pair of educator? And I say, yes, I like it.
I want to love it. But I know it's gonna
take time, right, I know it's not instant. Right, there's
a process that I am going through right now to
try to get to a point where I love the
work that I do, and I know that's gonna take time.
(23:22):
And as long as I do the things that I'm
supposed to do, I'm gonna progress. And I know progress
it looks different to some people than it does to me.
Sometimes it's not just getting it's not just getting a
perfect score on this test.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Right.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Sometimes progress is just simple communication with your group in
the class. You're breaking the ice. Finally they're starting to
trust you a little bit a little bit more. And
you know, I feel like the work that I do
(24:06):
in the community it's getting closer to where I wanted
to sync up with the things that I do in
the classroom. Right, I love talking about or instilling confidence
and resilience and kindness in these kids. Those lessons matter
just as much as matha reading, and I try to
(24:27):
carry those lessons with me every single day. So I'm
getting closer on that front, and I know many of
you have asked about that. I am definitely working hard
on trying to make things sink up, but I really
(24:52):
do enjoy being in the building. It's an absolute blessing
to have someone see your and think that you can
make a solid difference in the lives of kids, and
that's what it's been about for me. So as I
get closer to making things sync up and kind of
(25:15):
making it making it one where I'm not being any
different in my community role as I am and as
my pair of role, I think then I'll get to
that point where I really love what I do. And
again it takes time. I didn't foresee myself being a
para educator ever ever, but I think as you do
(25:38):
the work in the community and people see you and
they see how genuine you are, they do they start
to ask if you could be more flexible and maybe
branch out and do something else that connects to your purpose.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
And what I am.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
I'm really starting to realize is that, you know, the
beauty of my journey so and so far with these
two is realizing that the classroom and the community are
deeply connected.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Now I haven't gotten.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Really deep yet, but I do feel like they're deeply connected.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
So I'm working hard on it.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
And you know, sometimes I I wonder, you know, out
loud sometimes, you know, how do I make sure you
know both worlds feed each other right? How do I
make sure that you know I am I'm doing right
by my organization and I'm doing right by kids in
(26:50):
the classroom, you know, in that role. And I come
back to the same answer every time. As long as
I'm showing up consistency and kindness, it doesn't matter where
I am.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
I'm there. I'm present.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Because you know, at the end of the day, whether
I'm working with a student one on one, or helping
a family with services and needs, or I'm hosting this
show using this show as a platform as a vehicle,
the mission is the same.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
And You've heard me say.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
This over and over and over again, and I'm going
to say it right now. The mission has always been
to make someone or something better, including myself and I
feel like I'm doing that.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
So here's a question.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
As we as we wind down the show today, here's
a question I want to leave you with.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
What role do you play in your community?
Speaker 2 (28:02):
In your classroom, as a teacher or as a staff member,
what role will you play? Maybe it's just, you know,
encouraging a child. Maybe outside of the classroom or outside
of the school, you're supporting a neighbor. Maybe it's about
(28:24):
educating yourself about autism, right, so you can be a
better ally. The word ally it's a loaded word for me.
We'll get into that on another show. But you ask
yourself those questions. But whatever you're doing in the classroom
(28:45):
and in your community, you just know that your effort matters.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Right.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
I always say, the smallest act of kindness, the simplest gesture,
doesn't matter how big it is or how smaller. This right,
the smallest act of kindness goes a long way. A
gesture of inclusion goes a long way. It can change
(29:11):
your life. And it's it's true, it can, it really can.
So ask yourself that question, think about that. Where are
you in this in this journey about autism? We're all
(29:32):
still growing, evolving and educating ourselves.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
Remember that.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
As we come to the end of the show, I
would like to thank all of you live listeners each
week you show up for me and your emails. You know,
your follows of the show really mean a lot. I
really appreciate it. I don't think the show would be
(30:03):
nearly as successful without all of you supporting and saying
some kind things about the things that I do and
the work that I do in the community. I really
appreciate it. Again, shout out my amazing producer. He's always
setting me up for success. I am forever grateful for that.
(30:23):
To all of you that download the show, thank you,
thank you, thank you very very much. Do me a
favor as we approach the upcoming week. Get out in
your communities and check in on your family and friends.
All right, put a smile on someone's face. Remember it
doesn't take a lot of energy to do that at all.
(30:45):
Thank you for listening to The Elijah Way for the show.
Please be sure to download this show whatever you download
your favorite podcast till next week.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
Take care, God bless me. How about it and
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