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Ray Hemachandra at Golden Moon Circles

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A Letter about IDD Advocacy in North Carolina

What we lack most centrally in intellectual and developmental disability work and advocacy in North Carolina is the fierce urgency of now, to use and insist upon the meaning of the famous and essential phrase by Dr. King.

autism, developmental disability, equity, IDD, intellectual disability, representation
October 2022: Ray Hemachandra and Nicholas Hemachandra at the parklet in Asheville, North Carolina, at the Center for Craft, created in conjunction with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

You’re My Son

My son Nicholas is autistic, and he has echolalia. But what he says in repeated speech can carry as much meaning—and sometimes even more feeling—as the “right” words.

adults with autism, autism, autism acceptance, Love, son

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?

autism, developmental disability, disability, disability rights, disabled, featured, IDD, inclusion, integration, intellectual disability
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.

autism, autism acceptance, autism acceptance month, autism adulthood, autism awaremess, world autism day

Poem: My Father’s Hands, in memoriam

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

father, fatherhood, poem, poems, poet, poetry

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,…

black history month, communication, discrimination, racial discrimination, social justice, social justice work

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.

autism, autism acceptance, disability, disability rights, down syndrome, intellectual disability

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…

biography, connection, loneliness, memoir, personal story, story

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.

autism, autism acceptance, autism acceptance month, autism advocacy, autism awareness, world autism day

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It’s a heart. (June 2020)
Comfort food to keep you going at El Águila Honduran Kitchen in south Asheville this week
Flower (detail), Biltmore Conservatory, Asheville NC
One more from the @centerforcraft board retreat this weekend. Cheers to all the Center’s amazing staff and my fellow board members—I’m lucky to serve and work with such smart, dedicated, creative, and kind human beings.
Breakfast and time today with @she_ne_qua and @dndiaye — lovely friends, *brilliant* artists and creatives, and fellow @centerforcraft board directors 🙏🏾👏🏾❤️
Two-day Board of Directors meeting for the Center for Craft @centerforcraft in Asheville NC … no fun at all. Here with the fabulous and classic @roddyshine
My son Nicholas at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville NC this week.
Twins
Warm winter’s day with my son Nicholas at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina
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