Amy Sequenzia, Ollibean writer

About Amy Sequenzia

Amy Sequenzia is a non-speaking Autistic, multiply disabled activist and writer. Amy writes about disability rights, civil rights and human rights. She also writes poetry. Amy has presented in several conferences in the US and abroad, and her work is featured in books about being Autistic and Disabled. Amy is deeply involved with the Neurodiversity Movement and has been outspoken about the rights and worthy of disabled people. Amy serves on the Board of Directors of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), and the Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology (FAAST). http://nonspeakingautisticspeaking.blogspot.com and Autism Women’s Network. You can also follow Amy on Twitter at @AmySequenzia.

I Stand With Henry

2016-11-10T10:12:06-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, blog, Featured (Homepage), General, Inclusive Education, Politics, Think Tank|Tags: advocacy, all disabilities, Amy Sequenzia, autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders, autistic, cerebral palsy, civil rights, Disability, Henry, I STAND WITH HENRY, inclusion, inclusive education, ISTANDWITHHENRY, segregation, self-advocacy, self-advocate, special needs|

What Henry is doing is advocating for his rights, at the same time that he reminds us of our own rights and about how far we still have to go.

A Poem About Pain

2016-11-10T10:12:06-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, blog, General, Think Tank|Tags: abuse, advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, Autism Spectrum Disorders, restraint and seclusion, self-advocacy, shock, torture|

Other people have written better articulated articles about the same things I write in this poem. It is hard for me to elaborate beyond the words in the poem. It could have easily been me in some cases, it can happen to any of us.

Amy Sequenzia : Friendship and Respect

Amy Sequenzia : Friendship and Respect

2016-11-10T10:12:06-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, blog, General, Lifestyle, Think Tank|Tags: AAC, advocacy, all disabilities, Amy Sequenzia, augmentative and alternative communication, Autism Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, empathy, epilepsy, friendship, Ollibean Think Tank, poetry, seizures, self-advocacy, self-advocate, Think Tank, typing|

It is a mistaken idea that we, autistics, lack empathy. It is also a myth that we are not social. My friends and I, we understand and respect differences. And we understand that we all have a lot to contribute, in a diversity of manners.

Amy Sequenzia: “Storm”

2016-11-10T10:12:07-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, blog, General, Lifestyle, Medical, Think Tank|Tags: AAC, advocacy, all disabilities, Amy Sequenzia, augmentative and alternative communication, Autism Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, epilepsy, Ollibean Think Tank, poetry, seizures, self-advocacy, self-advocate, Think Tank, typing|

"Storm" a poem by autistic self-advocate Amy Sequenzia.

Amy Sequenzia:Dear Mainstream Media

Amy Sequenzia:Dear Mainstream Media

2016-11-10T10:12:07-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, blog, Editor's Picks, General, Think Tank|Tags: "My Voice Autism Life and Dreams", acceptance, all disabilities, Amy Sequenzia, Autism Spectrum Disorders, communication, Mainstream Media, Ollibean Think Tank, presume competence, self-advocate|

I am an autistic woman, non-speaking and I have many needs.Yes, dear mainstream media, I am the autistic supposedly too “low-functioning” to deserve to be heard. You pity me and you ignore the facts.

Amy Sequenzia: “Just Me”

Amy Sequenzia: “Just Me”

2016-11-10T10:12:10-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, blog, Editor's Picks, Featured (Homepage), General, Lifestyle, Think Tank|Tags: AAC, advocacy, all disabilities, Amy Sequenzia, ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, autistic, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, epilepsy, high-functioning, labels, low-functioning, presume competence, self-advocacy, stereotypes|

Amy Sequenzia writes about rejecting society's many labels. Perceptions such as “super spectacular” autistic and “low-functioning” are equally harmful .

Amy Sequenzia: Happy to be Myself

2016-11-10T10:12:11-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, blog, Editor's Picks, General, Lifestyle|Tags: "My Voice Autism Life and Dreams", all disabilities, Amy Sequenzia, Autism Spectrum Disorders, autistic, epilepsy, My Voice, self-advocate|

Respect, understanding, acceptance.Things that make me happy.Respect, understanding, acceptance. These things make me grow.

Amy Sequenzia: Respect How I Choose to Speak

Amy Sequenzia: Respect How I Choose to Speak

2016-11-10T10:12:11-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, blog, Editor's Picks, General, Think Tank|Tags: advocacy, all disabilities, Amy Sequenzia, Autism Spectrum Disorders, communication, FC, Ollibean Think Tank, self-advocacy, self-advocate, supported typing|

I type my words because I am non-speaking. One of

Autism Speaks: Time to Listen by Autistic Self-Advocate Amy Sequenzia

Autism Speaks: Time to Listen by Autistic Self-Advocate Amy Sequenzia

2016-11-10T10:12:12-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, blog, Editor's Picks, General, Think Tank|Tags: advocacy, all disabilities, Amy Sequenzia, autism acceptance, Autism Speaks, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Autsim Awareness Month, poetry, self-advocate|

Autism Speaks: Time to Listen by Autistic Self-Advocate Amy Sequenzia

Presuming Competence

2016-11-10T10:12:13-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, blog, Editor's Picks, General, Lifestyle, Parenting, Think Tank|Tags: all disabilities, all kids, Amy Sequenzia, Attention Deficit Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, down syndrome, hearing impairment, learning disabilities, medically complex, mitochondrial disorders, muscular dystrophies, Ollibean Think Tank, presume competence, rare or undiagnosed disorders, self-advocates, spinal muscular atrophy|

This issue is very important to me because so many

Epidemic, Awareness and Us, Autistics

2016-11-10T10:12:14-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, Amy Sequenzia, blog, Editor's Picks, General, Lifestyle, Parenting, Politics, Think Tank|Tags: acceptance, all disabilities, all kids, Amy Sequenzia, autism, autism epidemic, Autism Spectrum Disorders, CDC, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, epilepsy, Ollibean Contributor, Ollibean Think Tank, rare or undiagnosed disorders, self-advocacy, self-advocates|

By now everyone knows about the new numbers on autism

Lives Not Worth Living : by Amy Sequenzia

2016-11-10T10:12:16-05:00By Amy Sequenzia|Categories: Advocacy, blog, General, Parenting, Politics|Tags: all disabilities, Amy Sequenzia, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Candlelit Vigil for Disabled People Murdered by Relatives and Caregivers, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, Disability, down syndrome, epilepsy, George Hodgins, murder, rare or undiagnosed disorders, self-advocacy|

The title of this blog is an expression seen in many blogs written by disabilities advocates and self-advocates. Wasn’t his life worth living? Isn’t mine or the lives of all disabled people? The murder of 22 year-old autistic George Hodgins prompted the latest, very strong protests from the autistic community against the media coverage focused on the “reasons” for the killing, while ignoring George’s, the victim, life.