So, if you haven't figured out by the large number of TED Talk post, I work there. But, my live for it came wayyyyyyyy before I filled out my W2. My 14 year old brother, Matthew, has Asperger's, a form of autistic spectrum disorder that can impair the basic social skills required for communication. Its always been a something that has made my heart heavy. I actually found out about TED on very emotional night with him (I'm emo so this really doesn't take much), online searching for ways to "communicate with children with autism better". I came across a TED talk by Temple Grandin (listed below) and curiously, we watched it together and he told me "this is me". I have been in love with TED talks ever since.
And an update on Matthew: He has a popular animation youtube page (that he won't let my family see because we aren't creatives and wouldn't understand the process). He knows almost all the words in the dictionary, and he will teach them to you if you give him a chance (don't). He is a writer and recently won a poetry contest for his poem on respect where he got to sit down and have lunch with Mariano Rivera (he doesn't even watch baseball). He got into all the high schools he wanted to (with scholarships), and is attending Fordham Prep in the fall (one of the top boys Catholic high school in NY). He should be on a debate team cause we argue like he's a grown man (but he's a Leo so...)
Aka, between him and my other brother Marcus (who is not on the spectrum but also at Fordham and a great athlete)... I'm the wack child in the family.
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