Community Inclusion and IDD: Prioritizing and Empowering Choice for the Disabled

Should policy-directed “best outcomes” from government officials and advocacy groups reduce, rather than enhance, choice for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)—and sometimes trap them in unsafe, hostile environments?

Nicholas Hemachandra on a mountaintop wearing a shirt that says, "If you can be anything, be inclusive."

Autistic Isolation, Connection, and Joy: Never Miss Dessert

Autistic adults, like adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities more generally, are not often seen as agents of love, joy, connection, relationship, and meaning for others. That’s because they’re not often seen at all.

Poem: My Father’s Hands, in memoriam

A new poem: “My Father’s Hands, in memoriam”

Working for Just Community: Now, Then, Always

Going through an old box yesterday, I came upon a yellowed, frayed 9.5-by-12-inch certificate issued in 1950 to my grandmother,…

The Value of Disabled Lives and Organs

Why might an autistic, intellectually disabled Black boy with Down syndrome be so much more valuable in death than in life? Because his parents made him an organ donor.

A Conversation Between My Mother and Me

My mother had 13 years from the time the youngest of her three sons—that would be me—went off to college…

An Announcement, a Benefit, and a Giveaway

I am pleased and genuinely honored to announce that I am joining the board of directors of the Center for…

Autism Acceptance—and Celebration

Autism is still largely an unknown, even among generally well-educated people. Autism awareness and education still matter a lot, and they are prerequisites for acceptance. Autism awareness and autism acceptance are both essential.

Intellectually Disabled Adults and COVID Vaccine Prioritization

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at greater risk—three times greater than the general population—of COVID-19 complications and/or death.…