ABILITY Magazine at the 2014 Autism Speaks Walk

Instrumental Music

Instrumental Music

and I think it's amazing that

there's supposed to be 50,000 people here today.

My name is Alex Plank.

I run the website wrongplanet.net,

which is the largest website for autism.

And I also work on FX's The Bridge

as a consultant and actor.

I do a TV talk show online called Autism Talk TV

where we interview people about autism

and give how-to videos on subjects

such as social skills and things like that,

for people with autism to learn how to interact socially.

Shoutout to Mahje, my cousin.

When I was 9, I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome

which is a form of autism.

So that is how I got involved in this cause.

I think that the important issues we need to focus

with in terms of autism are providing better services

for individuals who are on the spectrum.

Supporting them so they can live

the most fulfilling life possible.

Hi, my name is Preston.

I'm the brand ambassador for 51 Fifty Energy.

Our CEO, Carlos Vieira runs a non-profit organization

called The Carlos Vieira Foundation.

Actually, he's a very successful sweet potato farmer,

and he started racing cars when he was 35 years old.

People were calling him crazy, so that was

sort of his motivation to start this energy company.

But he didn't need the money,

so he would donate it to autism.

The car is actually one of our old race cars.

We took the engine out

and we sealed up all the windows and everything.

And we bring to all the events

and have people donate money.

So once that car is full of money,

we're going to donate it to autism.

The families reach out to us,

and we get them set up,

whatever they need.

We donate the money straight to families

with autism.

The website is 51fiftyenergydrink.com

My name is Larry Rosen

I'm an advocate. I am a partner in a company

called IHSS advocates

We help families get protective supervision

which is a component of in home support services

which is a component of Medi-Cal

Unfortunately, lots of families don't realize

that there's a service out there

that allows a parent to

be the stay-at home provider for their child

and get paid for it.

I'm Max Burkholder, I'm here because

I play a character on NBC's Parenthood

named Max Braverman who has Asperger's Syndrome

I don't think they attempted to cast

someone who was on the spectrum.

I think their first thought was to teach all the kids

who were auditioning about what people

who are on the spectrum go through.

And ever since I started playing that role,

I've gotten more and more

involved in the autism community

I'm Robin Rapaport and I am a tutordoctor.

And what we provide is

one-on-one in home tutoring

for students of all ages

and in any subject at all

And what's really different about it,

is that when it's appropriate,

we create a team with everybody that's involved

in the student's education,

because we really want to dig deep.

We're not like a band-aid situation.

We're really getting into the heart

of the matter.,

and giving people the tools

and skills that they need,

so they don't need us forever.

Just really trying to be the best

service for tutoring on the planet.

That's our commitment.

Ernie: My name is Ernie Merlan

Yudi: And I'm Yudi Bennett

E: And we're part of Exceptional Minds

E: We're a school for young adults with autism

E: We teach them computer graphics and animation

Y: We're very unique in the special needs world.

Y: There are very few programs.

Y: Our program was designed to fill the need

Y: For young adults over 18.

Y: There are very few programs for this population,

Y: and there's tremendous unemployment.

E: We've been lucky enough to get them

E: jobs in some movies.

E: Last year we did 12 visual effects

on American Hustle

and we've worked on movies like Lawless,

and Judy Moody.

Dina: My name is Dina Kimmel and I'm the founder

of We Rock the Spectrum

the kid's gym for all kids.

So We Rock was founded

because our son has autism.

He was diagnosed back in 2009.

And we wanted to create a space for my son

and for my daughter, who's neurotypical.

And we created this kid's gym

in my home.

It's all sensory based equipment.

And then brought it out

into the community.

The local community in Tarzana.

And 3 weeks later, it exploded.

And now here we are, 4 years later.

We've got 12 locations.

We just started franchising out.

We opened our first one in Boca Raton, Florida.

It's really exciting.

So we are about inclusion.

So with the sensory equipment,

we're able to have typical children,

and children with autism

or other disabilities

cerebral palsy, it doesn't matter.

There'e something for everybody.

So that's what We Rock is about.

Instrumental Music

Alex Plank: I come to this event every year